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Leeds - Lille partnership

Mayor of Lille, Martine Aubry
Mayor of Lille, Martine Aubry
Lille city crest
Lille city crest
Lille city 1
Lille city 2

"I am delighted to send a message of friendship to the people of Leeds. I would like Leeds and Lille to continue developing our exchanges, for the benefit of all our citizens." (Martine Aubry, Mayor of Lille)

The twinning relationship between Leeds and Lille dates back to 1968, but links between the cities' universities were already in place before the war. Since then, the number and nature of links between organisations and individuals in both cities has multiplied and there is ongoing contact between young people, businesses and academics in both cities.

Lille is the Capital of the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region and prides itself on being a 'European City'. The city has a population of 1.2 million people. A dynamic and modern city, Lille is also a centre of art and history and was European Capital of Culture 2004.

The city's geographical position and its extensive communication networks have attracted many companies to the city. The city has its own international airport, the most dense motorway network outside Paris and is France's 3rd largest inland port. With its Channel Tunnel and high-speed train links, it is also a rail communications hub. The city also has excellent higher education establishments, with 150,000 students in the region.


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