To observe the 80th anniversary of Operation Market Garden, the City of Nijmegen, Netherlands has invited an educational and cultural delegation from Albany to assist in and be recognized during the celebration. The cities of Albany and Nijmegen have a sister-city relationship dating back to 1947 when, following World War II, Albany sent 300 tons of humanitarian and building materials to Nijmegen to provide relief to residents and assist with reconstruction. In return, Queen Wilhelmina sent 2,000 tulip bulbs as an expression of gratitude, which resulted in Albany’s well-known annual Tulip Festival.
Led by the City of Albany and the Friendship Albany Nijmegen Foundation (FAN), the delegation includes City of Albany officials, members of Albany’s Tulip Court and staff and students from Hudson Valley Community College and University at Albany. The FAN Foundation maintains friendship between Albany and Nijmegen, and has worked diligently to foster youth exchange programs between Nijmegen and Albany cultural and educational organizations. A robust itinerary has been developed for the delegation, focusing on fostering exchange programs with Nijmegen’s higher educational institutions and cultural organizations. Representatives from HVCC will travel as part of the delegation September 16-22.
This engagement aligns closely with HVCC’s 2024-2029 Strategic Plan goal of managing international partnerships and growing study abroad opportunities. Cultural aspects of the trip will focus on the sacrifices made by the United States military, which is strongly connected to HVCC’s roots as the Veteran’s Vocational School and growth into Hudson Valley Technical Institute, which provided practical hands-on training to veterans returning from World War II and the Korean War.