Gavin Williamson, MP for South Staffordshire, welcomed a delegation from Park Ridge, Kinver’s twin city in the United States, on Sunday.
Gavin met the small group at the Kinver Country Fayre, which they attended as part of an official visit to the area.
In the course of the greeting, Gavin presented the delegation with a signed guide book to the House of Commons.
He was honoured to receive a paperweight from the Park Ridge residents.
Park Ridge, which is adjacent to Chicago, has a population of 37,480. It was first settled in the mid-1830s on land that was formerly occupied by the Pottawatomi Indians.
The search for a sister city for Park Ridge began with the appointment of the Sister Cities Commission by Mayor Ron Wietecha, in the early nineties.
The Commission, chaired by City Clerk Betty Henneman, corresponded with cities throughout the world and found Kinver through a joint resident, Domenic Toni.
A Declaration of Friendship was jointly proclaimed by the two communities, under the auspices of Sister Cities International, in 1992.
An American by birth, Mr. Toni still lives in Kinver, commuting to Park Ridge for business and to visit his family members in the area.
Gavin: “It was a pleasure to be able to welcome the delegation from Park Ridge in the US. I greatly enjoyed the opportunity to learn a little bit more about the city and its citizens.
“I think twinning is a wonderful tradition, enabling two communities separated by an often vast geographical distance and potentially diverse cultures to connect and find common ground. I believe the practice greatly enriches both societies and I look forward to meeting further Park Ridge residents in the future.”