Portraits of a Sister City Partnership Without Borders

Santillana del Mar celebrates its history of European friendship with the exhibition "Three towns, one Europe"

The exhibition, promoted by the Asociación Comité de Hermanamientos de Santillana del Mar, traces through images and memories the town's ties with Le Dorat, in France, and Borgolavezzaro, in Italy

Santillana del Mar, September 29, 2026.– The Museo Jesús Otero hosted today the opening of the exhibition "Three towns, one Europe. Santillana del Mar – Le Dorat – Borgolavezzaro: Portraits of a twinning without borders", an initiative promoted by the Asociación Comité de Hermanamientos de Santillana del Mar that recovers and highlights decades of friendship, coexistence, and exchange between these three European towns.

The event was attended by the mayor of Santillana del Mar, Sara Izquierdo; the Councilor for Twinning, David Fernández Díaz; the president of the Twinning Association, María Luisa Rosete; the former mayor of Santillana del Mar and ex-officio member of the association, Jesús Andrés Cuevas, as well as various members of the organization and individuals linked to the history of these twinings.

The inauguration also served to publicly recognize the great work being carried out by the Asociación Comité de Hermanamientos de Santillana del Mar, both in preserving the memory of these relationships and in promoting new activities and exchanges that allow them to remain alive and bring them closer to new generations.

The mayor, Sara Izquierdo, especially thanked the dedication of the president of the association, María Luisa Rosete, as well as the involvement of all its members, whose voluntary and constant work is fundamental to giving continuity to bonds that are already part of the recent history of Santillana del Mar.

"This exhibition speaks of our history, but, above all, it speaks of people. Of those who, decades ago, understood that Europe was also being built from its villages, bringing together families, young people, associations, and cultures. I would like to especially recognize the enormous work being carried out by the Twinning Association, led by María Luisa, and thank all the people who dedicate their time and effort to preserving this history and, above all, to giving it a future," noted Sara Izquierdo.

The exhibition allows us to journey through a history that dates back more than half a century. The twinning relationship between Santillana del Mar and Le Dorat began in 1968, becoming a pioneering experience in Cantabria. Since then, the two towns have maintained a close relationship based on numerous meetings and exchanges between residents, schoolchildren, associations, municipal representatives, and various groups from both populations.

Over the decades, that institutional relationship also gave way to numerous personal and family ties. In 2019, coinciding with the commemoration of half a century of twinning, Santillana del Mar and Le Dorat renewed their vows and reaffirmed their commitment to continue fostering cultural, educational, and social exchanges between both towns.

Subsequently, Borgolavezzaro, an Italian municipality in Piedmont with which Santillana del Mar also maintains a close twinning relationship, joined this European story. Between both towns, there is also a unique bond centered around Santa Juliana, the patron saint of Santillana del Mar, whose figure is also linked to the Italian town.

The exhibition installed at the Museo Jesús Otero brings together images and memories that allow us to understand the human dimension of these twinnings: trips, institutional meetings, cultural exchanges, experiences involving young and old, and numerous moments shared over the years.

The presence at the inauguration of Jesús Andrés Cuevas, former mayor of Santillana del Mar and ex-officio member of Los Pueblos Más Bonitos de España, also provided the perspective of those who have lived and promoted these bonds over different periods. His participation symbolizes the continuity between the generations that drove the twinning agreements and the people currently working to strengthen them.

For the City Council, this exhibition also represents an opportunity to champion the role of twinning in building a close-knit Europe, born not only from institutions but from direct relationships between its citizens. Three municipalities from Spain, France, and Italy that, despite the distance, have managed to build a shared history based on friendship, mutual understanding, and cultural exchange.

The exhibition «Tres pueblos, una misma Europa» can be visited at the Museo Jesús Otero until October 13, from Tuesday to Saturday, from 10:00 to 13:00 and from 16:00 to 20:00.

With this initiative, the Twinning Committee Association and the City Council of Santillana del Mar wish not only to remember the path traveled but also to renew the commitment to continue strengthening ties with Le Dorat and Borgolavezzaro and to pass this legacy on to new generations, so that a story begun more than half a century ago continues to grow in the future.