Mayor of the City of Dresden Annekatrin Klepsch and Prague’s City Councillor for Culture Hana Třeštíková christened the new fire boats "Dresden" and "Prag" last week.

The two new fire boats of the Flotte Hamburg were ceremonially christened "Dresden" and "Prag" on 23 September by their two sponsors, Dresden's Second Mayor Annekatrin Klepsch and Prague's City Councillor for Culture Hana Třeštíková. In the presence of Hamburg's First Mayor Dr Peter Tschentscher and CEO of Hamburg Port Authority Jens Meier, the ships then went on a short sea trial in the Port of Hamburg. 

Mayor Dr Peter Tschentscher: "The new fire boats 'Prag' and 'Dresden' ensure safety in the port and can run emission-free with their plug-in hybrid drives. The sponsorship of our twin cities is an expression of our friendship and good cooperation with a wide range of relationships in business and administration, in education and science, in art and culture. The names and sponsorships of the new fire boats are a strong sign of Hamburg's good relations with our partners on the Elbe and Moldova."

Hamburg Visit 

The program of the two sponsors' visit to Hamburg included a breakfast at Hamburg City Hall at the invitation of State Councillor Almut Möller, Hamburg's Plenipotentiary to the Federal Government, to the European Union and for Foreign Affairs. In the afternoon, the christening of the two fire boats and a short boat trip in Hamburg Port took place. In the evening, the sponsors were invited to Hamburger Kunsthalle. City Councillor Třeštíková opened the exhibition of the Prague artist "TOYEN" there with, among others, Senator for Culture Dr. Carsten Brosda. The exhibition "TOYEN", curated in cooperation with the National Gallery in Prague and the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, was shown in Prague until August 2021 and will be on display at Hamburger Kunsthalle until 13 February 2022 before going to Paris in 2022. 

On Friday, Councillor Třeštíková met the director of Hamburger Kunsthalle, Prof. Dr. Alexander Klar, to discuss further cultural projects between Hamburg and Prague, as well as the managing director of Hamburg Tourismus GmbH, Michael Otremba. After a tour of the Elbphilharmonie, guided by Barbara Lebitsch, the Elbphilharmonie's artistic director of operations, Třeštíková attended the ÄTNA & NDR Big Band concert as part of the Reeperbahn Festival in the evening before returning to Prague on Saturday.