The Association „ Testvérvárosok Baráti Egyesülete” is situated in Jászberény, a region of central Hungary called Jászság. The town is located about 70 km from Budapest, the capital of Hungary, on the Zagyva river.
The Association of Town Twinning (TEBA), which is a nonprofit organisation, was established in 2006 with the purpose to melt the twin cities of Jászberény into one organisation. Jászberény is twinned with Italy (Conselve), Romania (Lunca de Sus -Gyimesfelsőlok), Romania (Sângeorgiu de Mureș-Marosszentgyörgy), the United States (Sedalia, Missouri), Poland (Sucha Beskidzka), Ukraine (Tiachiv-Técső), Slovakia (Topoľčany -Nagytapolcsány), Germany (Vechta-Lower Saxony) and Iran (Yazd). The TEBA has contributed to maintain the several decades of friendship among the nine twin towns through different activities thus strengthening awareness of active European citizenship, solidarity, tolerance and social inclusion. According to these principles, expanding the relationships between NGOs in Jászberény and the twin cities, supporting the development of new civil society contacts, facilitating establishment of relationships between entrepreneurs of twin towns have been of significant importance.
As one of the main purposes of the association is to increase intercultural dialogue and cooperation among European citizens, the organisation maintains contact and exchanges of experience with NGOs in twin cities which are focusing on similar goals. Due to these cooperations The Association „Testvérvárosok Baráti Egyesülete” participated in different European projects whose activities were carried out on local, national and international level.
In December 2017 the Association„Testvérvárosok Baráti Egyesülete” widened the scope of activities and opened its doors to all European citizens who would like to realize their mobilities in Hungary. Regardless of age, gender or race Jászberény provides a wide range of activities in the framework of European projects involving the traditional Hungarian folklore and cultural heritage. Connected to different educational institutions, entrepreneurs, sports organisations, the Association „Testvérvárosok Baráti Egyesülete” is supporting all participants of European projects, emphasizing mutual interest, multiculturalism and interculturality. On the basis of a broad network „Testvérvárosok Baráti Egyesülete” is able to organize training courses, meetings, workshops, traineeships for students in different professional areas, including the traditional values through folk dance or riding schools both on national and international level on the highest niveau.
The Association “Testvérvárosok Baráti Egyesülete” has been participating in different European projects in the framework of “Erasmus+” and “Europe for Citizens” programmes for five years. All members of the organisation have gained relevant experiences in the area of European partnerships, concerning both organizing and realizing the programmes.
The organisation is well- located, as Jászberény is close to the Capital of Hungary, Budapest which provides lots of possibilities linked to the mobilities.
Jászberény is home to the most famous and successful folk dance group of Hungary, “Jászság Népi Együttes”. Due to this fact, Jászberény is the centre of Hungarian Folkdance Methodology which is UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. Thousands of visitors are coming here every summer to participate in “Csángó Fesztival” which is the biggest folklore festival in Central Europe.
With its six secondary schools, music school, riding schools, ice-skating and sport clubs, zoo, the Eagle Centre that TEBA is connected to, Jászberény is also an educational and cultural centre of this region that can provide an excellent environment for European mobilities.
Due to the wide range of restaurants, associations -for instance the Pálinka Order- in Jászberény, whose main purpose is to promote the traditional habits linked to Hungarian food and drinks, TEBA is also able to arrange and conduct cultural, educational or recreational events in the culinary field.