Olga Lawson comes from Volgograd and has been active in twinning for most of her life. She has been involved with the Coventry and Volgograd Bond of Friendship Committee, the Twin & Sister Cities Forum, UK and Russia Federation & Sister Cities Forum.

What are you working on now in Coventry?

I am now co-ordinating a project bid around UK and Russia Federation business forum and volunteering on twinning projects.

When did you become interested in twinning?

I grew up in Volgograd and this was always an international city. People from everywhere knew about the battle of Stalingrad and we would have visitors from all over the world, maybe they had relations who had lived or died during the siege and perhaps people who were just interested. We knew that there were places around the world which had been names after Stalingrad and places in Stalingrad were often named after heroes from other countries. Volgograd has 25 twin cities you have 26, we get all sorts of cultural and educational exchanges.

Were you aware of Coventry when in Volgograd?

I saw the Lord Mayor and other dignitaries from Coventry come to Volgograd and sometimes an arts group would come over. There was a Club of International Friendship when I was at school and this continues to today. I was involved in this club and in 1983 as a school girl I watched a production of the Little Match Girl, this was adapted from a story by Hans Christian Anderson, that was put on by a school in Coventry. Later I got married to an Englishman with links to the local area so this has led me to live in Coventry.

Why is twinning so important?

Coming from where I do you need to explain and keep on explaining why peace is so important. You need to do what you can to create an environment for peace around the world, to show that we are all linked and we share something in common. You can't do peace on your own. It's like a kiss, you cant kiss yourself, you need to do it with someone.

What advice would you have for someone interested in getting going with a twinning project?

Start with small steps. Find someone in your home city or the place of your interest with similar interests. It is much easier now with technology to help us. There are twinning links on all possible levels now, so just make a first move. Be ready to tell more anyone who asks about your homeplace to people who are interested in its culture, history, creativity.

What do you think of Coventry?

I am living in Coventry now and what I like about it is that the people are special and friendly. They keep an open mind on who they meet. Yes, a very inspiring combination of something old, something new and something blue.

What would you recommend us to see in Volgograd?

Well if you are interested in culture try the city centre. The City is older then Saint Petersburg, just most of our buildings and trees are not older then 77 years old because of the Stalingrad Battle. We have rebuilt rather than changed our historic buildings and there is a focus on arts and creative projects. There is a busy night life. But go to the museums too. The Panorama museum of course, the embankment but there is also the Art Museum and Old Sarepta Museum of Mustard!