Bath City, Malawi to forge closer links

Mayor of Bath City in England Cllr Gerry Curran says people of his city are looking forward to building the city’s education institutions links with Malawi into full-fledged relationship that could boost socio-economic ties.

Cllr Curran was speaking when he hosted a reception in honour of the Malawi High Commissioner to the UK Kena Mphonda at the Mayors Parlour as part of ongoing discussions to establish links between Bath Spa University and the University of Malawi and already existing relationship between Kingsdown School whose students visit Blantyre and Nkhotakota every year.

“I am happy that we from this corner of England can count people from far place like Malawi as friends. I hope to see this grow as we cooperate and grow into meaningful relationship,” said the Mayor.

High Commissioner Mphonda said the visit was to establish wider network with various stakeholders and develop a long-term partnership programme between Bath City and another city in Malawi.

“We want to have a more established relationship that benefit the people of this historic city and Malawi. So far the education links have given us a starting point, btu we will be having more areas of cooperation before the year ends,” said Mphonda.

Professor John Strachan of Bath Spa University who led the University’s team to Malawi in November 2019, said they had agreed with the University of Malawi for a possible partnership that will see exchange of 12 personnel visiting Bath and same number travelling to Malawi in diverse fields including education, law, health, social sciences and humanities.

Deputy Head of Kingsdown School Gordon Pie said the school had long term commitment to help Malawian schools develop and so far, the exchanges between students and teachers had benefitted both sides.

The event was graced by officials from the Royal Commonwealth Society, Bath Spa University, Kingsdown School and renowned Malawian Dr Mpalive Msiska from Birkbeck, University of London who taught at the Bath University for so many years.

The High Commission has embarked on developing partnerships with UK cities outside London as already most engage with Malawi without formal cooperation. So far, the drive has seen the Mission engage City of Liverpool and Leicester City.