About Us

The Heidelberg-Palo Alto club was founded in 2020 by Heidelberg residents interested in bringing the sister city relationship with Palo Alto to life. Our goal is to foster exchange between both cities by establishing and supporting programs in the area of business, youth exchange, culture and education.

Palo Alto

Situated in the heart of Silicon Valley, Palo Alto with its 60.000 inhabitants is often called its secret capital. With the metropolitan areas San Jose and San Francisco to the south and the north, Palo Alto’s charming small town character is contrasted by its world reputation. Global tech giants like Facebook, Apple and Google are in close proximity and many of their executives live there. As its German sister, Palo Alto is home to a world-famous university. Stanford’s beautiful campus is home to Nobel Prize winners and Olympians alike.

Heidelberg

The city on the Neckar river is bordered by the rolling hills of the Odenwald and the Rhine Valley. One fourth of its 160.000 inhabitants are students, making it a young and lively town. Heidelberg is home to a world renowned university and reputable research institutes, such as the Max Planck Institute and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory. It’s rich historic background is complemented by a forward-thinking spirit and a modern life-style.

townscape, cityscape, town

Who we are

Stephan Lochner

President

Matthias Blatz

Vice President

Carsten Kaisig

Vice President

Dr. Helena Gesänger

VICE PRESIDENT

Dr. Jeannet-Susann Kiessling

Vice President

Matthias Lautenschläger

Vice President

Stefan Nitz

Assesor

Nicholaus Sterzacher

Assesor

Our Members are Involved in the Following Organizations

Frequently Asked Questions

Fill out the application form and we will reach out to you. If you have any questions concerning membership, please reach out to info@hd-pa.com.

We support the city sister city partnership with Palo Alto, California by initiating educational, cultural, business and youth exchange programs. Read more here.

Yes. We are registered as a nonprofit organization (gemeinnütziger, eingetragener Verein) and eligible for tax exemption under the German law.

The HDPA was founded by a group of Heidelberg residents who connected to Palo Alto’s sister city organization Neighbors Abroad. Read more about the founders here.
Send us an email and state your idea. We will reach out to you. 

The City of Heidelberg formally signed the sister city agreement with Palo Alto in 2017. They are maintaining a high level relationship on the city government level. It is up to the citizens in each of the sister cities to make the agreement come to life. HDPA was founded to do just that. 

We are working closely with Neighbors Abroad, the sister city organization run by citizens of Palo Alto. 

Send us an email and tell us what you are interested in!