My city, your city: Postcards from home is a way to connect using hand-written messages in contrast with more common digital messaging.

Oxford has seven Twin Cities, with academic, business and social links throughout the globe. This captivating project of cultural connections uses postcards from people in Oxford’s Twin Cities to share the essence of these vibrant destinations.

We saw that extending a hand of friendship with a picture-postcard was a powerful and simple way to bring people together, and learn a little bit about communities as the whole world began to recover from the global pandemic. We hosted an event in the Covered Market with The Handwritten Letter Appreciation Society and also learned that many people had never written a postcard or letter before, and in some of Oxford’s Twin Cities, sending a postcard was impossible because of serious political conflict. Our wishes of hope and solidarity go to everyone affected by conflict.

Part of IF Oxford: with 100 events across the city of Oxford and beyond, there are thousands of ways for you to connect with science, ideas, places and people.

Supported by Oxford City Council

Send a postcard

Why not send your own postcard today to people living in one of Oxford’s Twin Cities?

This Postcards from home exhibition was created by people living in Oxford’s Twin Cities and hosted in the Oxford Covered Market, 6-29 October 2023 (and then extended to July 2025!) for people living in or visiting Oxford to send and see messages from across the globe.

IF Oxford provided a choice of four ‘Oxford’ postcards (options below), and invited anyone to write a friendly message in return, addressed to one of the twinned cities, and then we sent it onwards for free using a special exhibition postbox. This project was governed by the IF Oxford contributions policy. Alternatively, you can use the Royal Mail postbox in the Covered Market in the usual way.

This is free, but you can donate to IF Oxford at any time: if-oxford.com/donate

🇬🇧 Oxford’s Twin Cities

Oxford International Links works with Oxford City Council to support social, cultural and sporting activities, fostering friendship and partnership with people in our Twin Cities.

We can all benefit through knowledge sharing, exchange of ideas and understanding different cultures and viewpoints with our twinned cities:

🇳🇱 Leiden, The Netherlands

Oxford Leiden Link: http://oxford-leiden.org.uk/

🇩🇪 Bonn, Germany

Oxford Bonn Link: https://oxbonnlink.org.uk/

🇳🇮 León, Nicaragua

Oxford León Association: https://oxfordleon.home.blog/

🇫🇷 Grenoble, France

Oxford Grenoble Association: https://grenoble-oxford.org/

🇵🇱 Wrocław, Poland

Oxford Polish Association: https://opaoxford.org/

🇵🇸 Ramallah, Palestine

Oxford Ramallah Twinning: https://www.oxford-ramallah.org/twinninglink.html

🇮🇹 Padua, Italy

Oxford Padova Link: https://www.facebook.com/OxfordPadovaLink