France/Maen-Roch celebrates its twinning on Poland's national holiday

The Polish national holiday took place on Saturday May 3, 2025. An opportunity for Ille-et-Vilaine communes twinned with Polish towns to get together, like Maen-Roch.

Every year, towns in Ille-et-Vilaine twinned with their Polish counterparts gather at one of their sites on the Polish national holiday, May 3. This year, the task fell to Maen-Roch, twinned with Dopiewo since 2003.

An exception in Brittany

"The Bretagne Pologne association was made possible thanks to the involvement of Pierre Méhaignerie, then president of the departmental council, and Jeanne Françoise Hutin, president of the Maison de l'Europe. We're also the only association in Brittany structured in this way, bringing together all the twinning committees that are close to an area of Poland," points out Joseph Menard.

So, on Saturday May 3, 2025, fifteen communes in the département came together to evoke Franco-Polish friendship, highlighting the first Polish constitution of 1791. The day began with a tour of the town's historic sites, commented on by Thomas Janvier, the town's mayor, and continued with a concert given by the by the Coglais choir, twinned with the Bel Canto choir from Dopiewo, performing songs of love, peace and hope in French, Polish and Ukrainian.

Twinning is a commitment to Franco-Polish friendship: this is demonstrated every year by the exchanges and work carried out in Maen-Roch, together with Dopiewo.From May 21 to 25, a delegation from the Maen-Roch twinning committee will meet their Dopiewo counterparts in Brussels. The aim is to exchange views on a range of subjects, including green waste management, renewable energies and water management. "In these troubled times, we need Europe more than ever. These twinnings contribute to better cooperation," stresses Mayor Thomas Janvier.

The first Polish constitution was created in 1791. "It was the first in Europe and the second in the world. Europe is created at local level, as it is today," explains Patrycya Marcinkowska, Poland's Vice-Consul in France. It's an honor for Poland to lead Europe since January.

She takes the opportunity to salute all Poles living in France. " It's also thanks to Europe that Poland has entered the modern world with an economic miracle, while at the same time guaranteeing peace," remarks the vice-consul. The day was orchestrated by local Franco-Polish André Firganek, who is responsible for twinning in Maen-Roch.

Source: vitre.maville.com/