France/ Twenty years of friendship between Saint-Thibault and Badia Polesine: a twinning arrangement more alive than ever

20 years ago, Saint-Thibault-des-Vignes twinned with the Italian town of Badia Polesine. Meeting on May 20, 2026, their mayors hailed the need to "reach out to one another".

In the Marc Brinon cultural center in Saint-Thibault-des-Vignes, the twentieth anniversary of the twinning between the Seine-et-Marne commune and its Italian "twin", Badia Polesine, was celebrated on Wednesday May 20, 2026. The two mayors celebrated two decades of exchanges, meetings and friendship.

20 years of sharing and fraternity

In a warm and emotional atmosphere, the two delegations celebrated the twentieth anniversary of the twinning between Saint-Thibault and Badia Polesine. To mark the occasion, Giovanni Rossi, the mayor of the Italian commune, was accompanied by several elected officials, some fifteen students, teachers and an interpreter.

We came with great enthusiasm. To get the most out of the experience, we gave up twinning with a Spanish town to focus solely on Saint-Thibault.

Giovanni Rossi, Mayor of Badia Polesine

In his speech, Claude Verona, the new mayor of Saint-Thibault, insisted on this beautiful history between people from two countries who have come to know each other. "We are celebrating the past, but also the future, so that the younger generations can continue to keep this spirit of fraternity alive", he declared. He recalled that this twinning had a personal dimension for him: his grandfather was Italian, originating, as his name indicates, from Verona, a town close to Badia.

Over the past twenty years, the twinning has given rise to numerous initiatives. School exchanges, sporting events, cultural trips and family visits have enabled several generations of residents to forge lasting relationships. "And even family ties! "adds Claude Verona, under the approving eye of Alain Buis, who initiated the twinning.

A shared history dating back to the Middle Ages

The two mayors recalled the distant origins of this Franco-Italian relationship. Long before the official twinning, the two territories were already linked by a history dating back to the Middle Ages, around the figure of Saint-Thibault. A wandering monk and pilgrim, Saint Thibault crossed Europe to reach Italy, where he is said to have healed the sick and performed several miracles.

Today, this shared memory remains a strong link between the two communes, transcending borders and language differences.

"Reaching out to others

At a time when identity-based divisions are gaining ground, they stressed the importance of maintaining bridges between peoples. Both spoke of the need to "make the effort to reach out to others", to get to know and understand each other. A message widely applauded by the audience. Claude Verona closed his speech by reminding the audience that these moments reinforce the European identity of both cities.

This celebration was much more than just a ceremonial occasion. It showed that this twinning remains a living human adventure, supported by local residents, young people and elected representatives, with the determination to continue this beautiful story of European friendship.

Source: actu.fr/ile-de-france/