In L'Isle-en-Dodon, the town’s twinning with Godega di Sant'Urbano will celebrate its 20th anniversary from September 11 to 13. Events, including a contest organized by local merchants and an Italian concert, will mark this anniversary. The festivities aim to strengthen the cultural and friendly ties between the two towns.

According to a study, 219 metric tons of microplastics end up in the soil and water in Switzerland each year. PET is the material most frequently identified by researchers.

A research and development center. Established following the 19th Francophonie Summit, the Collège international de Villers-Cotterêts brings together a consortium of institutions committed to the French language: the International Organization of La Francophonie, the AUF, the Cité internationale de la langue française, and France Éducation international. It supports those who keep the teaching of and in French alive around the world: teachers, researchers, educational administrators, translators, and interpreters.

The Association for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development (ASEDD) organized a workshop on Friday in Kombissiri a workshop to build capacity around its partnership with the Nubian Vault Association (AVN), aimed at promoting eco-friendly housing and storage solutions to protect the environment.

On Saturday, September 5, 2026, on the sidelines of the Associations Forum organized by the Office de la vie associative (Ova), Emmanuelle Lejeune, the mayor of Saint-Lô (Manche), and Laurent Enguehard, the president of the Ova, renewed an agreement. The agreement aims to support volunteerism over the next two years.

In the Blue Room of the Palais des Congrès, the Benin Youth Parliament (PJB) organized the very first celebration of International Youth Day (IYD) from September 4 to 5, 2026. Held under the patronage of the President of the National Assembly (AN), Professor Joseph Fifamin Djogbénou, the event’s theme was “Youth and Vision Benin 2060 Alafia: Building Tomorrow’s Benin Today.” Far from being a mere ceremonial gathering, the event is part of an effort to promote the human capital represented by Benin’s youth. As a result, parliamentarians, representatives from UNICEF and the World Bank, government officials, leaders of youth organizations, and young people from various regions of the country attended the event.

In Togo, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has just launched the Project to Promote Agroecological Innovations in West Africa (PIA-AO). This regional initiative, with a budget of 20 million euros—more than 13 billion CFA francs—was launched in Lomé on Friday, September 4. It aims to accelerate the adoption of agricultural practices adapted to the region’s climatic and environmental constraints.

The sister city relationship between Monteux and the Polish town of Niemcza began in 2009, and since then, the ties have continued to grow stronger. Recently, a delegation was welcomed at City Hall in the presence of several Monteux elected officials and leaders of the twinning committee, led by Chairwoman Chantal Olivi.

The National Center for Educational Technology, in coordination with the Tunis 2 Regional Education Office, is organizing open house events focused on digital twinning for teachers.

The gender pay gap in Switzerland “has continued to narrow gradually,” the FSO announced on Monday. The disparities vary widely by industry.

On the last weekend of August, members of the Saint-Maxire (Deux-Sèvres) sister city committee took part in the patron saint festivities in Saint-Pandelon, in the Landes region. Amid the festivities and traditions, a lasting friendship was forged.

The second edition of “Diplomatic Day,” organized on Thursday, August 27, in Casablanca by the Association For Morocco, highlighted relations between Morocco and Brazil. The event, held at the “Al Adarissa” Youth Platform in Sidi Maârouf, was attended by Brazil’s ambassador to Morocco, Alexandre Guido Lopes Parola. Discussions centered on the prospects for developing the bilateral partnership and the role of parallel diplomacy in bringing the two peoples closer together.

Half of the proceeds from the Mega-Lotto drawing held on September 19 will be donated to Pompiers Missions Humanitaires. This partnership is part of a long-standing relationship.

In 2026, it was the turn of the Germans from the Triefenstein-Valdallière sister city committee to visit France. The Germans and the French spent three eventful days together, enjoying museum visits, social gatherings, food tastings, and an excursion to the Cotentin Peninsula (Manche).

The 2026 edition of the “Carrefour de l’évaluation” was held August 25–26 in Madingou, the capital of the Bouenza Department. This workshop aimed to build the capacity of local stakeholders in the monitoring and evaluation of development policies, programs, and projects.

No people can build their future without facing their history head-on. This is the very essence of the commemoration of the International Day for the Remembrance of the Transatlantic Slave Trade and its Abolition (JISTNA), celebrated on Sunday, August 23, 2026, in the historic city of Ouidah. Political and administrative officials, representatives of the diplomatic and consular corps, members of royal families, cultural figures, delegations from countries with African-descendant populations, academic researchers, and historians gathered there united by a common purpose: to honor the memory of the past, to pass on its legacy, and to reconnect with it.

The Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), represented by its Rector, Prof. Slim Khalbous, and the AUF Regional Director for the Americas, Antoine Rauzy, participated in the 36th anniversary celebration of Bernardo O’Higgins University (UBO). The event was held from August 19 to 21, 2026, in Santiago, Chile.

Sometimes all it takes is a simple cell phone to break down barriers that were once thought insurmountable. In the markets, neighborhood restaurants, kiosks, and fruit stands of Ouagadougou, a quiet revolution is underway. It makes no noise, but it is profoundly transforming the daily lives of thousands of women. This revolution is called financial inclusion. For a long time, running a business meant keeping the day’s takings in a scrap of fabric or a flimsy wallet, scrambling for change, crossing town to pay a supplier, or even turning down a sale because of a lack of change. Today, a simple Orange Money payment is all it takes to secure income, pay a business partner remotely, or grow a business without ever leaving one’s shop. Beyond the technology, a new form of economic freedom is gradually taking hold.

Thirty-one residents of Plomelin returned a few days ago from their trip to Germany. They were welcomed by the residents of Betziesdorf, a neighborhood of Kirchhain in Germany, to mark the 60th anniversary of the town’s twinning with the village in Finistère.

The Kong Social Center has established monitoring committees in the towns of Konieré, Mapina, Sidana, and Digakoro to strengthen efforts to prevent and combat gender-based violence (GBV).