France/ Projects and news from the Friends of the Aurillac and Arpajon-sur-Cère twinnings
The association "Les Amis des jumelages des communes d'Aurillac et d'Arpajon-sur-Cère" recently held its annual general meeting.
President Jean-Pierre Joanny read out the 2023 activity report before turning to the 2024 projects.
Youth camp in Bocholt
At the invitation of the town of Bocholt, 6 young Cantaliens and two supervisors took part in the Bocholt International Camp from July 16 to 22, 2023, which brought together 8 groups of young people of different nationalities.
The year 2023 ended with the Franco-German Association of Bocholt welcoming some 50 citizens of Bocholt to Cantal. The stay from October 1 to 5 included visits to the Labouygues farm, the village of Salers, the Cantal mountains and the Saint-Etienne-Cantalès dam.
Meetings with future partners (Centre Social, Lycée, Société Artistique du Cantal) and more festive moments such as the Franco-German evening co-organized with the association of craftsmen and shopkeepers and the commune of Arpajon-sur-Cère.
Franco-British exchange
The Association "Friends of BassetlawLes Amis de Bassetlaw" association has been running a Franco-British intergenerational exchange with the Bassetlaw twinning association for a number of years. From July 26 to 31, 2023, 10 Cantaliens met with the BTA to renew contacts and relaunch exchanges.
High school exchanges
As part of the twinning program, the second, première and terminale classes in the German European section at Lycée Emile Duclaux welcomed their partners from Lycée Euregio for a week in March.
On this occasion, the pupils gave presentations on subjects relating to their department and region, which they had prepared during their scientific culture classes in German. The young Germans were able to discover the historical and architectural heritage of Aurillac, as well as the agricultural activities on the Lycée Georges Pompidou site, with a visit to the farm, its dairy (cheese tasting), the micro-biology laboratories and the AUTEC company.
A week in Bocholt
In turn, 14 students from the European section, accompanied by their two teachers, spent a week in Bocholt. A rich and varied program on the theme of borders enabled the Germanists to discover a new environment, and a historical, architectural, cultural and economic heritage. Two excursions stand out as particular highlights: a visit to the town ofOberhausen to see the "Planet Ozean" exhibition in a renovated gasometer dating back to 1929, followed by an example of Urban Farming with a tour of greenhouses installed on the roofs of a building. We then cycled to Dinxperlo, a Dutch town that has been crossed by a border for decades.
Projects that never came to fruition
Participation in the international youth camp in Bocholt was not possible due to the unavailability of the social centers in Arpajon-sur-Cère and Cap Blanc in Aurillac. The Cantal art society hosted artists, as no Bocholt artist was available to exhibit.
Finally, contacts with the twin towns of Vorona in Romania and Bougouni in Mali are currently at a standstill due to geopolitical factors.
Project 2024
Exchange between the Millénaire and Bocholt choirs: from Saturday, October 12 to Tuesday, October 15, the Millénaire choir from Aurillac will welcome around 50 choristers from Bocholt. A joint concert will take place on Sunday October 13 at 6 p.m. in the Notre-Dame aux Neiges church.
Elections
The new Board of Directors comprises 13 members , with 5 associations represented: Les Amis de Bassetlaw, Terradour Flouricat, Chorale du Millénaire, Centre Social et Culturel d'Arpajon-sur-Cère, La Cantalienne.
Six other members: Jean-Pierre Joanny, Eric Vigier, Alain Riehl, Fabienne Riehl, Nicole Loubeyre, Denise Valat, Hugues Delagne, Martine Méallet.
Board of Directors
President: Jean Pierre Joanny; Secretary: Martine Méallet; Treasurer: Eric Vigier.
Source: actu.fr/societe/
