Citizenship Day: meaningful encounters
A single day is not quite enough to tackle such fundamental issues as citizens’ rights and responsibilities, understanding the role of administrative or judicial authorities, or Saint Martin’s integration into the European Union. But on Tuesday, as part of the Languages, Arts and Culture Festival, speakers, secondary school pupils and sixth-formers managed to make the most of the discussions, which were rich and highly informative.
Lectures aimed at young audiences are often tedious and soporific, but that was not the case last Tuesday at the Grand Case Beach Club. The audience was not only attentive but also very keen to learn more about the topics discussed. It is true that the speakers before them—people they rarely have the opportunity to engage with—had plenty to pique their curiosity. Prefect Cyrille Le Vely, Deputy Public Prosecutor Marie-Lucie Godard, Gendarmerie Commander Hugues Loyez, Vice-Chancellor Harry Christophe, Director of France Victimes Olivier Fatou, and Director of the Maison des Femmes Cibel Aydin all took part in a question-and-answer session, leading to some very enriching discussions. Their career paths, roles and responsibilities not only interested the 80 or so pupils present, but it was above all the way in which these different professions are practised, striking the right balance between rights and duties, that was at the heart of the questions.
In the second part of the morning, the issues facing today’s society – pollution, climate change, water scarcity – were addressed in the same way. The discussions continued over lunch, in a very thoughtful format where each speaker and a representative from a local institution sat at the table with the pupils.
In light of current events, the afternoon was devoted to a presentation on Europe by the sub-prefect, Marie-Hildgarde Chauveau, with a particular focus on the implications this has for the region.
A wonderful initiative that enables secondary school pupils to look to the future, become aware of the world around them and motivates them to become fully involved in this community of citizens.
