CLETA Delegation visits Strasbourg

CLETA DELEGATION VISITS STRASBOURG

Following our release from Covid Restrictions, a small delegation of CLETA committee members made their way to Strasbourg via Eurostar to renew our twinning partnership.  On our first full day, we had a visit to René Cassin College, which is the college that has regularly encouraged its students to come to Leicester for their student internships.

Many of the teachers welcomed us warmly and several of the students laid on a presentation outlining their different projects and the reasons why they would like to visit Leicester again.

Students from Renè Cassin College doing their presentation ‘READY TO GO’

Leicester would dearly love to welcome back our French students and look forward to seeing them in 2023!

Next on our agenda was a meeting with the Mayor of Strasbourg, Jeanne Barseghian.  Also present during the meeting was her deputy along with the Deputy Director for International Liaisons.  We were fortunate to have with us Leicester City Councillor, Deepak Bajaj, who is the current High Bailiff.  We covered a wide range of topics including improving public transport issues such as electric buses, trams and e-bikes; climate change issues such as increasing green spaces, roof top gardens, bus shelter green roofs and planting more trees, etc.  Madame Barseghian spoke of her intent to visit Leicester sometime during 2023.  She and her delegation will be most welcome.

Fred Rankin (CLETA Chair), Mayor Jeanne Barseghian and Councillor Deepak Bajaj (High Bailiff)

Whilst we were at the Town Hall, we were able to speak with Juliette Kohler, Project Officer, who assists CLETA with helping our members to make contact with local organisations in the Strasbourg area.  Only this year, our newest member, the Leicester Athena Volleyball Club made arrangements with various Strasbourg Volleyball teams to hold a tournament during the same weekend of our visit.  Your CLETA delegation was only too willing to go along and support them during some of their matches.

Leicester Athena Volleyball Club team with their Director/Coach Steve Jones (far left) and members of the CLETA delegation

As chair, I feel that it has been a very productive visit to Strasbourg and our meetings with Renè Cassin and the Mayor of Strasbourg has definitely helped in preparing for increased activity within the Twinning and Political activities between our two cities.

Fred Rankin

Chair of CLETA