Reviving Cultural and Educational Partnerships: Quimperlé and Liskeard Twinning Reborn

The links between Quimperlé and Liskeard (British Cornwall), twinned since 1975, had weakened over the years. A distance amplified by Covid and Brexit. Today, the beginnings of a rebirth. The trip, last November, to Quimperlé of a delegation from Liskeard, led by its mayor Simon Cassidy, highlighted a shared desire to renew cultural, associative and educational partnerships. Bringing the first stone to this new momentum.

Michaël Quernez, the mayor, and Pascale Douineau, assistant for community life, in turn crossed the Channel, Friday September 15, 2023, by taking the ferry to Roscoff. Before being received until Sunday evening by the Liskeard authorities. Both were accompanied by Stéphane Dimey, president of the Quimperlois Exchequer, Jacky Hamoniaux, president of the Kemperle Badminton club, and Gwénaël Merien, secretary of the Kemperle Olympic Rugby club.

Gwénaël Merien, secretary of Olympic Rugby, Jacky Hamoniaux, president of the Kemperle Badminton club and Stéphane Dimey, president of the Quimperlois Exchequer accompanied Pascal Douineau and Michaël Quernez. © Ville Quimperlé

Lots of desire for exchanges

The idea? “Start to relaunch twinning through associations”, summarizes Pascal Douineau. A call had been launched to associations wishing to join the three-day getaway. The three associations were the only ones to come forward. The Quimperlois delegation returned seduced by “the great welcome”. Over a “very dense program”, marked among other things by visits, an official reception with the exchange of gifts and meetings between the three Quimper clubs and their Liskeard counterparts.

“All this has aroused quite a few desires for exchanges among other associations on site: cycling, the brass band, etc.,” insists Pascale Douineau. Same for high school: “We saw the director, who was also very demanding. » But the problem remains money. “We were surprised by the limited resources of the communities” , continues the chosen one. This has repercussions on associations and their ability to organize trips abroad. “They don’t receive any funding,” explains Gwénaël Merien.

However, projects have emerged, including the idea of ​​an online chess tournament. A new dynamic is emerging. It now remains to be confirmed by the actual relaunch of the twinning committee and the rewriting of its statutes.

2023-09-22 13:10:36
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