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Author: Elise Meerpoel

First annual summit with La Manche and Lower Normandy

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Lower Normandy, La Manche, Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and Sark held the inaugural annual Summit on the 5th June 2015 at Mont Saint Michel, in the presence of the French State‘s representative, the Préfète of La Manche. Less than six months after the signing in Cherbourg of the Cooperation Agreement on 22 January 2015 between the regional council of Lower Normandy, the county council of La Manche, the Government of Jersey and the States of Guernsey, the four territories met at the first annual Summit to explore opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation. Associate Members Alderney and Sark were also represented. Laurent Beauvais, President of the regional council of Lower Normandy, Philippe Bas, President of the county council of La Manche, Senator Ian Gorst, Chief Minister of Jersey, Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq, Chief Minister of Guernsey, Neil Harvey, Chairman of the Alderney’s Policy and Finance Committee, Conseiller Charles Maitland, Chairman of Sark’s Policy and Performance Committee, and Daniele Polvé-Montmasson, Préfète of La Manche were present at this inaugural event. The annual Summit sealed the friendship that exists between the partner jurisdictions and offered an opportunity to work together on matters of mutual interest in areas such as the economy, culture and the environment. Among the subjects discussed were the Tour De France 2016, which will begin in La Manche, emergency planning and cooperation between digital promotion agencies. Marine renewable energy was also discussed in the context of the 21st United Nations Climate Change Conference that will be held in Paris in December 2015. The merger of Lower and Upper Normandy was also discussed by President Laurent Beauvais. The Préfète of La Manche concluded the annual Summit, which was hosted at the historic Mont Saint Michel. More than 75 elected officials and officers from the four jurisdictions took part. Jersey will welcome the second annual Summit in 2016. This Communiqué is drafted in French and English, both versions having equal value

Culture and education delegation in Caen

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Guernsey and Jersey representatives visited Caen 4 June 2015 to discuss the educational and cultural cooperation with several Norman partners. Meetings were held with the University of Caen, IRTS, the Museum of Normandy and the Graduate School of Arts and Media of Caen-Cherbourg (ESAM, Fine Arts), the FRAC and a number of potential cooperation projects were identified.

Bretagne Développement Innovation visite Jersey

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Following a meeting with representatives from Guernsey in Nantes on 20 May at the Thetis conference dedicated to marine renewable energy (MRE), a delegation of Bretagne Developpement Innovation came to Jersey on 4 June to explore opportunities of cooperation in the areas of MRE, construction, food, retail and digital. Brittany is a dynamic region economically, and this visit helped to develop links with its development and innovation agency. The discussions were positive and focused on collaboration projects and business opportunities for the Brittany and Jersey companies.

Digital delegation visits Caen

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A Channel Island delegation visited Caen on the 19 and 20 May to meet local digital agencies. Following the creation of Digital Jersey and Guernsey’s Digital Greenhouse, this visit provided a perfect opportunity to engage with Norman partners working in the digital sphere.

 During their time in Caen the delegation met with a number of leading agencies, including Forum Digital (dedicated to digital innovation), Miriade (Regional economic development agency), Synergia (Caen’s economic development agency), Pole TES (e secured transactions cluster), Manche Numerique (Fiber development & digital agency of La Manche), Normandie Welcome (Norman networking association) and Orange Cash (contactless payment application developed in Caen) as well as Norman entrepreneurs SOHuCe and Make Idea.

The Channel Islands in the French media

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To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Liberation, France 3 devoted a series of four reports dealing with the German Occupation in the Channel Islands. This sensitive issue has also led to an article about the experience of a Jerseymen at that time. Elsewhere, Aurigny has integrated a documentary on Normandy in des racines et des ailes, released 29 April, revealing the beauty of the island, its heritage, and its bird sanctuaries, dear to ornithologists. It’s on 17 May that the gardeners’ show Silence ça pousse will broadcast for the first time on a subject about some of the beautiful gardens of Jersey. If you do not know the Channel Islands yet, here are some videos to give you a taste…

Channel Islands Heritage Festival

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This is a great event which is being prepared in the Channel Islands, around the anniversary of the liberation. The Heritage Festival, which will take place from 3 April to 11 May 2015 will mark the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the islands, only part of the UK to have been under the yoke of German occupation forces during World War II. The scar left on the islands is important and still visible today with observation towers on the coast, bunkers, tunnels, hospitals and many collections to discover at the various museums. Throughout the five-week festival, historic sites will open their doors exclusively with visits on the theme of the occupation. The highlight of the celebrations will take place on 9 May, the anniversary of the liberation.

Full programme of events available here

Jersey at the Paris Agricultural fare

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Jersey was pleased to recently participate in the Paris International Agricultural Salon at the kind invitation of La Manche. On 22 February the Island’s Minister for External Relations, Senator Sir Philip Bailhache, made a visit to the Salon joining Philippe Bas, Senator and Vice Chairman of the General Council of La Manche. On 25 February Jersey’s Minister for Economic Development, Senator Lyndon Farnham, joined Presidents Mayer-Rossignol and Beauvais of Upper and Lower Normandy at the official opening of the Norman stand, “Normandy régale le monde”. On both occasions Jersey’s Ministers joined Norman leaders to celebrate the Island’s important agricultural industry. With approximately 700,000 visiting the Salon, it was clear that the public took pleasure in visiting the Norman and Jersey stands. Jersey’s “tea time” and “after work” themes were well received, particularly the tasting of beers from the Liberation Group that had recently enjoyed success at the International Brewing Awards.

Photo D. Daguier CG50  

Signing of cooperation agreement with Normandy

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On 22nd January a cooperation agreement was signed between the Channel Islands, Lower Normandy and La Manche  The Chief Minister of Jersey, Senator Ian Gorst, the Chief Minister of Guernsey, Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq, Neil Harvey, Chairman of the Policy and Finance Committee, and Conseiller Charles Maitland, Chairman of Sark’s Policy & Performance Committee on behalf of the Chief Pleas of Sark signed the agreement along with President Laurent Beauvais, President of the Regional Council of Lower Normandy and President Jean-François Le Grand, President of the General Council of La Manche. The purpose of the agreement is to develop institutional partnerships and strengthen exchanges in the areas of economic development, tourism, education and culture.

Deputy Le Tocq commented: “I am delighted to be further strengthening our relationship with La Manche and Lower Normandy, and to be doing so not just in partnership with Alderney and Sark but also with Jersey. We have a historic shared culture with our Norman cousins, and many shared interests including business, transport, energy and education.”

Senator Gorst added: “I am very pleased to be signing this agreement on behalf of Jersey. France is our nearest neighbour and it is important that we continue to develop new links and strengthen existing relationships at regional and national levels. Through the successful establishment of a joint Bureau des Iles Anglo-Normandes with Guernsey, we are now well resourced to do this in partnership across both islands.”

For more information please click here

Enseignement du droit: coopération entre Rennes et Jersey

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The Jersey Institute of Law and Ecole Normale Supérieure de Rennes have signed a cooperation agreement on the 15 January 2015. The two higher education institutions will develop joint teaching and research programme in law. The first step has been the designed of a joint certificate in common law. A team of ENS Rennes will participate with 8 other international teams to the moot completion organised by the Institute of Law, Jersey on the 13-15 March. One PhD student in Jersey has already enrolled on the new joint PhD programme. The agreement was signed for the Institute of Law by Sir Philip Bailhache, Chairman of the Institute, and Dr David Marrani, Director, and for ENS Rennes, prof.Patrick Quinton, president of ENS Rennes and prof. Gilles Lhuilier.

For more information, please visit  the Institute of Law or ENS

Channel Islands show solidarity with France and victims of Paris shooting

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Following the January 7th terrorist atrocities in Paris the Chief Ministers of Guernsey and Jersey have sent messages of condolence to the President of the French Republic, François Hollande, on behalf of the governments of both Islands. Across the Islands vigils were held, flags were flown at half-mast and Books of Condolence were opened, while police in both Islands joined forces throughout Britain to observe a two minute silence in memory of their colleagues caught up in the attacks. Senator Philip Ozouf, Jersey’s Assistant Chief Minister, attended the Unity March in Paris on January 11th to show the Channel Islands solidarity with France

Further support illustrated here