Author: Elise Meerpoel

On 5^th July 2019, two teachers from the Guernsey Grammar School Sixth Form Centre attended the open day at the University of Caen, following the agreement which was signed by Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq in March supporting the admission of Guernsey students to the Norman university to embark on their higher education.

Newly appointed Head of Careers, Miss Charlee Hales, and coordinator of the school’s annual trip to Caen, Mr Guilhem Chene, attended a meeting with representatives of the university’s language department to catch up on the various training offers to students to improve their level of French, and to implement plans to attract Channel Islands’ students to study in Caen. They also attended a forum which introduced them to the additional services that UniCaen has to offer.

Overall, the day was very positive, and it is hoped that more Guernsey students will take steps to study in Normandy in the years to come.

On 6^th June 2019, many official and non-official events took place throughout Normandy to mark the 75^th anniversary of the D-Day landings. A delegation from Jersey and Guernsey travelled to Normandy to take part in this day of remembrance.

The delegation comprised of Jersey and Guernsey’s Chief Ministers, respectively Senator John Le Fondré and Deputy Gavin St Pier, as well as Ministers for External Relations, Senator Ian Gorst, and Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq, alongside the Bailiff of Guernsey, Sir Richard Collas.

In the morning, the delegation attended the British Ecumenical Ceremony at Bayeux Cathedral in the presence of the French Prime Minister, Edouard Philippe, PM Theresa May, and His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. A group of D-Day veterans from the Royal British Legion were also present at this ceremony. The attendees then moved to the British Military Ceremony to pay homage to those who fell 75 years ago.

Later in the day, the Channel Islands delegation attended the International Ceremony at Juno Beach in Courseulles-sur-Mer. This was the first time that a ceremony of this kind had been held in the Canadian sector. It took place in the presence of Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, and Edouard Philippe.

The Channel Islands delegation were honoured to have taken part in these major commemorations of events that happened very close to the Islands shores. The day offered a chance to reflect on the horrors of 6^th June 1944 and to be thankful for those who sacrificed their lives for the liberty of others.

The 4^th and 5^th June 2019 saw the second annual Normandy World Peace Forum held at the Abbaye Aux Dames in Caen, which was attended by Guernsey’s Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq and Vice President of the States of Alderney, James Dent. This was the third event of this kind at which the Channel Islands were represented as they also attended the preparatory event in 2017.

This year, the forum was on the theme of ‘peacemakers’ and included various conferences and thematic debates on this subject, with a strong emphasis on youth, as well as hosting a Village for Peace. The Channel Island representatives attended debates on combatting the silent weapon of communication technology, and about how the EU could create peace in other continents.

Several recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize gave talks at the forum, including Mohammed El-Baradei (2005 winner), Denis Mulwege (2018 winner), and Jody Williams (1997 winner). The event is particularly symbolic as it was held during the two days before the 75^th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy.

The islands are extremely supportive of this initiative and look forward to future events.

On 16^th May 2019 Jersey hosted the third annual political summit with the Government of Guernsey and the departmental council of Ille et Vilaine, to discuss progress on areas of joint working that form part of the cooperation agreement signed by the three jurisdictions in 2017. A Brexit update was also provided to our French counterparts.

The departmental council of Ille et Vilaine was represented at the summit by its President, Jean Luc Chenut. Jersey was represented by the Minister for External Relations Senator Ian Gorst and Guernsey was represented by Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq, member of the Policy & Resources Committee with responsibility for external relations.

For the first time, the Préfète of Brittany Michèle Kirry, also attended as an observer and covered items under her remit (emergency planning as well as customs and immigration) on behalf of the French State.

The meeting was also an opportunity to provide an update on Brexit to our French visitors.

The content of discussions proved to be extremely valuable and the event was considered as one of the best one, with a great number of achievements. Next summit will be held in Ille et Vilaine in 2020.

 

Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq has signed an agreement to support the admission of Guernsey students wishing to undertake further education at the University of Caen in Normandy. The agreement aims to facilitate the integration of Guernsey students in the University and to support students wishing to pursue studies abroad.

Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq, member of the Policy & Resources Committee with responsibility for External Relations, signed the agreement on behalf of the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture.  The agreement was also signed by Mr Pierre Denise, President of the University of Caen Normandie, Ms. Virginie Catherine, Director of the Regional Centre for University and School Projects, and Mr Jean-Marc Julienne, President of the Joint Association of Normandy and La Manche.

This agreement outlines a number of ways in which support will be provided to Guernsey students who wish to pursue further studies at the University of Caen in order to develop their language skills and benefit from a wide range of courses at a European university. This includes support that will be provided for students undertaking foundation language courses as well as those pursuing Bachelor’s courses.

Improving educational links between the Channel Islands and France also forms a key part of the cooperation agreement that was originally signed between Guernsey, Jersey, the region of Normandy and the department of La Manche in 2015.

 

Jersey is once again represented at a major agricultural show in Paris (23 Feb- 3 March).

The Economic Development Minister, Senator Lyndon Farnham, led a delegation to the Salon International de l’Agriculture (SIA) on Sunday, 24 February. The agricultural show is one of the biggest French agriculture events of the year and provides an opportunity to showcase Jersey’s local produce, to promote the island as a tourist destination, and to strengthen links between Jersey and France.

This is the seventh year that Jersey has exhibited at the show, which attracts more than 600,000 visitors annually.

The department of La Manche is again hosting Jersey on their stand at the event, giving the island a platform to promote local produce and to showcase Jersey as a holiday destination. Visitors to the Jersey area of the Normandy stand are able to see different varieties of daffodils grown in Jersey, and will sample a taste of Genuine Jersey products – including black butter, cider, salted caramel, pork pies, and new locally-produced Biltong. The stand also offers festival-goers the chance to win a trip to the island.

La Manche has welcomed Jersey to share their stand since 2014, and Senator Farnham met President of La Manche, Marc Lefèvre, to renew this partnership for another three year.

Senator Farnham added: “This is a significant yearly opportunity for us to promote Jersey’s products, particularly Jersey Lobster, Jersey Oyster, Jersey Royals and Jersey Dairy: four of our most important agricultural exports. It’s fantastic to have this annual chance to demonstrate our close links with Normandy, and I am delighted to be able to renew this partnership for three more years.”

Invited by the Rector of the Normandy academy, a delegation of Jersey civil servants from the Children, Young People, Education and Skills Department, and teachers of primary and secondary schools attended the Normand-e days event in Deauville. The event, including conferences dedicated to teaching professionals aimed at showing all the possibilities and digital tools available to teach in a modern way.

The visit of the salon was found instructive, contacts were made, and a meeting was held with the Rectorat senior officer in charge of the cooperation with the Channel Islands, to catch up on the existing partnership and discuss how to further develop educational links.

   

Representatives from Guernsey and Jersey made an official visit to Paris this week for a series of political meetings with key ministries of the French national government, as well as members of the French National Assembly and the Senate. The Channel Islands delegation was led by Member of the Policy & Resources Committee (States of Guernsey) with responsibility for External Relations, Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq, and the Minister for External Relations (Government of Jersey), Senator Ian Gorst.

The delegation held productive meetings at the Ministry for Economy and Finance, and at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, including with Minister for European Affairs, Nathalie Loiseau. They were welcomed to Paris by Philippe Gosselin, President of the French National Assembly’s Study Group on the Channel Islands, and other members of the parliamentary group from across the Assembly. Meetings also took place with French Senators including the Chair of the European Affairs Commission, Jean Bizet, former Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Stéphane Travert, and Chair of the Law Commission and former President of the departmental council of La Manche, Philippe Bas.

The meetings provided an opportunity to increase awareness amongst key stakeholders in Paris of the Channel Islands’ position and priorities in relation to the UK’s upcoming departure from the European Union. Discussions covered topics including maritime matters and territorial seas, the important regional links that exist with Normandy and Brittany, and efforts to enhance relations with the central administration in Paris. Ministers highlighted the Channel Islands’ desire to maintain positive relationships with France and its other European partners, and to continue our close co-operation in a wide range of areas.

Guernsey and Jersey have cooperation agreements in place with Normandy-La Manche and the department of Ille et Vilaine in Brittany to promote greater partnership working between the jurisdictions. These regional agreements support the development of relations with the national administration in Paris, and are important in demonstrating the strength of the Channel Islands’ close historic ties with France.

 

 

To support start-ups in Brittany and Normandy, as well as business creation projects in their challenges, Digital Jersey, expert in FinTech, Health Tech and IoT, organized, in collaboration with Rennes -St Malo French Tech and Normandy Welcome, two mornings of information and exchanges, on 25 and 26 October 2018, respectively in Rennes and Caen.

Digital Jersey has presented the benefits of the island to welcome entrepreneurs or project leaders wishing to test their innovation in a pilot area of ​​appropriate size that has all the necessary technological infrastructure (including the best fibre optic connection in the world), in several predefined sectors which are FinTech, IoT and E-health.

This same presentation will soon be made to the digital players in London, but given the relationship woven with neighbouring French regions through well-established cooperations, French neighbours are not forgotten and have even had exclusivity! Because this experiment could represent an excellent springboard for the Brittany and Norman companies wishing then to conquer the Anglosaxon market.

“French companies wishing to export their product or service to the English market now have an ideal way to access a test-bed before going international. We have already attracted the interest of several companies in France who see the advantage of using their Jersey neighbour in this way, “said Tony Moretta, CEO of Digital Jersey.

 

On Friday 5^th October Guernsey hosted the annual political summit with Jersey, Normandy and La Manche, to discuss progress on areas of joint working that form part of the cooperation agreement signed by the jurisdictions in 2015. Alderney and Sark are associate members of the agreement.

The summit was hosted by Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq, member of the Policy & Resources Committee with responsibility for external relations, and will be attended by Senator John Le Fondré, Chief Minister of Jersey, Senator Ian Gorst, Jersey Minister for External Relations, Hervé Morin, President of the Region of Normandy and Marc Lefèvre, President of the Conseil Départemental of La Manche.

The programme for the day consisted of a political meeting to discuss the areas of cooperation that are being worked on, as well as a signing of an agreement between Guernsey Museums, Jersey Heritage and Normandy network of Museums (Fabrique du Patrimoine) to work together.

The day ended with a visit to the exhibition of Norman photographer Olivier Meriel. His portraits of Anglo-Norman figures form a traveling exhibition, which will continue in Jersey in 2019, and the Musée de Normandie in Caen 2020 to integrate Normandy Impressionism’s programming.