Author: Maëllie GERNIDOS

After a successful first visit in May, a technical delegation from the Normandy region travelled to Guernsey and Jersey to prepare for the event year “2027: European Year of the Normans“, which celebrates the Millennium of the birth of William the Conqueror. During this artistic visit, the delegation discovered the collection of Rennes artist Claude Cahun in Jersey, Victor Hugo’s house in Guernsey, followed in the footsteps of Auguste Renoir in Guernsey, visited the heritage sites of Elizabeth Castle, Mont Orgueil Castle and Castle Cornet, and ended with a magnificent private tour of La Hougue Bie and a performance by the Ballet D’Jerri. This was a great opportunity for the Normandy region to explore artistic ways of collaborating with the Channel Islands for the European Year of the Normans!

As part of the event year, “2027 European Year of the Normans“, a technical delegation from the Normandy region visited Guernsey and Jersey. “2027 European Year of the Normans” celebrates the millennium of the birth of William the Conqueror and invites partner countries, including England, Ireland, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, France and the Channel Islands to celebrate this shared heritage.  More than just a festive event, “2027: European Year of the Normans” aims to highlight the Norman heritage shared across Europe through artistic, cultural, linguistic and other collaborations. The Normandy delegation was able to discover and understand the unique cultural heritage inherited from the Dukes of Normandy in the Channel Islands by meeting with cultural players and exploring specific avenues for collaboration. The Channel Islands still recognise the King of England as ‘Our Duke’, in respect of the Duchy of Normandy. This unique heritage, which is still palpable in the Channel Islands, will give the world a better understanding of their very special and charming status. A second visit is scheduled for June.

For the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Channel Islands, a French delegation (representatives of the regions of Normandy and Brittany and the departments of Manche and Ille et Vilaine) visited Jersey, Guernsey and Sark. Princess Anne was present in Guernsey and Sark to celebrate this historic moment for the Channel Islands. Elected representatives from Normandy and Brittany were able to interact and exchange views with their elected counterparts from the Channel Islands, as well as with the Bailiffs. It was a wonderful opportunity to honour the past and celebrate the future, while recalling the close links between the Channel Islands and France.

Following fruitful initial exchanges at the Saint Malo Boat Show on 25-27 April, the marinas of Brittany and the Channel, together with Guernsey Marinas, visited the Jersey Boat Show from 3 to 5 May. A new opportunity to deepen exchanges on joint promotion and strengthen relations towards solid cooperation.