Marité CATHERIN

Organized on December 1st, «L’Yonne en Synergie Meetings» were a great success. First of all, they paved the way for an exciting thinking on the strengths and weaknesses of our territory’s economic attractiveness. Second, they were the work of an associative structure – the Maison des Jumelages, de la Francophonie and International Exchanges – that has been able to make its way from its distant creation. At its head, Marité CATHERIN, a charismatic figure of our territory’s collective intelligence.

She loves innovation and everything related to it. the president of the venerable Auxerre institution which takes more and more departmental levels in its activities is a sacred figure. Logically, conveying the values of the Francophonie and international relations, with a hint of economics at stake, is a natural way to broaden one’s playing field!

A worthy civil society representative who likes to project herself into the future by suggesting thinking  and recommendations for the benefit of the territory and its attractiveness, Marité CATHERIN turns everything to good account.

A fiery temperament that does not put its feet in the same shoe and excels, thanks to her fertile imagination, to set up field operations. The last one was called «L’Yonne en Synergie», a concept shaped around informative meetings.

It is legitimate to highlight Yonne’s territory

An opening beyond the borders with the presence of big shots of french intelligentsia (Jacques BREGEON, Charlotte du PAYRAT), a perfectly balanced mix of the economic and institutional actors of the department. A precise questioning articulated around half a dozen themes with significant societal issues and the trick was played to make this first meeting in Auxerre a real success.

Yonne is a territory rich in initiatives, said the dynamic president of the association who also proposes through her teams highly attended language lessons and she also animates the twinning part with six agglomerations having initiated links with the capital of Yonne, it is legitimate to put it forward…”.

Setting up an economic commission, carried on the baptismal font almost a decade ago, did the rest. Meeting with investors and entrepreneurs from Poland (Plock, the Auxerre’s twin city), colloquium around Yonne prefecture’s square in the international concert, cycle of bi-monthly conferences with the main actors of the department, partnerships with influential structures such as the Junior Economic Chamber (JCE) or the Réseau Entreprendre Bourgogne: led by Marité CATHERIN – a female mistress in many ways – the tool is on solid rails and she naturally wonders about the future of her favourite area.

Differences are a strength, not a barrier…

In terms of twinning – the City of Auxerre is linked to the English of Redditch, the Germans of Worms, the Italians of Greve in Chianti, the Poles of Plock but also with the French localities of Saint-Amarin and Roscoff -, opportunities exist to expand them. In particular with the Iberian Peninsula and the city of Santo Domingo de la Casada, whose schools has already established very close links with the Lycée des Métiers Vauban, under the leadership of its headmistress, Capucine VIGEL.

One of the conductors of the structure, vice-president Claude LEROUX, carries out in parallel an excellent operational work in animations that punctuate the calendar with sporting trophies, delegations meetings, etc. Just like Chantal ROBERT, Sandrine RIABOFF or Rachid EL IDRISSI. Today, twinning takes on a whole new dimension with the inclusion of an economic component.

La Francophonie – more than 90 countries around the world carrying the ideas and values of Molière’s language – is very important to develop these international relations, in favour of Yonne’s attractiveness. Hosted in Auxerre, the Maison de la Francophonie – which offers a variety of annual educational and cultural operations, such as the Semaine de la Francophonie or the Caravane de la Francophonie – has a regional influence. While working henceforth with the national francophone bodies and beyond!

Moreover, Marité CATHERIN says to anyone who wants to hear her that “respect for differences is a strength that facilitates openness and not a barrier…”.

A large-scale cultural project with “Terre de Jeux”…

Recently, the entity approached the Departmental Council. As part of the «Terre de Jeux» project, led by the concept director, Philippe LALA.

We were asked to set up an organization in 2023 and 2024 to show that Yonne is attractive, through five cities on the territory – in Sens, Joigny, Migennes, Auxerre and Vézelay with the Maison Jules Roy – that will host francophone artists according to a schedule to be established, stresses the president. In these cities artists will be welcomed in residence for a month and will have to produce a work in two specific areas, writing and sculpture. Knowing that these works will then be the property of the welcoming city…”

The Maison des Jumelages, de la Francophonie et des Echanges internationaux will also act as a resource association for this large-scale cultural project by identifying and calling for applications French-speaking artists and authors  who will form a jury. An additional project that shows very good prospects and fundamental moments for this leading associative pillar of the international relationship on our department. Like its sparkling president always ready to face challenges!

Thierry BRET