DIJON: The municipality’s solidarity with displaced persons from Ukraine
During the municipal council on Monday, March 21, the elected officials unanimously voted for a grant of 100,000 euros intended to support local actors of solidarity with displaced persons from Ukraine as well as the City of Cluj-Napoca in Romania.
Solidarity was displayed by a show of hands in the municipal council this Monday, March 21, 2022, all the elected officials of Dijon, majority as opposition, voting with seriousness for the proposal of the executive to mobilize a first envelope of 100,000 euros in order to leading to the consequences of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
“Dijon intends to show solidarity with its Romanian partner city of Cluj-Napoca which is faced with an exceptional influx of refugees”, launched François Rebsamen (PS), mayor of Dijon, speaking at the start of the council.
Aid of 100,000 euros for the Romanian city of Cluj-Napoca
To this first envelope of 100,000 euros from the City of Dijon, will also be added another subsidy of 100,000 euros voted on March 24 by the Metropolis of Dijon.
In addition, the Côte-d’Or department council also awarded him an advance grant of 100,000 euros (read our article) and the Regional Council of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté has decided on a commitment of 300,000 euros (read the press release). The leaders of each of these local authorities expect to have to renew the gesture according to the evolution of the situation in Ukraine.
The subsidy from the City of Dijon is distributed as follows: 15,000 euros are allocated to Secours populaire, 15,000 euros to the French Red Cross, 10,000 euros to associations recently created in Dijon by the Ukrainian diaspora and 60,000 euros to the City of Cluj-Napoca .
With the forthcoming grant from the Metropolis which will allocate 40,000 euros, 100,000 euros will thus be mobilized for this city in Romania, close to the Ukrainian and Moldavian borders. “The City of Cluj-Napoca will take into account the use of the funds”, indicated François Rebsamen.
To date, 500,000 displaced people are believed to be located between this city in Romania and Moldova, including a large number of children.
Dijon is also twinned with Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad). “For the moment, we are suspending relations with this city,” said François Rebsamen, hoping to be able to resume them quickly.
Material needs in Romania
The municipal councilors watched a video of thanks from Emil Boc – mayor of Cluj-Napoca since 2012, Prime Minister of Romania from 2008 to 2012, member of the National Liberal Party – very applauded at the end of his speech.
Relaying the remarks of the Romanian elected official, François Rebsamen invites the inhabitants of Dijon to interrupt the sending of clothes by meaning that most of the donations did not prove to be adapted to the situation in Romania.
The Romanian authorities have sent a list of goods corresponding to daily life in emergency accommodation which need to be equipped. This list includes boilers, electric kettles, chairs, mattresses, bath towels, household products, fire extinguishers, sleeping bags, microwaves and vacuum cleaners.
Provision of the Abrioux residence
An update on the reception of displaced persons from Ukraine was made by François Rebsamen. The City of Dijon has made 21 accommodations in the Abrioux residence available. The file is followed by the deputy mayor of Dijon Françoise Tenenbaum (PS): 7 people were welcomed in this residence on March 9, March 59 to date. Mainly families arriving without luggage.
Social support is the responsibility of the State, which mobilized Coallia; this structure lists all the needs. The Food Bank manages access to food, the French Red Cross provides clothing, while volunteer interpreters are mobilized elsewhere.
In all, 265 people were registered, although most were just transiting. François Rebsamen alerted on the situation of people displaced from Ukraine at the start of the conflict but relevant from other nationalities. Thus, the Abrioux residence is home to a Russian national who lived in Ukraine and fled the country. The state’s position, particularly with regard to the temporary protection granted, is “not known” to the town hall.
Ukrainian children educated in Dijon
According to the mayor of Dijon, the Ukrainians who recently arrived in France have made two specific requests: to learn the basics of the French language – which the Cesam association takes care of through targeted workshops – and schooling for the children.
For these, the orientation is done on the sector schools. Nine children arriving from Ukraine are currently attending school in Dijon. The subject joins another problematic file for the municipality: some of these children have lessons in a school where a class closure could be implemented by the rectorate at the start of the school year in September 2022.
Most Ukrainians go to Spain or Italy
On March 19, displaced persons from Ukraine arrived in Dijon by car after a stopover in Germany. The welcome was organized by the Côte-d’Or prefecture in the Chambelland gymnasium (read our article).
Coallia, Secours populaire and the French Red Cross were notably mobilized for the first steps. The central kitchen of the City of Dijon quickly serves 150 meals. Françoise Tenenbaum named “very worthy people” following the instructions.
The number of people actually present in the cars was lower than what had been announced to the Dijon authorities. According to François Rebsamen, the vast majority of displaced persons wish to continue their journey to Spain or Italy, which is proportionally to a greater number of members of the Ukrainian diaspora.
Of the 63 people who arrived on March 19 from Berlin, 18 left during the day, 45 stayed one night in a hotel and 30 took a train on March 20. 15 people actually stayed in Dijon. In Côte-d’Or, this reception concerns 400 Ukrainians to date.
“We do not improvise humanitarianism”
Very involved at the associative level on this file, Claire Vuillemin (Horizons) shared her concern for these “vulnerable people” and invited the solidarity citizens to direct the displaced people to the authorities for a good organization of the reception: “we do not can’t be improvised as humanitarian”. The elected member of the opposition will be invited by the executive to participate in the weekly meetings held with the various associations.
In the spirit of the information meeting organized on March 8, the City of Dijon is committed to bringing together all the initiatives.
“Do not prioritize situations of distress”
For his part, Olivier Muller (EELV) affirmed that “it is our duty to welcome all those who have joined the exodus route to flee the bombardments”. The elected official of the opposition welcomed the various devices presented to the municipal council calling for maintaining the other receptions: “we do not have to choose or prioritize situations of distress”.
At the national level, France currently hosts 15,000 displaced persons from Ukraine. The hoped for “the most alarmist” evoke the potential arrival of 350,000 people, which would correspond to the reception of around 2,500 people in Dijon.
“It’s a challenge of civilization”, reacted François Rebsamen, “we must face it regardless of the magnitude of those who are confronted with it”.
Jean-Christophe Tardivon