DIJON: Citizen engagement at the heart of Republic Day
This Saturday, September 3, the prefect of Côte-d’Or Fabien Sudry marked the 152nd anniversary of the proclamation of the Third Republic by inviting public officials as well as young people demonstrating civic engagement to the gardens of the prefecture.
Although State services were regularly called upon during the summer around urban violence or drought in particular, the prefect Fabien Sudry chose to mark the start of the school year with a reception on the theme of the Republic, this Saturday, September 3. 2022 at the Hôtel de préfecture de la Côte-d’Or, in Dijon.
On September 2, 1870, Napoleon III was selected at Sedan. It is the end of the Second Empire. The following September 4, Léon Gambetta proclaimed the Third Republic from the Hôtel de Ville in Paris. The Republic Day therefore comes to celebrate this anniversary.
Citizen engagement for the theme of this second Republic Day
For this second edition of the event, the mayors of Côte-d’Or, representatives of local authorities and agents of the State services were invited as well as young people demonstrating a civic commitment within the civic service, the universal national service, firefighters or even civil security associations.
In all, 500 people had announced their place for this time of conviviality in the gardens of the prefecture.
The personalities were welcomed in the Cour Jean-Moulin by the musical society of Ahuy interpreted by Patrick de Battista.
“Finding the paths of harmony and progress”
“It’s a moment of unity for all the public of the department so that they are responsible for meeting and sharing the values which are common to us”, explained Fabien Sudry.
“The invitation of honor today is invisible. He is among us. It’s the Republic. The one we serve, which guides our actions, which inspires our work, whether we are in the State, in the communities. It is by trying harder that we will find the paths of harmony and progress”, he underlined.
“I invited all the mayors of the department who indicated to me the need to meet regularly”, added the prefect, “there are some mayors whom I had not yet met (…) and who, precisely, are very happy to be here.”
From a “Peaceful Forest” to “Douce France”
After the prefect’s speech, the vocal ensemble Anima, directed by Guillaume Labois, sang “L’air des esprits de la taverne” from the opera “Les Contes d’Hoffmann” by Jacques Offenbach, “Douce France” by Charles Trenet, “Peaceful Forest” from the opera “Les Indes galantes” by Jean-Philippe Rameau, “Le Chant du Départ” and “La Marseillaise”.
The guests were able to taste dishes prepared by the chef of the prefecture and served by the students of the École des Métiers.
Jean-Christophe Tardivon