The British Embassy Paris announces winners of regional competition
The first UK-France Mayors’ Summit brought together over 100 of our collective regional leaders and highlighted the shared opportunities and challenges our two countries face at a local level.
To build on this momentum, the British Embassy in Paris, in collaboration with the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, recently launched an open competition to fund Franco-British partnership projects. We were particularly looking for modern and innovative partnerships, with clear objectives and a positive impact on both the local community and the bilateral relationship. We also wanted projects that responded to the main priorities identified at the Mayors’ Summit:
- protecting the environment and tackling climate change
- promoting innovation and digital and increasing regional attractiveness
- promoting culture, heritage and sports at local level
We received 47 applications from across France and the UK. After a selection process, we are delighted to support seven:
- Bristol (UK) and Bordeaux (FR): A project to jointly understand how the two cities manage a shared history of slavery and how they fight against racism today
- Greater Manchester (UK) and Montpellier Metropole (FR): An exchange of experts from both cities to encourage advancements in the field of health innovation and develop a programme of collaboration
- Glasgow (UK) and Marseille (FR): An exchange exploring how to create infrastructure that increases the production of accessible art
- Jersey and the South Coast of England (UK) and Ille-et-Villaine (FR): A new group bringing together a range of actors to facilitate business exchange, starting with digital
- Kent (UK) and Pas de Calais/Hauts de France (FR): A conference to formalise the framework for a new way of working between local authorities on either side of the Dover Straits (i.e economic, transport and environmental issues, young people and promoting the culture, heritage and attractiveness of coastal and local communities)
- Newcastle (UK) and Nancy (FR): An exchange of hospital staff to share their experience of the impact of ecological transition within hospitals
- Plymouth (UK) and Brest (FR): A project to tackle energy poverty that would see experts exchange best practice following case studies in their cities
The range of these projects and partnerships reflect the diversity of the bilateral relationship between the UK and France. We hope that concrete outcomes from the projects will encourage others to collaborate and explore the benefits of joint working in the future.