On Thursday 25, Friday 26 and Saturday 27 March 2021, the students of the College of Europe in Natolin celebrated the French and German National Days. 58 years after the Élysée Treaty on French and German friendly relations, the students celebrated both countries focusing on their respective cultures.
On the first day, Natolin students had the opportunity to attend a special online conference with Ms Katharina KLOSS, Coordinator of ARTE Europe and Ms Berenika WYRZKOWSKA, Communication and Publication Manager at ARTE. The online conference, moderated by our student Ms Emeline OGEREAU, was focusing on the different activities of ARTE Europe and its future projects regarding Europeanisation. The last activity of the day included a projection of several episodes of Karambolage - a French and German television series focusing on cultural differences between the two countries.
On Friday 26 March, the students were delighted with a special treat for breakfast - crêpes au chocolat. At noon, the Natolin Choir performed two different songs in German and French at the Natolin Palace. On this occasion some of the students wore traditional costumes such as Bavarian traditional clothes.
During the German lunch prepared by the Natolin Restaurant, a Kahoot quiz centred on German facts was organised by Ms Lisa PREUSCHOFF and Ms Mara BLÄSING, while the afternoon was dedicated to the tasting of French pastries - viennoiserie - for the goûter. In the evening, the French dinner was organised with the kind help of the Natolin Restaurant.
"The atmosphere was lovely and remembered that of French guinguettes with its characterizing music."
The students had the pleasure to discover French landscapes with a visual presentation prepared by Mr Antoine GRANIER and enjoyed a glass of Taittinger, a well-known French Champagne that sponsored the event thanks to the efforts of Ms Marie-Astrid MENUT.
The special guest of the evening was Mr Georges DIENER, Director of the French Institute of Warsaw, for a discussion on “Cultural diplomacy of France”. During the event, moderated by Mr Tancrède BEAUCHAMPS, Mr DIENER presented the role of the French Institute and the different aspects of the Cultural diplomacy on the European and international level.
On the final day, to conclude these intense series of events on a lighter note, the French delegation organised a French Kahoot quiz Ms Clara DASSONVILLE and Mr Léo-Paul SERRE were in charge of the activity. The winners of the quiz have been offered traditional specialities of France.
Congratulations to all the students who contributed to the organization of theses successful days from the French and German delegations: Ms Emeline OGEREAU, Mr Tancrède BEAUCHAMPS, Mr Antoine GARNIER, Ms Liza DELEON, Ms Clara DASSONVILLE, Mr Paul MEUNIER-DU-HOUSSOY, Ms Bénédicte BLAUDEAU, Mr Felix BLATT, MS Lisa PREUSCHOFF, Ms Nathalie COJGER and Ms Mara BLÄSING. A special thank you goes to Mr Léo-Paul SERRE, Mr Allan VIGOUROUX and Ms Marie-Astrid MENUT for having found the sponsors and to Mr Martin WYCISK who contributed to the organization of the German dinner with the support of the Handelskammer.