Copyright Baton Rouge Advocate
October has been a busy month for unique events in Lafayette. Festivals Acadiens brought thousands out to Girard Park, but it wasn’t the only party in town. On Saturday, Oct. 11,officials from Lafayette City Government, CODOFIL, and the International Center hosted a reception fora special guest, the French Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Laurent Bili. He was accompanied by the Consul General of France in New Orleans, Rodolphe Sambou; Press Attaché Audoin de Vergnette; and Cultural Attaché Thibault Bladek. The Bourgmestre (mayor) of Lafayette’s Belgian sister-city of Namur, Charlotte Bazelaire, was in attendance. The Namur Commissioner of International Affairs, Frédéric Laloux, also joined the VIP group. There was a group from Poitiers, another one of Lafayette’s sister cities in France. Organizers say the ambassador has been planning to visit Lafayette for some time, as the city is known as the heart of Louisiana and Creole French. The extraordinary group visit was part of the Grand Reveil Acadien. The Grand Reveil takes place every five years, uniting people of Acadian descent from several countries. It is usually timed to happen along with Festivals Acadiens. Lafayette’s sister city travel relationships have allowed citizens in both locations to learn about other cultures, as well as enjoy business, educational, and cultural opportunities that foster economic development. The reception to honor the ambassador and Namur’s mayor was held at the Acadiana Center for the Arts downtown. It served as a way to acknowledge all of the international visitors, and top off the Festivals weekend.
