Monday 17 October 2016
The Ambassador of France to the United Kingdom, Her Excellency Mrs Sylvie Bermann, is visiting Guernsey on 18-19 October to further strengthen links between France and Guernsey.
Mrs Bermann, accompanied by officials from the French Embassy in London, will be making her first official visit to Guernsey.
The French delegation will be meeting Guernsey's Lieutenant Governor, Vice-Admiral Sir Ian Corder, and the Bailiff of Guernsey, Sir Richard Collas, who will formally welcome the Ambassador on her first official visit to Guernsey.
Senior politicians will be meeting with Mrs Bermann to discuss the island's economy, developments within the European Union and the implications of the Brexit vote for Guernsey. They will also discuss the current areas of cooperation with France, in particular the close links with the Region of Normandy and the Department of La Manche, following the visits of President Hervé Morin and President Philippe Bas last month
During her stay Mrs Bermann will be presenting the Légion d'honneur to a local veteran of the D Day landings. Mr William Blair will receive his medal from the French Ambassador. Mr John Burford and Jurat Jim Jehan, who have both already been presented with the Légion d'honneur, will also be in attendance at the ceremony to meet the French Ambassador. All three men were among more than 150,000 Allied soldiers who landed in Normandy on 6 June 1944.
Following this presentation, the Ambassador will lay a commemorative wreath at the Smith Street War Memorial during a service to commemorate the Battle of Verdun, and the islanders, both British and French, who fought for France during the First World War.
Guernsey's Lieutenant-Governor, Vice Admiral Sir Ian Corder, commented:
"I am delighted to welcome Her Excellency to Guernsey and very pleased that she will lay a wreath and present France's highest honour to an islander during her visit. It is easy to forget that there are people living amongst us here in the Bailiwick who helped shape the history of Europe. Mr Blair is one such man, who fought bravely through France and Holland with the 6th Airborne Division."
His Excellency added:
"Islanders who think that a member of their family may qualify to receive the Légion d'honneur can contact the Office of the Lieutenant Governor for advice on how to apply."
Bailiff of Guernsey, Sir Richard Collas said:
"It will be an honour to lay a wreath during the ceremony to commemorate the Battle of Verdun and the sacrifices made by soldiers from Guernsey and France during the First World War."
President of the Policy & Resources Committee, Deputy Gavin St Pier said:
"I look forward to welcoming the Ambassador on her first official visit to Guernsey. Guernsey shares cultural and historic links with France which are valued dearly by islanders, and the Ambassador will be exploring these links during her time here. However, our relationship with France is just as important now, as it has been in the past, due to the changing relationships around us following the UK's decision to leave the EU.
This visit will also provide an opportunity to inform the Ambassador of Guernsey's existing relations with France, both departmentally with La Manche and regionally with Normandy. The recent visit to Guernsey of President Morin and President Bas highlights the close working relations that we have already built with our closest neighbour, and we will continue to develop these links in the future."
