“Here is your home”: Béziers organizes vacations for 42 Ukrainian children

L’hymne ukrainien chanté par les enfants Patti Delaspre

Le maire Robert Ménard et sa femme Emmanuelle Ménard sont venus rencontrer les enfants. Patti Delaspre

Le maire de Béziers, Robert Ménard, a accueilli ce jeudi 18 juillet, les 42 enfants ukrainiens venus séjourner dans la commune.

This Thursday, July 18, at the town hall of Béziers, the 42 Ukrainian children and their 8 chaperones met Mayor Robert Ménard for a moment of exchange. For three years, the Béziers town hall has invited around forty children from Tchortkiv, a twin town with Béziers, to come and stay in the town during the summer.

A stay full of activities

They arrived on July 12 at the Jean-Mermoz high school and will leave on July 22. For 10 days, the children enjoy a busy schedule. Fireworks, Tour de France, tree climbing, concerts and other activities delighted the young Ukrainians. "We want to offer a stay to children who suffered from the ravages of war. They often have parents sent to the front, dead or injured. Our objective is to allow them to escape from their daily lives to benefit from a small bubble of oxygen ", explains Frédéric Brossard, deputy director of services to Biterrois at the Béziers town hall.

With an overall budget of 25,000 euros, this year the Béziers town hall also took charge of financing transport. "It’was the only thing that the Chortkiv town hall had to finance, but today it can't even do that anymore", deplores Frédéric Brossard.

A moment of solidarity

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, some cities showed their solidarity, and Béziers continues to support Ukraine still today. In the city council room this Thursday evening, the children listen attentively to the mayor's words. With conviction, he reminds them: "You can always come to Béziers, because this is your home. We continue to support Ukraine."

This moving moment of exchange was punctuated by thanks from the children to the mayor and his wife, with some gifts. The meeting ended with the Ukrainian anthem sung by the children and a friendly drink with the elected officials.