Le Touquet Mayor Léonce Deprez, Anne-Marie Fauquert of Le Touquet's Sister Cities organization exchange gifts of appreciation with Stephen Morrison of Cary's Sister Cities Commission. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

CLUB SPOTLIGHT: SISTER CITIES

10-year anniversary with Le Touquet, France, celebrated

Thursday, January 9, 2003 - The Cary News

SPECIAL TO THE CARY NEWS

On Nov. 16, Cary and Le Touquet, France, marked the 10-year anniversary of their sister-city relationship.

Léonce Deprez, mayor of Le Touquet, welcomed Stephen Morrison from Cary's Sister Cities Commission at Le Touquet's town hall. During ceremonies commemorating the anniversary, Deprez and Morrison signed declarations reaffirming the relationship between the two cities. Morrison presented the city of Le Touquet with a proclamation from Cary Mayor Glen Lang in honor of the 10-year anniversary. Morrison also presented Mayor Deprez with gifts from Mayor Lang on behalf of the citizens of Cary. A luncheon was held after the town hall ceremonies. Government officials of Le Touquet and representatives from Le Touquet's sister cities in Belgium and England also attended.

Le Touquet is located on the coast of northwestern France, along the English Channel, near Boulogne. Morrison, an employee at SAS Institute in Cary, traveled to France at his own expense. Nadette Welterlin-Hugg of Cary's Sister Cities Commission and Anne-Marguerite Fauquert of Le Touquet's Sister Cities organization helped coordinate the 14-year anniversary events.

The Sister Cities Commission strives to further global understanding and to encourage and assist sister-city relationships between US. communities and their citizens and cities throughout the world. Besides, Le Touquet, Cary's Sister Cities are County Meath, Ireland; Hsinchu City, Taiwan; and Markham, Ontario, Canada.

More information can be found at these Web sites: www.townof-cary.org/boards/sisterci.htm and www.sistercitiesofcary.org.

Reprinted with permission from The Cary News