NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Bonjour, New Orleans! Today, French President Emmanuel Macron visits the Big Easy for discussions on culture, climate change, the French language, and history (and maybe a few beignets!).
WGNO is live in NOLA as we cover the visit of President Macron and his wife, French First Lady Brigitte, starting with their landing at the Louis Armstrong International Airport at 12:30 p.m. CST.
The President’s itinerary includes heading to the Lousiana State Museum Cabildo at Jackson Square in the city’s historic French Quarter, where he will be greeted by public figures like Louisana Governor John Bel Edwards, Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser, and New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell. This will be the first visit of a French president to the city since the late 1970s.
At The Historic New Orleans Collection, the President opened a discussion on climate change, which later included the signing of an agreement that will create a position on the Governor’s Climate Initiatives Task Force for a French expert in the energy transition.
Governor Edwards told WGNO the agreement is an opportunity for Louisiana to become more internationally invested in clean energy.
“The private market is moving in. This is where the jobs are going to be created,” Edwards said. “We’re going to see windmills in the Gulf of Mexico in the next few years.”
Later on Friday, President Macron will also reaffirm his commitment to the French language and culture at the New Orleans Museum of Art by announcing the creation of the Fund for the French Language, which will support the teaching of French in American schools.
The President will finish his day in NOLA with a dinner featuring some of the best food the Big Easy has to offer, perhaps some gumbo! We’ll be bringing you updates throughout the day.
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