NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Friday (Dec. 2nd) the Biden Administration will visit the City of New Orleans with President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, and his wife French First Lady Brigitte Macron to discuss cultural affairs.
Upon arrival in the U.S., President Maron has already discussed in Washington climate change, energy issues, and economic cooperation. New Orleans being last on his visit will combine a key focus of economic development on Macro’s agenda as well a highlight a historic connection between the relationship of the United States and France through the City of New Orleans. This will be the city’s first visit from a French President since 1976.
During his visit, President Macron intends to develop plans for the future focusing on issues such as climate change, French language, and culture as well as cultural affairs.
He will begin his visit welcomed by Mayor Cantrell in Jackson Square. Following, he will take a stroll through the French Quarter before a meeting at the Historic New Orleans Collection.
At the Historic New Orleans Collection he will discuss climate change with Governor John Bel Edwards. This meeting will be followed by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding that will create a position on the Governor’s Climate Initiatives Task Force for a French expert in the energy transition. This document will be signed by Governor Edwards and the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Catherine Colonna.
Later that day President Macron will also reaffirm his commitment to French language and culture at the New Orleans Museum of Art by announcing the creation of a Fund for the French Language, which will support the teaching of French in American schools. This will follow up the 2018 Summit of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) that the state of Louisiana took place in to emphasize the central role that French language and culture play in Louisiana’s identity.
To close his visit The French president will immerse himself into the city’s culture with a dinner featuring key cultural barriers from both the music and film industries.
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