We visited Saint-Denis at the invitation of Periféeries 2028

The Braga’27 team met with Juliette Bompoint, coordinator of Periféeries 2028, at the Basilica of Saint-Denis, a place known for housing the tombs of the French monarchy. It is a reference to the early Gothic style and stained glass compositions that spread across Europe, keeping the place associated with contemporary artistic production and creation in glass until today.

Walking through the streets full of life with activities and children’s tournaments, construction sites for the construction of new transport infrastructures and urban rehabilitation for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and a constant movement of immigrant communities from various parts of the globe, we visited the Le 6B, an industrial building and outdoor enclosure on the island of Saint-Denis, between its canal and the Seine river.

This hub of studios, shows, artist residencies, and outdoor installations was preparing to host the closing of the tenth edition of MAAD in 93 – an itinerant festival of musical creations in Saint-Denis, crossing bands, DJs, performances, and dance in the most alternatives that describe themselves as psycho-crazy-magical-reggaeton-pop.

“The youth and multiculturalism represented in the candidacies of Braga’27 and Periféeries 2028 brings together two types of peripheral realities in Europe: while Saint-Denis builds its European identity from a great diversity of migrant communities of different origins and religions concentrated in the suburbs from a large cultural metropolis like Paris, Braga, in a peripheral position of Europe, rediscovers the centrality of its spirituality, opening itself to those who even pilgrimage and establish themselves, as a young growing generation that claims to be increasingly diverse and European.” – Tiago Azevedo, Braga’27 Coordinator of the European and International Cooperation.

This visit reinforced the importance of the exchange between the Assemblée des Enfants de Saint-Denis and the B’27 Generation in Braga, two projects with many points in common, which aim to involve the youngest in their respective bidding process. With this exchange, the aim is to encourage the sharing of knowledge and experiences between the two groups of young people, in order to enhance their contribution to the bidding process of each of the cities.

Braga’27’s visit to Saint-Denis represents another step in a long journey that will continue to be traced in cooperation with the rest of Europe.