Nicolas Forissier et une galette des rois

Earlier last week Aurore - together with her husband, that is to say , me - received an invitation to 'Salle des fêtes de La Châtre' where the Mayor (Le Maire) - Nicolas Forissier - wished to celebrate the New Year with some of the citizens and at the same time talk about the city, the region, its investments and so on.
Not everyone was invited (that would make more than 5000 people), only those who, at one time or another, had been in contact with him concerning some issue of importance for them.

Monsieur Forissier has also worked within the government a couple of years ago, the Department of Agriculture, where he, among other things, had to negotiate with the agriculturalists in France.
I can't say I envie him concerning this specific task.

On the whole his speech circuit around the economic crisis and how this had affected the region and notably La Châtre.
He meant that the economy in the city and the region, in spite of the crisis, could be regarded as being quite solid.
Investments in roads and other infrastructure had been undertaken and more where to come during 2010.
Quite some enterprises had established themselves in the region but on the same time we know that quite a few have closed.
He also talked about 'le patrimoine' - the cultural heritage - and how important this had been and still is and how rich this region concerning this specific aspect of societal life.

Monsieur Forissier also, to some degree, touched questions like 'L'Identité Nationale' - the National Identity - a recurring debate the last two years. It became a very potent discussion from the point when president Sarkozy had a specific department within the government looking in to this issue and its different implications on the society.
In a town like La Châtre this discussion and the more specific discussions around the female clothings like the burqa/niqab etc. is not as relevant as in major towns in France as we see no burqas and few veils in this town because of it's relative ethnic homogenity.

After the speech we ate a French speciality, namely 'galettes des rois' and drank cider.
We recognized some faces and met with some people we know.

(Photo Nicolas Forissier copied from: http://www.nicolasforissier.com/sessions/data/img/Nicolas%20Forissier%20biographie.JPG)

(Photo galette des rois copied from: http://lesjeunessarkozystesdu27.jeunessarkozystes.fr/files/2010/01/galette_rois-9d55f.jpg)