|
2011
ESIN AGM IN THE ILE OF YEU, in the
Ponant Archipelago
Representatives from the Scottish
Islands Federation were among the 20
European Islanders who gathered in the
French island of Yeu for the ESIN AGM on
13 and 14 September 2011 to discuss new
transnational projects and how can the
smaller islands be better represented at
European level.
Bruno Noury, mayor of the island of Yeu
and his team welcomed islanders from
Scotland, Finland, Sweden, Denmark,
Åland and Ireland for a seminar that
looked at potential transnational
projects on electric cars and youth
exchange projects between islands. 9
electric 3 seater-cars produced in by
MIA, a small high-tech company based in
the Vendée region were put at the
delegates’ disposal to test their
qualities.
Island tourism was discussed with a
presentation on the successful cycling
tourism initiative that took place last
year between Åland and Finland. This was
a particular relevance to Yeu where 6000
bicycles are hired out in the summer
season. Waste management and how to deal
with plastics in particular was also
discussed, showing how the Mairie of Yeu
and the Vendée region’s adoption of
ambitious recycling targets for paper,
glass and plastics have made a huge
difference to the local environment,
helping to preserve the region’s sandy
estuaries, previously depleted for glass
production.
Finally, the European islands delegates
were invited to the first edition of the
new French Islanders’ festival: LES
INSULAIRES, (http://lesinsulaires.com/les-1eres-photos-du-festival)
which unlike the year of the islands was
a real islanders festival; 3 days
of meetings and celebrations of the
islanders’ way of life, with public
debates on challenges and opportunities
and free street theatre (including an
opera about fishing) music, food
tasting and as way of a sporting
challenge, a sculling competition.
The
festival attracted 8000 participants
including 1000 islanders and will works
its way through each of the 15 islands
in the archipelago with Belle-Ile
scheduled to host it next year!
Here
is what Jane Brunton, one of our
Scottish delegates had to say about les
Insulaires:
An archipelago in
miniature on Yeu harbour.
The event was very well
organised with special ferries arranged
to gather islanders from 14 other
islands whilst others came in their own
boats. A string of mini-marquees – one
for each island and one for the Iles du
Ponant Association, was set out in Yeu
harbour. Some were selling island
products, others were displaying
information about tourist attractions as
well as local industries and economy
etc. There was also a bar marquee, and
another with people from Martinique
making and selling some very tasty food
and cocktails – there was always a
queue!
Street shows and the
apero-concert
There was a serious side
to the festival with talks/debates on
various issues and film shows on
fishing, depopulation, transport, island
young people etc. whilst the an
inter-island sculling competition within
the harbour attracted a large number of
spectators who could watch from two
different piers. Music was everywhere
with a fun band wandered around the
harbour playing several times during the
day and a stage set up for
singers/musicians to perform. The French
love their “apero” pre-dinner drinks,
and the evening reception at the “Citadelle,”
to which we were given free tickets,
offered a fantastic selection of finger
food and drinks.
Free visits
That same weekend a large
number of monuments on Ile d’Yeu were
open to the public for free with free
buses. We visited the old castle and
the Semaphore, both really interesting,
especially the latter as a naval officer
gave us a tour of the Semaphore,
including up to the top of the
observation, from where there was a
fantastic view of the whole island.
We also visited the
fishing museum by the harbour, where we
got in tow with a member of the lifeboat
crew in the building: we were able to
discuss the differences/similarities
between RNLI/Coastguard on Mull compared
to similar operations on Ile d’Yeu. The
volunteers at the museum were very
pleased to welcome foreign islanders to
their museum, and sent out for the
visitors book for us to sign (last one
to sign was a Belgian prince…) and
they gave us a souvenir postcard of a
fishing boat with a personal message
written on the back!
An Ushant tartan!
As Scottish islanders, we
were made to feel very welcome by
everyone. Someone from Ushant was
wearing an Ushant tartan highland kilt
and spoke to us about the Ushant tartan
in his marquee in the harbour. Later in
the evening, he recognised us at the
Citadelle reception and made a point of
coming over to speak to us!
The Festival was a fun
event with a definite purpose – to share
experiences, learn from other islanders
and hopefully to use that knowledge in
your own community. All islanders have
similar issues wherever they are and how
they deal with the issues determines
whether they just survive or thrive…
|
