Par Maxime Berthelot
Published on 13 Jul 23 at 17:06 See my news Follow La République de Seine et Marne In early April 2023, a delegation led by Olivier Lavenka, mayor of Provins, crossed the Atlantic to go to Columbia University, in New York (United States). Since 2009, a scientific partnership has linked the city of Seine-et-Marne to the American school ©Photo sent to RSM77
Almost 15 years that this partnership, unique in France, continues.
Since June 1, 2009, the City of Provins (Seine-et-Marne) and Columbia University in New York (United States) are bound by a cooperation agreement which aims to facilitate the consultation and use of the archives of the municipality, for research purposes, for all researchers, teachers and students of the American university.
One of the richest funds in the world
Renewed several times, this partnership allows many American researchers to go to archives of Provinslocated in the Villa Garnier, to study the unique written heritage of the medieval city, rich in nearly a thousand original manuscripts and 50,000 works, the oldest of which dates from the beginning of the 12th century.
Among the first American academics welcomed from July 2009: Jeffrey Wayno, whom a delegation from Provence met in April 2023, during a trip to New York.
He is now curator of the Middle Ages collections at Columbia University. He’s one of the first to come to Provins, it’s moving to see what he’s become.
Olivier Lavenka, Mayor of Provins
“Bringing in more researchers”
The chosen one was on the trip with five other people, including Joseph Schmauch, director of the departmental archives of Seine-et-Marne; Luc Duchamp, chief heritage curator of Provins and Jean-François Robin, then director of the Provins tourist office. With the aim of strengthening the elitist scientific work that has existed for 15 years between the two partners.
Columbia University has one of the richest funds in the world. Old manuscripts and medieval written heritage are their playground.
Olivier Lavenka, Mayor of Provins
In Provins, academics therefore have plenty to do: registers of Champagne fairs, religious documents, ordinances, Lapérouse’s travel diaries, mention of Joan of Arc’s visit to Provins in 1429…
“We would like to bring in more researchers, admits Olivier Lavenka. Today, they come once a year for 7 to 8 days, we would like to welcome them twice, or once, but for 10 to 15 days. »
Videos: currently on Actu In New York, the Provinois have found Jeffrey Wayno (left). The current curator of the Middle Ages collections at Columbia University is one of the first American researchers to visit Provins in 2010 ©Photo sent to RSM77
The municipality, which allocates a specific budget each year to accommodate American specialists during their visit to the medieval city, is looking for additional partners. But she would also like to find a way to popularize all the research work to make it more attractive to the general public.
“All this work is sharp and fascinating, but the Provinois must be able to seize it, it must speak to people”, insists Olivier Lavenka.
A popular event soon to be organized
During the 2018 Heritage Days, which followed a seminar devoted to medieval liturgical manuscripts from the municipal library of Provins, a concert entitled Discovering the medieval liturgy and music of the churches of Provins: songs in honor of Saint Quiriace and Saint Thibault, had already allowed a large public to discover part of the rendering of the work of several international researchers specializing in medieval musicology.
But the mayor of Provins wants to go further:
We could imagine, by 2025, a popular and friendly event to promote all this. We want to show what the money invested is used for and what it allows us to achieve.
Olivier Lavenka, Mayor of Provins
After a new seminar organized in 2022 on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the listing of Provins as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, then another in 2023, American researchers will return to Provins in March 2024.
The partnership should also be strengthened by the commitment of the Department of Seine-et-Marne. “The director of departmental archives accompanied us to New York,” rejoices Olivier Lavenka. The fact that the Department is a co-signatory of this partnership will make it possible to broaden the scientific spectrum of this research work. »
And the first provincial councilor concluded: “Susan Boynton, the director of seminars at Columbia University, and her entire team are ready to follow us in this new adventure. We will now have to refine this beautiful program! »
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2023-07-13 15:06:01
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