Last July, you created a collective “Paroles Roubaisiennes”, what exactly does it consist of?
The primary objective is to give voice to Roubaisians. Concretely, we put ourselves in a position to listen to their needs, their desires and sometimes also their anger. And the idea is to be able to produce projects to improve daily life in the city of Roubaix.
Then there are also times to build projects for the city of Roubaix in a participatory manner, moments that we also want to be festive. One of the challenges is to be able to promote testimonies or experiences, for example, with artists who come from Roubaix and who are sometimes not or little highlighted.
How many members do you have and how to join?
There are around twenty active members and members at the moment. To join, it’s quite simple, the link is on our site or our social networks. Membership is by free participation. It will also be possible to join during Saturday’s event.
Exactly, explain to us what will happen during this first event?
The idea is to show all these aspects that the association carries. This is why we will find festive times, times of meetings and times of testimonies and dialogues. It’s a free event. It is open to everyone. Catering is provided on site, as well as games for children.
Safety, cleanliness and incivility as watchwords
You started your door to door. So far, what has come out of it?
The first subjects brought to us are cleanliness and more generally the question of incivility in Roubaixgeneral security but also road safety. The last rather strong point is the question of living together. In the sense of how to bring back to Roubaix places, moments where we can find ourselves even though we are part of different neighborhoods, streets or environments.
Ultimately, what is the association’s goal? Will you work with the town hall so that the projects are implemented?
There are three proposals available to us. The first is to say to ourselves that we take these words and give them to the institutions in place. Another possibility is to make them available, as the elections approach, to the candidate who we judge to be in agreement with our values. Or it is a third possibility, we could ask ourselves if the collective, at some point, should not metamorphose and transform itself into a more militant and political force to carry out this project itself.
For you, giving Roubais residents a voice is a real necessity, do you have the impression that they have been forgotten?
Since September, and the start of door-to-door visits, we can see it clearly. We had an extremely positive reception in the different neighborhoods. People have things to tell us. There is a pool of ideas and strengths in Roubaix, which for us deserves to be listened to more.
And to be transparent, the current political context only reinforces this conviction. And in fact, our determination to meet this need. What has happened over the last two weeks shows that there is a need in Roubaix to be able to work on notions of listening and dialogue.
You are referring to political events, which ones are you talking about specifically?
I think about what happened at the municipal council, and behind the Alma question. For us, the question of Alma is precisely the question of listening. We consider that we cannot touch something as intimate as people’s homes without having carried out in-depth work of serene and sincere dialogue. Then we have the candidacy of MP David Guiraud. In addition to approaches that are often individual, partisan and fueled by ambitions, our desire is really to propose a collective approach.
In this context, are you not afraid of not being listened to?
We are not afraid. If we are not listened to, then the collective will decide on action. If we need to transform ourselves into a force of inquiry and mobilization to demonstrate to the body politic everything that civil society can offer, we will do so.
First event of the “Paroles Roubaisiennes” associationthis Saturday, October 19, at 4 p.m., at the Couvent de Roubaix, boulevard de Strasbourg. Free entry.
