Initiated within the framework of the system Summer quarter funded by the state, the operation An Air of Holidays was implemented for the second consecutive year at Chemin-Bas d’Avignon in Nîmes, led by the André Malraux social center.
The Jean-Moulin school opened its doors wide to the inhabitants of the district, yesterday, Thursday, July 29. After a month of educational and fun workshops led by around twenty associations, a party was organized in the playground to celebrate the end of the cycle. Another will take place on August 12, because the operation An Air of Holidays headed by the André Malraux social center will continue until that date. “This year, we have focused on music at the request of the inhabitants of the neighborhood“, explains Nawel Espirol-Benchaib, coordinator of collective family actions at the André Malraux social center.
The inhabitants dribbled through the school gate to take part in the celebration. Sitting on a bench, 40-year-old Sabah is tapping her phone while violinist Carole Dauphin and pianist Joël Soichez of the Les Volques Festival finish their rehearsal. “This is the first time that I come. But in my opinion, it’s important for the neighborhood, it allows us to get to know other cultures, to discover“, emphasizes Sabah.
The discovery, this is the whole point of this operation An Air of Holidays . Our beautiful gardenis one of the participating associations, Sabah is also a volunteer. Parents and children were able to make their organic soap scented with lavender and a plant terrarium during workshops run by the association. “These events bring real social cohesion to the neighborhood. You know with what we went through, the health crisis, the lockdowns, etc., people felt isolated. Here, we forget the negative, we only see the positive, they meet, they exchange. It’s a renewal “, rejoices Hadaa, the president ofOur beautiful garden
The prefect of Gard, Marie-Françoise Lecaillon, and her delegate in the Nîmes East district, spoke with representatives of associations before the show. (Photo: Stéphanie Marin / Objectifgard) 6.30 p.m., it’s time to be silent, the show Child’s play
will begin. Installed on the last bench, the prefect Marie-Françoise Lecaillon and her delegate for the districts of Nîmes East, Yasmine Fontaine, observe the two musicians, listen attentively. Just like during their exchanges with the various representatives of the associations a little earlier.
Carole Dauphin and Joël Soichez played scores by Franz Schubert and Helmut Lachenmann – he will be in Nîmes in December for the Les Volques Festival – always involving the public. A nice moment of complicity and conviviality which continued with the Stand’Hop association for a dance and Battle session.
Stephanie Marin*
-The workshops take place every Tuesday morning from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and Thursday afternoons from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
