The prefect of the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region has given their nationality to ten new French citizens. This ceremony was held on February 1 in the salons of the Côte-d’Or prefecture. Some of these new citizens got involved during the health crisis.
France has ten new French citizens. The prefecture of Côte-d’Or received them this Tuesday, February 1 during a reception ceremony in French citizenship.
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Algerians, Romanians, Nigerians or even English, these new French people obtained nationality by marriage, or by a decree of naturalization. “These are very important times for us. Because we welcome into French nationality men and women who have chosen to become French” explains Fabien Sudry, prefect of the Côte d’Or, who gave them their booklet.
Inside this booklet, a letter from Emmanuel Macron, a reproduction of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, the words of the Marseillaise and excerpts from the Constitution of October 4, 1958. The whole supplemented by a document indicating that they have acquired French nationality.
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“I’ve been waiting for this moment for years, since I set foot on French territory” says Malika Boujendar. This woman of Moroccan nationality, has just turned 35 on February 1st. “This is one of the best birthday presents I’ve ever received.” continues Malika very moved.
Arrived in France in 2011, this mother of two children now lives in Ahuy in Côte-d’Or. She got married on January 22 with Abdelhamid Hadjam who is also one of the ten recipient citizens. “Being officially French will change a lot of things for our family. It’s a relief and a new beginning.” says Abdelhamid.
From the spring of 2020, when France is confined to fight against Covid-19, Malika Boujendar has volunteered to clean and disinfect schools. “I was pregnant but I wanted to go into the field to do my job and to be among the French on the front line during the Covid” Malika explains.
These ten new French citizens come from different countries and social classes. This is the case of Joaquin Dominguez Paniagua of Paraguayan nationality. Since 2002, he has worked as a cardiothoracic surgeon. He lives in Chevigny-Saint-Sauveur with his wife Irene. They both obtained French nationality. “I am very honored, very moved. It is the culmination of a process that was a bit long that I wanted for us” says Joaquin.
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The surgeon has always loved France. In 2017, he received the Senate medal for having participated in the influence of France in South America as part of the Latin America Days. “When we lived in Paraguay, France was already so radiant in our hearts that it was a dream to become French” continues the surgeon. “I feel lucky, privileged to be in France. We admire the culture and the history of all French civilisation” he adds.
According to Ministry of Interior, 94,092 people acquired French nationality in 2021 in France. That is an increase of 53.3% compared to 2020, a year marked by the Covid and which disrupted the process of acquisition files.
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