|
|
|
RETROSPECTIVE
MONTHS OF JULY & AUGUST 2009
|
14 JUILLET : CELEBRATION OFFICIELLE DE LA FETE NATIONALE FRANCAISE
14 JULY : BASTILLE DAY OFFICIAL CEREMONY |
Jean-Baptiste Main de Boissière, Consul General of France in Chicago |
Speech given by Mr. Jean-Baptiste Main de Boissière, Consul general of France in Chicago, on the occasion of Bastille Day, at the Union League Club of Chicago.
Dear representative of Mayor Daley, dear fellow Consuls general and members of the Consular Corps, dear Counsellor for the French citizens living abroad, dear administrators of our various French-American institutions, dear American friends, dear fellow countrymen, dear sponsors : Air France, Schneider Electric, Axa Assistance, Christian Dior, to whom I express my deepest appreciation for their support.
My wife Beatrice and I are very happy to be here with you tonight to celebrate our national holiday of Bastille Day. |
It is the third celebration since the beginning of my tenure in Chicago and the Midwest. I wish there could be many more, Chicago is such a beautiful and exciting place, but I can already hear some of my colleagues knocking impatiently at the door wondering when is he going to leave.
Since I am the one standing before you tonight, I would like to underline that I am really acting as the spokesperson for the French consulate, a wonderful team of 20 plus people working on consular, political, cultural, educational, and scientific related issues. I feel privileged to have with us, on the 37th floor at 205 North Michigan, an excellent Trade mission now renamed UbiFrance as well as the representatives of our two agencies Invest in France and Atout France formerly known as Maison de la France...
To read the full speech click here. |
Greeting the guests:
Mr. and Mrs Main de Boissière,
Mr. Marc Billon, Counsellor for the French living in the Midwest,
Mr. Fabrice Place, Deputy Consul |
Left to right: Eileen Hubbell, Director of International Relations,
City of Chicago representing
Mr. Richard M. Daley, Mayor of Chicago,
Mr. Marc Billon, Counsellor for the French living in the Midwest,
Mr. Fabrice Place, Deputy Consul |
|
| CEREMONIES HONORING WWII VETERANS FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE LIBERATION OF FRANCE |
| On July 21st : Mr. Jean-Baptiste Main de Boissière, Consul General of France in Chicago presented the eleven veterans from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, and Wisconsin with the French Legion of Honor Medal. |
 |
This special ceremony was hosted by the Illinois Department for Veteran's Affairs in Chicago. The following WWII veterans where honored during the ceremony:
Mr. Donald Casey, Mr. Sydney DeRuiter, Mr. Joseph William Ernst, Mr. Herman Griesenbrock, Mr. Merrit King, Mr. Lee Salberg, Mr. Glen Dill, Mr. Paul Hilderbrand, Mr. Joseph Kish, Mr. Evan Voss and Mr. Harry Menz. |
|
ILLINOIS
On July 2nd: Mr. Earl F. Scherer was awarded the French Legion of Honor by Congressman John Shimkus during a special ceremony to take place in Olney (IL).
Photo: Congressman John Shimkus shakes hands with Mr. Earl Scherer |
|
From left to right, Mr. Sidy Diallo, Mr. Carver McGriff and
Senator Richard Lugar |
INDIANA
On July 20th : Mr. Mitch Daniels, Governor of Indiana presented Mr. Charles Kemp the French Legion of Honor Medal in the Governor's Office in Indianapolis, IN.
On August 9th : Senator Richard Lugar presented Mr. Carver McGriff with the French Legion of Honor Medal in presence of Mr. Sidy Diallo, Deputy Consul General of France in Chicago. The ceremony was hosted by St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Indianapolis, IN.
To watch the video click here. |
|
MICHIGAN
On July 30th : Mr. Jean-Baptiste Main de Boissière, Consul General of France in Chicago presented Mr. Vaughn Rebbeck, Mr. Sherman Strasser, Mr. Glen Edquist and Mr. Robert Jackson, with the French Legion of Honor Medal. The ceremony was hosted by the Niles District Library in Niles, MI.
Photo from left to right: Mr. Jean-Baptiste Main de Boissière, Mr. Sherman Strasser, Mr. Robert Jackson, Mr. Vaughn Rebbeck, Mr. Glen Edquist and Major Martin Klubeck. |
OHIO
On July 29th: Mr. Lee Fisher, Lt. Governor of Ohio presented the following ten WWII veterans with the French Legion of Honor Medal, the ceremony took place at the Ohio State House in Columbus, OH:
Mr. Chester Collins, Mr. James Dane, Mr. Rex Hoon, Mr. Thomas Jennings, Mr. Steve Jeziorski, Mr. Louis Prince, Mr. Harry Ruggles, Mr. Arthur Shumate, Mr. Joe Thompson and Mr. Herman Zerger. |
|
| AUGUST 21-22: ILOTOPIE'S "WATER FOOLS" (FOUS DE BASSIN) PRESENTED BY THE CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER |
Chicago Shakespeare Theater kicked off its celebrated World’s Stage Series this summer by hosting the American debut of Ilotopie, a French performance troupe world-renowned for creating waterborne theatrical wonders. Ilotopie's production of Water Fools (Fous de Bassin) took place at Navy Pier and was a thrilling 60 minute spectacle transforming the waters of Lake Michigan into a world where cars drive on water, heads burst into flames and a 12-foot tall lady rides by on a penny farthing. The two performances attracted about 8000 spectators total and were well covered by the local press. |
|
 |
Articles on "Water Fools" by French troupe Ilotopie:
August 20 Chicago Reader: A spectacle from France's Ilotopie, performed on Lake Michigan—think of it as Cirque du Soleil Goes to Sea.
August 21 Chicago Tribune: "Water Fools" at Navy Pier
August 21 Chicago Sun Times: Two innovative productions make spectacles of themselves: French troupe to test the 'Water' in America
August 24 Chicago Tribune: Delayed-but-undampened water show a delight |
|
|
| AUGUST 22: PRESENTATION OF THE AWARD OF CHEVALIER DES ARTS ET DES LETTRES (KNIGHT OF THE ORDER OF ARTS AND LETTERS) |
On Saturday, August 22 Chicago Shakespeare Theater Executive Director Criss Henderson was presented the prestigious award of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters).
The award is in recognition of Henderson's instrumental role in presenting premier French performing arts groups in Chicago and was presented by French Cultural Services Cultural Attaché Laurent Maillaud at a reception prior to the French performance troupe Ilotopie's aquatic spectale Water Fools.
Read the press release. |
Photo from left to right: Ilotopie performer Françoise Léger, Chicago Shakespeare Theater Artistic Director Criss Henderson, French Cultural Attaché Laurent Maillaud , French American Cultural Exchange Director Elisabeth Hayes, and Chicago Shakespeare Theater Board Member William Jentes. |
|
| JULY 30 NILES, MICHIGAN: MEDIA DAY AT THE FORT SAINT JOSEPH EXCAVATION SITE |
Photo: Jean-Baptiste Main de Boissière, Consul general of France in Chicago participes in the ribbon cutting ceremony at the Fort Saint Joseph. |
On July 30th, Mr. Jean-Baptiste Main de Boissière, Consul General of France in Chicago was a guest speaker at the Fort Saint Joseph excavation site Media Day entitled "Jesuits in New France"
Fort Saint Joseph was a fort originally established on land granted to the Jesuits by King Louis XIV located on what is now the south side of the present day town of Niles, Michigan.
|
 |
| As one of the most important eighteenth century colonial outposts in the western Great Lakes, the fort was a major commercial center and a vital link in New France's communication and transportation network. The Fort Saint Joesph Archeological Project is a partnership between Western Michigan University and The City of Niles. |
Mr. de Boissière addresses the crowd |
|
Excavation site |
Artist's Rendition of
How Fort St. Joseph May Have Appeared
Fort History
|
|
|
|
