FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 8, 2024
High School Students from Besançon, France visit Charlottesville High School
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – Twenty-three high school students from Lycée Général et Technologique Pasteur (Lycée Pasteur) in Besançon, France, Charlottesville’s Sister City, will visit Charlottesville for a cultural exchange with Charlottesville High School (CHS) students. The exchange, from Monday, February 12 to Friday, February 16, strengthens the partnership between teenagers from the two Sister Cities and follows a visit from CHS to Lycée Pasteur last spring.
Press are invited to attend the welcome event on Monday, February 12 at 8:15 AM at Charlottesville High School. The visitors will be welcomed by their CHS student hosts and guides, as well as the administration and the superintendent. Administrators and select CHS students are available for interviews. Media who plan to attend should contact Beth Cheuk to confirm participation and receive further details.
The week-long exchange allows Besançon students to learn more about the American high school experience, while also visiting Charlottesville landmarks. To build connections with students across CHS, exchange students will stay in the home of one student and shadow another, following their designated guide from class to class.
“We are so excited to deepen relationships between our two communities, especially among our young people,” noted Dr. Alicen Brown, who serves both as the social studies and world languages coordinator for Charlottesville City Schools and as the K-12 education representative for the Sister Cities Commission.
Destinations on the visit’s itinerary include a trip to Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, where students will learn about the former president’s complicated legacy as well as his strong relationship with France, and a tour of the University of Virginia with the Department of French.
About the Charlottesville – Besançon Relationship
Charlottesville became Sister Cities with Besançon, France in 2006. Besançon is known for its art and music. The alliance grew out of friendships established by Charlottesville residents who recognized the parallels between our cities.
About Charlottesville’s Sister Cities Commission
The Charlottesville Sister Cities Commission exists to promote understanding of and foster relationships among individuals, communities, and cities of the world through cultural, economic, educational and humanitarian activities. Through our programs, events, and project grants, residents of Charlottesville connect with residents of our Sister Cities to collaborate, coordinate, and build lifelong friendships that help to make the world a smaller place. The City of Charlottesville is an active member of Sister Cities International, a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network that creates and strengthens partnerships between U.S. and international communities
Media Contacts
Beth Cheuk
Supervisor of Community Relations
Charlottesville City Schools
cheukb1@charlottesvilleschools.org
434-245-2962
Claire Denton-Spalding
Vice Chair of Sister Cities Commission
City of Charlottesville
SisterCitiesChair@charlottesville.gov