Toulon, France became a Norfolk Sister City in 1989. A naval port and home of the French Naval Fleet, Toulon is situated on the Mediterranean Sea at the western edge of the French Riviera. The city of approximately 185,000 is well known by U.S. Navy Sixth Fleet personnel as a favorite port-of-call. Toulon boasts a variety of scenic and cultural riches as well as a mild, sunny climate that attracts tourists year-round. The dynamic economy promotes high technology as well as the more traditional crafts and industries.
Norfolk Sister City Association oversees multiple programs with counterparts in Toulon, including:
- Adult delegation trips
- Hosting of French naval personnel during Norfolk port calls
- July 2015 Toulon exchange – five inbound and four returned outbound
- August 13, 2015 Soiree en Blanc held on the grounds of the Virginia Arts Festival courtyard
- September 2015 outbound delegation of twenty-two adults to Toulon
- August 2016 Soiree en Blanc held on the grounds of the Fred Heutte Center
- September 2016 hosted Anita Millot, President, France Etats-Unis
- July 2017 hosted three inbound high school students for two weeks
- August 2017 Soiree en Blanc at the home of Don and Lori Hardee
- July 2018 outbound delegation of three students for two weeks
- August 2018 Soiree en Blanc at the Hermitage Museum & Gardens
- June 2019 inbound delegation of two students for two weeks
- August 2019 Soiree en Blanc at Norfolk Botanical Garden
- June 2019 hosted two students for a two-week inbound exchange
- August 2019 Soiree en Blanc held at Norfolk Botanical Garden
- November 2019 participated in international fair at Academy of International Studies at Rosemont
- Summer 2020 outbound exchange was canceled due to COVID-19
- August 2020 Soiree en Blanc canceled due to COVID-19
- October 2020 inbound adult delegation canceled due to COVID-19
- August 2021 Soiree en Blanc held in the green space, Church of the Good Shepherd
- November 19, 2021, Beaujolais Nouveau
- May 2022 Soiree en Blanc to be held at the Pagoda – CANCELED due to Rain – first ever cancelation for weather!!
- May 2022 National Congress of the French American Association hosted by Toulon, our Toulon Sister City Committee Chair attended by special invitation
- July 2023 First Post COVID inbound student delegation
- November 18, 2023 – co-hosted Beaujolais Nouveau with Alliance Francaise
- Newsletter 0223
- Newsletter 0323
- Newsletter 0423
- Newsletter 0523
- Newsletter 0623
- Newsletter 0124
Toulon in the News
Student Reports from 2017 Exchange
REPORT OF LINGUISTIC JOURNEY Mahela Mahosiarinosy
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