Every year, Citizen's Day provides an opportunity to carry out community or cultural projects throughout France. For one day, residents of a municipality or neighborhood come together to jointly accomplish projects they have proposed themselves. Here's an explanation.
Citizen's Day is a national event organized annually at the municipal level. Its motto is "Working together for a better life together."
This event, based on volunteerism, calls on residents of a municipality or neighborhood to mobilize for one day around collective projects to improve living conditions or to renovate facilities, for example.
The sharing of skills and experiences is at the heart of this participatory approach.
The genesis of Citizen's Day dates back to the winter of 2006, when significant snowfalls paralyzed the town of Berrwiller in Haut-Rhin.
On that occasion, Fabian Jordan observed the mobilization of residents to clear the streets and the moments of conviviality and solidarity they shared. Two years later, elected mayor, he launched the first Citizen's Day in his municipality to rekindle this collective momentum.
His idea was quickly adopted by other municipalities, within the Mulhouse agglomeration and then the department. From 2015, the event became structured to facilitate the sharing of experiences and mutual aid.
By 2023, over 500,000 people in France participated in this day of volunteering in nearly 2,500 municipalities of all sizes.
During Citizen's Day, volunteer citizens dedicate a day to their municipality to carry out various types of collective projects. These can include renovation or improvement projects for the living environment, projects contributing to the enhancement of local heritage and history, or community association projects.
These various projects were chosen in advance of D-day, as all the stakeholders in the territory work together from the construction to the finalization of the project. This day not only mobilizes residents but also associations, local businesses, municipal elected officials, and municipal services.
More than just a day of volunteering, the Citizen's Day aims to encourage the creation of connections and solidarity at the local level. It seeks to promote the values of citizenship, respect, and sharing.
It should enable every willing resident to participate in the success of a collective project, regardless of their age, origins, or abilities. To succeed in uniting positive energies and mobilizing all the stakeholders of the territory, this day must create the conditions for cooperation and active citizenship.
In practice, it is recommended for organizers to respect the following principles:
• Involve citizens in every step of the project, during the Citizen's Day and beforehand.
• Listen to everyone and encourage initiatives.
• Mobilize all residents, across all generations.
• Involve elected officials in the project.
• Acknowledge all participants.
• Allow everyone to take ownership of the common good.
• Seek to integrate new residents.
• Support the local economy rather than competing with it.
• Plan for a time of conviviality, such as a meal or an aperitif for example, so that this day unfolds in good spirits and sharing.
This year, Citizen's Day takes place on Saturday, May 25, 2024. For this occasion, over 300,000 volunteers will mobilize throughout France.
Although it is a one-time event, the day aims to create a lasting dynamic, in order to live better together throughout the year.
In municipalities where it has already been held, this initiative has proven to encourage community life and to rebuild connections between all the stakeholders of the territory, especially between elected officials and their constituents.
Author Audrey on 25 August 2022
Education and Training : Training
Author Audrey on 28 June 2022
Education and Training : Training