The twinning between Pataias and La Queue-en-Brie, in France, completes a decade this year. The Union of Parishes of Pataias and Martingança will participate in the Christmas Market of the French town between December 4 and 6, with an exhibition dedicated to the union of parishes and the municipality, in an initiative that aims to mark the anniversary and open a new phase of cooperation between the two territories.
The twinning protocol was formalized on December 3, 2016, officializing an institutional relationship that is based on the strong Portuguese community residing in La Queue-en-Brie. The president of the Union of Parishes, Dário Moleiro, makes a positive assessment of this decade, considering that the connection remained close despite the distance.
Over the years there have been various exchanges. In 2017, ten young people from Pataias traveled to La Queue-en-Brie, participating in cultural activities and visiting places such as the Senate and the Eiffel Tower. The following year, French teenagers visited Portugal, fulfilling the reciprocity of the project. There were also institutional visits, including a French delegation led by the president of the municipality. The pandemic, Storm Kristin and electoral processes in both territories limited some planned projects.
For the future, the aim is to extend exchanges to other age groups, including the senior population through the Senior University. The promotion of meetings in the areas of culture, music and sports is also planned, as well as the tourism enhancement of the territory among the French population, as a way to attract more visitors and new residents.
