In Sète, a new body to “work over time and across the board” around secularism and republican values

Une réunion qui a rassemblé une trentaine d'acteurs du territoire en mairie ce lundi. Midi Libre – W. N.

Le conseil de la laïcité de la Ville de Sète a été officiellement lancé ce lundi 9 décembre.

The day was not chosen randomly from the calendar. It was this Monday, December 9, the anniversary of the promulgation of the law on the separation of Church and State, that the council of secularism and republican values ​​of the City of Sète was officially launched. A local consultation body whose vocation is to “promote secularism, living well together, freedom of conscience, the notion of citizenship and to fight against discrimination”, introduced its vice-president Hervé Merz to the thirty people gathered around the table. Elected officials, heads of schools, public security forces, state institutions and representatives of different religions were gathered to discuss and explore initial avenues of reflection.

Read also: Why are these young people from Sète being received at the Ministry of the Interior on December 9th? ?

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Initial concrete proposals

“The goal is to think together about concrete things, to be in a shared dynamic”, insisted Olivier Garrigues, the principal of the Jean-Moulin college. In the end, several proposals were able to emerge from this first meeting (preparatory meetings had taken place beforehand). Among these: the creation of a toll-free number or an email address to raise questions related to secularism or the launch of an interfaith group that can intervene in schools. “This can make sense to show that between leaders of different religions, we talk to each other, we exchange, we do not wage war”, suggested Agnès-Marie Rive, a pastor from Sète, supported by Father Bogdan Lesko.

The development of an inventory of actions already carried out in the territory was mentioned. “If we train our young people in secularism, in republican values, from kindergarten to higher education, there must be consistency, knowledge of what is being done in Sète. Actions must be progressive”, indicated Arnaud Combet, headmaster of the Joliot-Curie high school. He and his counterparts also discussed the creation of an inter-establishment protocol to respond to facts that go against secularism. Like these “drifts from the values ​​of the republic” mentioned by the principal of Victor-Hugo college or these anti-Semitic remarks made by middle school students at Paul-Valéry.

“We must reach all audiences”

If actions with young people were widely discussed during this meeting, “We need to reach all audiences,” Harvé Marquès, deputy delegate for sports, insisted. “The problem is not the children, but the parents. The home can be a place of proselytism.” The idea of ​​proposing actions on secularism in companies was thus raised. “What decisions can France Travail make when a job seeker refuses a position for religious reasons? How to address the issue of the headscarf in the company?”, asked Pierre-Alain Blanc, employment advisor.

Questions that the secularism council of the City of Sète will continue to address by meeting at least once a quarter even if, as the actors point out, “we are not starting from scratch. Quite a few systems already exist“. The objective being, with this new body, to work in “duration and transversality”, summarized Hervé Merz.

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