Today, the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs plays a key role in the lives of the French people both in our country and abroad. Let us explain.
From the banks of the Loire to the corners of the world, diplomacy is close to you
It was Charles de Gaulle, then President of the Republic, who launched a modernization and decentralization policy for public services back in the 1960s. Thus, Nantes, nearly 60 years ago to the day, became the place that enabled the centralization of civil status records for the French abroad and the creation of the Central Civil Status Service (SCEC) to manage the records of French citizens born or married abroad. Today, Nantes is:
*1,200 agents, which is one-third of the ministry's workforce in France. They are diplomats, but so much more! Consular affairs, administrative and financial teams, digital modernization: talents from all backgrounds contribute daily to the smooth operation of the ministry.
*The largest city hall in France. And yes, the e
.acute;Nantes teams manage 16 million civil status documents! You can find the birth certificates of celebrities like Claude François, Dalida, and Chantal Goya.
*A service that handles 30,000 calls per month to answer questions from 3 million French people living abroad
*30 km of archives, which is about the distance between Nantes and Clisson. A unique site that preserves the archives of French embassies around the world!
What to see and do during this week ?
@Philémon Henry
To celebrate this historic presence, Minister Jean-Noël Barrot officially kicked off a week of exceptional events yesterday, called "Nantes Diplomatic!" It will take place from March 10 to 15, 2025. This is an event not to be missed if you want to discover the behind-the-scenes of diplomacy and understand how Nantes plays a major role on the international stage! And that's not all—on Friday, March 14 at 11:30 a.m., the great diplomat and head of the DGSE (General Directorate for External Security), Bernard Émié, will be present.
*What is diplomacy for? How many embassies are there in the world? Can French citizens abroad vote?
Through 5 exhibitions, the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs will share how it operates, from Quai d’Orsay in Paris to Nantes and everywhere around the globe.
*What is development aid for? How does one become a diplomat? What do we do to fight...against misinformation? Why does diplomacy play a role in the lives of all French people?
All week long, you are invited to discover for free the role of diplomacy, the profession of a diplomat, and to collectively think about the major global issues through 25 conferences, panel discussions, and animated projections led by diplomats who have lived all around the world.
*How do you say hello in Hindi? How to persuade your audience?
You can participate in a series of workshops to discover rare languages or even the art of public speaking.
Find the entire program right here!
