Lourdes and Częstochowa are Marian cities, to which pilgrims come in large numbers every year. It was the presence of the sanctuary and the nature of the "receiving place" that meant that in the 1990s, right after the first democratic elections in Poland, which ended the era of communism in this country, the authorities of Lourdes and Częstochowa established cooperation, which is still bringing results today.
Over the 35 years, Lourdes and Częstochowa have managed to carry out many youth exchanges, and exhibitions, concerts, conferences and seminars have been organised. Sports clubs, non-governmental organizations, schools and educational institutions, cultural centers cooperated...
The list could go on for a very long time. Of course, none of this would have been possible without the people who have been involved in the development of Polish-French cooperation for all these years.
In addition to the authorities of both cities, members of the Blue Star association, founded by Marie-Thérèse Chaubon - a resident of Lourdes, privately the wife of Pierre Chaubon, who in the 1990s was a City Councilor and one of the initiators of the signing of the cities' agreement, were also involved in the cooperation.
The association organized charitable aid, events promoting Poland in France, exchanges of children and youth, artists and supported the cooperation of associations from both cities. A branch of the Blue Star was even established in Częstochowa, which is still operating today.
Years passed, but the activity on both sides did not die down. In 2007, the Częstochowa City Council decided to grant Mr. and Mrs. Chaubon honorary citizenship of the city, which permanently sealed Częstochowa's relations with Lourdes.
On May 16, 2025, Częstochowa began the celebration of the anniversary of cooperation, which gathered people involved in the relations between the cities over the years. A delegation from Lourdes arrived in Częstochowa, led by Ms. Sylvie Mazurek - deputy mayor. The Błękitna Gwiazda association, currently headed by Ms. Suzanne Lacroix, also had its representation.
The celebrations began with the unveiling of a commemorative plaque at the Częstochowa City Hall dedicated to Mr. and Mrs. Chaubon - honorary citizens of the city.
The delegation from France also took part in the Non-Governmental Organizations Picnic, where Częstochowa associations, clubs and societies present themselves. And you know what? We were there too! The Shrines of Europe stand enjoyed great interest.
The Częstochowa Tourist Organization joined in organizing the celebrations – the prepared pierogi making show was an exceptional meeting of Lourdes with Polish culinary tradition. As they say: the way to a person's heart is through their stomach!
A pleasant and moving accent was the evening at the Adam Mickiewicz Theater in Częstochowa, during which people involved in the cooperation between the cities were awarded. It was also an opportunity to listen to French music performed by artists from Lourdes – the OZAM band and Lika Malongi – and Częstochowa singing actors from the municipal theater.
The guests from Lourdes also visited the Częstochowa Museum, the immersive exhibition "Sistine Chapel", the John Paul II Museum of Coins and Medals, and the sanctuary at Jasna Góra.
The anniversary events ended with performances by Częstochowa youth: children from Primary School No. 50 in Częstochowa prepared a wonderful artistic program and taught guests from France how to dance the polonaise – one of the five Polish national dances. A plaque dedicated to the Blue Star Association was unveiled on the school building.
Students from the S. Żeromski Technical and General Education School Complex showed off their culinary talent – they prepared refreshments for the guests and presented their school.
So as you can see – cities can be friends if they are inhabited by people who are open to cooperation and warm-hearted. It is worth adding that the friendship between Lourdes and Częstochowa gave rise to our association. Over time, other cities joined the group, creating Shrines of Europe. This is a beautiful story that is being created every day.
Long live friendship!
photos: Częstochowa City Office Archives
