HLS 23RS-1450 ORIGINAL
2023 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 91
BY REPRESENTATIVES BACALA, BRASS, EDMONSTON, AND SCHEXNAYDER
COMMENDATIONS: Commends the city of Meylan, France, on the occasion of the thirty-
seventh anniversary of its twinning with its sister city of Gonzales, Louisiana
1 A RESOLUTION
2To commend the city of Meylan, France, on the occasion of the thirty-seventh anniversary
3 of its twinning with its sister city of Gonzales, Louisiana.
4 WHEREAS, in the early 1980s, a group of teachers from St. Amant High School
5began taking groups of students on international field trips overseas to countries including
6Mexico and Canada; the experience of these trips had a profound and lasting impact on the
7students by introducing them to new cultures and giving them the opportunity to share their
8own culture abroad; and
9 WHEREAS, John Hebert, a field trip chaperone and husband of one of the St. Amant
10teachers, realized these benefits and researched the possibility of creating an organization
11to both introduce the world to local citizens and to introduce Gonzales, Louisiana, to the
12world; and
13 WHEREAS, Mr. Hebert was referred to James Domeangeaux, founder of the Council
14for the Development of French in Louisiana (CODOFIL), who suggested twinning the city
15of Gonzales with a compatible city in France; and
16 WHEREAS, after receiving support from Gonzales city councilman John Berthelot,
17Mr. Hebert presented the Gonzales city council with a proposal to create the Gonzales
18Committee on Cultural Affairs (GCCA), which received the council's approval; and
19 WHEREAS, the city of Gonzales was assisted by France-Louisiane, an organization
20headquartered in Paris, in choosing Meylan, France, to be its sister city; the two cities share
21similarities in population and proximity to the capital of their respective province/state;
Page 1 of 2 HLS 23RS-1450 ORIGINAL
HR NO. 91
1Meylan is nestled in the French Alps near Grenoble while Gonzales is in Plantation-Bayou
2country near Baton Rouge; and
3 WHEREAS, John Berthelot, who had become mayor of Gonzales, led a delegation,
4which included Councilman Dalton Marchand and around twenty Ascension Parish
5residents, that traveled to Meylan in 1984; Claude Moussey served as first president of the
6Meylan Twinning Committee, and over the last three decades, Ascension Parish locals and
7French nationals from Meylan have built lifelong relationships and made connections that
8have resulted in international career paths for some; and
9 WHEREAS, the citizens of the city of Meylan are most deserving of the highest
10recognition for their inspiring efforts to share Louisiana's culture abroad.
11 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
12Legislature of Louisiana does hereby commend the city of Meylan, France, on the occasion
13of the thirty-seventh anniversary of its twinning with its sister city of Gonzales, Louisiana,
14and does hereby extend sincerest wishes that other Louisiana and French cities follow this
15example and continue to share their rich cultures with each other.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HR 91 Original 2023 Regular Session Bacala
Commends the city of Meylan, France, on the occasion of the 37th anniversary of its
twinning with its sister city of Gonzales, La.
Page 2 of 2