NEWS

The evening event organized by ONLYLYON on Wednesday, July 16 in New York City, to promote the launch of direct service between Lyon and New York (JFK) by Air France and Delta was a huge success.

Planned as part of the program of Lyon's official delegation to New York the same week, led by the Senator and Mayor of Lyon Gérard Collomb and Guy Mathiolon, the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the event was graced by the presence of key personnalities from the metropolitan area's institutions and major international companies.

Over 250 participants

Over 250 people attended the evening event held at the Morgan Library & Museum, a prestigious location on Madison Avenue, in the heart of Manhattan, decked out for the occasion in the ONLYLYON colors.
In additionto the official delegation and certain Lyon representatives based in New York,such as the Secretary-General of the association "Les Lyonnais de New York", the ONLYLYON evening gala also attracted representatives from New York companies in sectors of activity closely connected to those of the Lyon metropolitan area. Indeed, more than a hundred American companies, such as Cushman and Wakefield, Via Tech Publishing Solutions, Good Energies, OSI Pharmaceuticals, Nixon Peabody, CB Richards Ellis, Dolce International Holdings, Bionest Partners, Scott-Macon and others, along with a dozen journalists, learned about some of Lyon's key advantages as presented throughout the evening, and networked with their hosts from Lyon.

Combining business with pleasure

To combine business with pleasure, this important business-oriented event was enlivened with entertainment and highlighted with Lyon cuisine. Three top Lyon chefs: Daniel Boulud, a Lyon chef very highly renowned in th US, based in New York and President of the association "Les Lyonnais de New York" ; Mathieu Vianney who has been working in Lyon for 10 years; and Christophe Marguin President of the association "Toques Blanches lyonnaises", prepared a 100% Lyon dinner, to the delight of connoisseurs and novices alike. In deference to pure regional tradition, the wines of Maison Duboeuf were served during the cocktail hour, in the absolutely remarkable setting of the JP Morgan Library, accompanied by a classic quartet.

The Lyon Junior Chamber (JCEL) had the honor of hosting a delegation of 10 Japanese visitors from Nagoya, who chose Lyon for the quality of its riverbanks, its Confluence project and its Vélo'V bike-rental system. This visit proved to be rich in cultural, economic and social exchanges.

Amongst other things, the Japanese delegation visited JETRO, a Japanese paragovernmental organization for the promotion of exchange and investment; and the Lyon Area Economic Development Agency. 

The Nagoya Junior Chamber is, indeed, very interested in the development of the Rhone Embankments, and would like to follow the example of Lyon and its Confluence project.

The first results of the partnership between the City of Lyon and Microsoft, signed in February 2007 in the presence of Bill Gates, President and founder of Microsoft, were announced on June 30 by Gérard Collomb, Senator and Mayor of Lyon and President of Greater Lyon, and Eric Boustouller, President of Microsoft France.

This partnership has the following aims:

• Assist the development of innovative projects in digital applications in the Lyon metropolitan area (three Lyon startups - Prim'x, Kalistick, Dreamap - were sponsored by Microsoft)
• Support the software industry and startups in terms of technology, sales and marketing, as was the case with the three startups
• Recognize and promote the talent of video game designers in the region (Lyon developers benefit from special access to the Microsoft France development platforms)
• Support the vitality of the video game sector in the Lyon region
• Facilitate access to information technologies, and introduce as many people as possible to the use of digital technologies (this was implemented in 8 libraries, including Bachut, La Duchère, La Guillotière, Part-Dieu, Vaise, the 1^st, 2^nd and 4^th districts, as well as 9 digital agencies; more than 1500 people participated in training classes in 2008)
• Raise awareness of local associations such as Lyon Infocités and Cluster Edit.

Top Lyon chef Daniel Boulud, who runs one of the finest French restaurants in New York, continues to promote Lyon cuisine in the United States. He has just set up an association to train a team of American cooks who will compete in the Bocuse d'Or, an international culinary competition held in Lyon.

Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller and many other French chefs have set up an association in the United States to recruit, train and support an American team to compete in the prestigious culinary competition, the Bocuse d'Or, to be held in Lyon in January 2009 at the SIRHA (International Hotel, Catering and Food Trade Exhibition). 

Lyon has become the first French city to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network and is the first city to be appointed as "City of Media arts."

The Creative Cities Network launched by UNESCO in 2004 is designed to promote the cultural, social and economic development of cities in both the developed and the developing world. By providing a global platform for the cultural resources of these cities, the network facilitates access for all members to the wealth of know-how, information and experiences, thereby encouraging locales cultural industries and recognition of the member cities around the world.

Lyon's application was reviewed by a panel of experts different NGOs specialized in cooperation between cities or in the field of digital arts.

Gérard Colomb, Senator/Mayor of Lyon and President of Greater Lyon, in a letter to the French Minister of Defense, reiterated his desire for Lyon to be a candidate city to host research teams from the French military health service.

 

For many years, Lyon has made every effort to stay at the cutting-edge of research and healthcare activities. These efforts include the creation of Lyon Biopôle, the "Infectology" Advanced Research Theme Network, several RTRS research networks, and, more recently, the Lyon campus project (namely in Gerland with the Charles Mérieux campus). 

 

Lyon Saint Exupéry Airport has just been elected the "best European airport" in the category of 5/10 million passengers a year, by ACI Europe (Airports Council International).

 

This prize was awarded to Lyon Saint Exupéry at a gala dinner held in Paris for the opening of the annual ACI Europe conference.

 

Recognized for all its development policies, the airport won for the many efforts it has made, especially to increase traffic by opening new flights and by hosting an easyJet base, thereby expanding the number of low-cost flights out of Lyon. In 2007, the airport had record traffic, in excess of 7.3 million passengers, representing growth of 8.6% from 2006.

 

The jury also stressed the extensive customer service program put in place by the airport, which was recently awarded the Qualicert quality certification, and its commitments to issues surrounding sustainable development, by signing the French environmental charter, the "Grenelle de l'Environnement", in March.

After opening a concierge service at Cité Internationale, which hosts a number of international conference attendees, Easylife will be opening a concierge service for companies located at Part-Dieu Tower.

 

This full-service business concierge provides companies a wide range of assistance, ranging from delivery of boxed lunches and completion of administrative procedures to management of technical inspections or even dry-cleaning!

 

These concierge services are a vital HR resource for companies who care about the comfort and quality of life of their employees. 

Euronews has just unveiled its new visual identity!

Since the beginning of June, the 24-hour news channel Euronews has a taken on a new look. With a new logo, a new signature, a new screen look, new program names, a new website and more, this is a total strategic renewal for the Lyon-Ecully-based channel.

 

Euronews has chosen a white circle as a visual identity and white, gray and black as color codes, with the aim of reaffirming its unique position through a universal symbol. Indeed, the channel is now the only one to present the news without an anchorman, with no TV studio and no debates, letting the news prevail and enabling TV viewers to make their own opinions. And, in order to assert the relevance of this model, Euronews has chosen a signature that combines all its values in a single word: pure. 

To celebrate the re-opening of non-stop service between Lyon and New York (JFK) by Air France and  Delta Air Lines, with the inaugural flight taking off from Lyon on July 18^th, ONLYLYON will be hosting a promotional and prospecting operation in New York on July 16^th in the exceptional setting of the Morgan Library & Museum.

 

This is not the first time the line has been opened, and yet this non-stop route is a major economic asset for the greater Lyon area. New York, the largest city in the USA, with its international economic influence and thriving sectors, is a particularly essential market for Lyon's business leaders and partners. This connection is so important that Gérard Collomb and Guy Mathiolon will he heading a Lyon government and business delegation to support the re-opening of the line in New York and demonstrate the strength of the relations between Lyon and the Big Apple.

 

Several Lyon-area firms and organizations, including Interpol, Silliker, Cushman & Wakefield and Black & Decker France, will also be making the trip.

Against this backdrop of local mobilization, ONLYLYON has invited 250 personalities from the New York and Lyon political and business spheres for a 100% Lyon evening event on July 16^th at 7 p.m. at Manhattan's prestigious Morgan Library & Museum. The agenda for this event, which aims to promote the Lyon area's economic assets and quality of life, includes:

The Europe INNOVA 2008 conference will be held from October 22^nd-24^th in Lyon.

This major European conference on innovation, held every 2 years by the European Commission, is taking place this year under the French presidency of the European Union. Organized by Greater Lyon in association with the French Ministry of Industry, the conference will be held at the Convention Center.

This conference, which will bring together 600 experts in innovation from the 27 member States, will feature 3 visits to innovative firms in Lyon, 9 workshops on key themes in innovation, a European Innovation awards ceremony, an exhibition on innovative projects and organizations, and much more. 

Just a few days before France takes over the Presidency of the European Union, Lyon will play host to the États généraux de l'Europe ("Think-tank on Europe") on June 21^st.  

This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate Europe at Cité Internationale and take part in debates with 130 personalities from the political, labor, non-profit, business and academic spheres.

 

Organized by three French associations that promote Europe - Europanova, Mouvement européen and Notre Europe - with support from Greater Lyon, this national event will help to open a major public debate on Europe.

 

Lyon's proximity to several borders, its internationally-focused economy, cultural vitality and its easy access to Brussels, Turin and Paris have made the city the ideal venue for this festive and popular event.

The main theme of this 2^nd edition will be European citizenship. With France about to take over the Presidency of the European Union for six months, this is a fine chance for the general public to meet experts and political leaders in order to debate this topic.

This spring, Eurexpo Lyon hosts LumiVille, from May 27th through 29th 2008. A leading international trade fair in the sector of urban lighting, it draws more than 14,000 visitors and 350 exhibitors from around the world, in order to offer solutions for the beautification and securement of cities through light.

 

Backed by its unrivalled expertise in the sector, Lyon will take advantage of the LumiVille event to launch its Light Cluster, aiming to consolidate and develop the exceptional know-how of the region.

 

Indeed, it is no coincidence that this fair is historically held in Lyon. Rather, it is due to a well thought-out decision by the organizers. The city, which is at once a world-class innovation center for urban lighting, a dynamic cluster of more than 300 companies and a training center (of over 20% of French engineers!), has a status all its own in the lighting sector.

On May 22nd and 23rd, ADERLY (the Lyon Area Economic Development Agency) attended the Location Branding conference in Athens to present the ONLYLYON initiative and its governance model to local-area marketing experts from various cities, regions and countries.

 

This was a unique occasion to put the ONLYLYON concept into perspective. Jacques de Chilly, the executive director of ADERLY, talked in particular about aspects in connection with the local construction of the brand and the importance of local institutions appropriating it.

 

This is, indeed, an area in which ONLYLYON, which features 12 of Lyon's major economic players, is more than revolutionary. Indeed, in 2007, the ONLYLYON project won First Prize for communication and the prize in the category "Promoting the Local Area" at the Cap'Com forum in Strasbourg.

 

For one week, more than 80 writers and book reviewers from around the world met in Lyon to participate in forums, roundtable discussions, debates and more, making this 2nd "Assises Internationales du Roman 2008" Convention a great success.

 

From Monday May 26th through Sunday June 1st, the "Assisses Internationales du Roman" are being held at the Subsistances cultural venue. Presented by Le Monde newspaper and Villa Gillet, the theme of this second convention is "The Novel - What An Invention!"

 

Each day will feature several encounters: roundtables on specific themes, interviews and readings.

At each roundtable discussion, the authors will talk for about ten minutes in their own language and the audience will be able to read what he or she is saying, in French.

These talks will be followed by a debate with a foreign book reviewer and a French reviewer, and then the floor will be opened to the audience.

By winning on Saturday night at the end of the last day of the championship against Auxerre, the Olympique Lyonnais Club won the title of Champion of France for the 7th time in a row.

 

Already the League 1 winner, Lyon won the championship after an exceptional season.  Although the Club des Girondins were catching up with Lyon's team towards the end of the championship, OL managed to stay on top and hold onto their title. With this new victory, Lyon will go down in history as one of the greatest clubs in Europe.

EM Lyon and IAE de Lyon are amongst the 51 French business schools designated to participate in the global Eduniversal classification by the SMBG firm.

It's in Lyon and only in Lyon: a 3-week Dance Biennial that brings together more than 42 dance companies from every horizon, and over 85,000 spectators who take over the city to watch the Parade!

 

The next one will take place from September 6th through 30th. ONLYLYON, of course, is an official partner of this unique cultural and international event, and so attended and supported the press conference presenting the program of the Biennial 2008, held on May 14th in Paris at the Park Hyatt Vendôme.

 

Over 50 journalists from the national and specialized media came to discover the program through images commentated by Guy Darmet, Director of the Maison de la Danse.

 

Like every year, the festival will be held in some forty venues throughout the city: in disused industrial sites, concert halls, clubs, bars, galleries, movie theaters and various other places embodying Lyon's architectural heritage.

 

Nuits Sonores continues its urban exploration and maintains its priorities of uncompromising, open programming, as well as high mobility throughout the city. 

This year, the Nuits Sonores Festival will take place at a disused industrial site (the former SLI factory in Vaise, built in 1905), the Charlemagne Ice Rink, Lyon's National Opera Amphitheatre, the ELAC Gardens, the Rhone Swimming Pool (again) and in most of the clubs and concert venues in town: Transbordeur, Marché Gare, Plateforme, Ninkasi and others.

The Lyon Tourist Office has just launched version 2.0 of its website, lyon-france.com

 

This version, which uses the latest Internet technologies, and in particular a new integrated commercial tool called "LYON RESA: one-click booking", was designed with the aim of promoting Lyon as a destination, in a more dynamic, practical and interactive way; appealing to business people and positioning the destination in relation to its rivals. The new version is based on 3 main points: modernizing its graphic interface, improving navigation and developing the commercial dimension.

Genzyme, one of the world leaders in medical biotechnology, has just started construction work on its future bioproduction unit in Lyon.

 

From April 12 - 16, 2008, Lyon hosted the IDE (International Destination Expo). 1,200 tourism professionals from around the world came together at the Lyon Convention Center.

 

An Airbus A319 flying the colors of ONLYLYON took off this morning for Lisbon, on the inaugural flight from the easyJet base at Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport.

 

 

A successful debut for the Carré de Soie project at the business property trade show.

During the four-day event, the ONLYLYON stand was the scene of numerous activities for visiting real estate professionals who were especially impressed this year by the French Touch concept developed by the Lyon region. 

 

ONLYLYON will once again participate in MIPIM, the international business property trade show, vaunting the French Touch which combines historic heritage with contemporary quality. Representatives of ONLYLYON will present the current situation and forecasts for this real estate market which is one of the most attractive in Europe. They will also promote flagship projects in the Lyon region, including the Carré de Soie site.

Lyon is moving up in the ranks of the Top 20 European cities and stands out as a "second city" with a strong reputation. In England, the city of Manchester faces the same kinds of regional challenges. These similarities have brought the two cities together and though they are rivals, they also know how to work hand in hand.

A memorandum of understanding regarding the "Lyon-Dubai City" urban project was signed on Wednesday, January 9 by the Mayor of Lyon and the project's investor, the chairman of the Dubai-based company Emivest.

To reconstitute a huge Lyon neighborhood at the heart of Dubai (United Arab Emirates) was the purpose of this project which provides for the construction of businesses and housing, and for the setting-up of Lyon-based institutions such as Lyon University 2 and EM Lyon, a Paul Bocuse hotel school, a film library run by the Institut Lumière, together with a training center for the Olympique Lyonnais football club.