NEWS ARCHIVES - 2nd semester 2009

On December 2, 3 and 4, the President of the Rhone Alps Regional Council, Jean-Jack QUEYRANNE, will hold an assembly with the regional councillors to debate an investment of €35 million in the solar power industry.   This unprecedented investment is intended to consolidate the region's position as national leader in the solar energy sector, with a dozen producers and systems manufacturers, the largest research centre in France (INES - the National Solar Energy Institute) and an economic eco-system that is highly oriented towards solar energy (Tenerdis Cluster). In view of the stakes regarding energy and global warming, the Rhone Alps region implemented a strong policy in this field back in 2005, with the focus on renewable energy and energy management; it was then consolidated by the new plan in December 2008.   This new step in regional energy policy will set France on a par with Germany and the United States of America: INES 2, foreshadows the region's plan to create the future "Solar Innovation Campus", based on other innovative campuses of international calibre.   On top of the public and training aspects, the INES 2 project will include an important Research and Development (R&D) section, which the regional council will support by supplying €25 million for the scientific equipment for four new platforms: THIN-FILM, for thin-layer solar cells, MOBISOL, for electrical vehicles, STOCKSOL, for the thermal storage of energy and HIGH-PERF, for the embedded information system inside electric solar systems.

The 10th Festival of Lights will take place this year December 5 to 8, from 6pm to midnight. More than 70 projects will be on show in the streets of Lyon.   The highlights include a show on the theme of the four seasons, Place des Terreaux, illuminated puppets on the TDF tower on Fourvière hill and on the construction site cranes in the Confluent and Part-Dieu districts, illuminations on the banks of the Rhône river, the façades of Fourvière basilica, Saint Jean cathedral, Saint Paul train station and the Rhône County Council building.   A special surprise is planned for inauguration night, when the windows of the Crédit Lyonnais tower will give a bright start to the festivities. The fireworks display which had to be cancelled for Bastille Day in July will be shot on Sunday, December 6 at 7pm.

Have you studied in the United States or do you plan to study there? The American University Clubs of France is starting a Rhone-Alps chapter and would like you to join in celebrating the event. Our goal is to unite as many persons as possible who share this common experience.   The United States Consulate in Lyon, Espace International of the Lyon Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the American Chamber of Commerce in Rhone-Alps (AmCham) will launch the new Rhone-Alps chapter of the American University Clubs of France with an evening cocktail reception, on November 24, at the Lyon Chamber of Commerce and Industry starting at 18:30. The AUC's mission is to support relations among American alumni associations.   The number of participants is limited to 150. First come first served!

British Airways World Cargo has once again chosen Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport for one of the few cargo charters reserved solely for the Beaujolais Nouveau wine. On Thursday, November 12 at the end of the morning, the B747-400 F of GSS, a company flying exclusively for British Airways World Cargo, will land in Lyon-Saint Exupéry airport  to load a total of 100,000 bottles of Beaujolais Nouveau, i.e. 100 tons of freight.     Leaving from London Stansted, with a final destination of Nagoya, Japan, the plane will make a pit stop in Luleå, Sweden, after leaving Lyon-Saint Exupéry.   In November 2008, the British company was already the only company to set up its cargo operations for the Beaujolais Nouveau at Lyon-Saint Exupéry in the CargoPort zone of the airport.

The Lyon Tourism and Conventions office has scored excellent results with the signing of four new conventions, three of which are international events, scheduled between 2011 and 2014. They will gather up to 2500 participants. In spite of the competition with other European cities, Lyon has proved once again its attractiveness for business tourism.   As a city on a human scale, Lyon stands out as a quality destination with many advantages. Renowned for both its historic heritage and contemporary vitality, Lyon offers ease of access and a gracious lifestyle - an absolute must to compete with other major European cities. Above all, there is a wide range of venues suited to all types of events: the Amphitheater of the Cité Internationale Convention Center, with its 3000 seats, puts Lyon in the ranks of the top convention towns.   The four newly-signed conventions confirm Lyon's prime position as a business tourism destination. CNAEMO - 30th "Assises du Carrefour National de l'Action Educative en Milieu Ouvert": 8 - 11 March 2011, 700 to 800 participants. This association, established in 1981, brings together practitioner organizations and individuals working in the field of parental support and child protection. EASO (European Association for the Study of Obesity) 19th European Congress on Obesity: 9 - 12 May 2012, more than 2500 participants. The local organizing committee is led by Professor Martine Laville, Department of endocrinology, diabetes and nutrition at the Lyon Sud Hospital, and Director of the Research Center on Human Nutrition. 10th WDA (Wildlife Disease Association) and EWDA (European Wildlife Disease Association): 22 - 26 July 2012, 500 participants. This convention gathers specialists in research and observation of wildlife. The local organizer is the Lyon National Veterinary School. EUROSPINE October 2014 - more than 2500 participants. This international association specializes in promoting research, the prevention and treatment of diseases related to the spine. The board of the association chose Lyon over Copenhagen, by a vote of 70 to 40.

On Wednesday, November 25, Cleantech Republic is organizing a WebTV Tour for Cleantechs in France, with the first stage in Lyon.   The day is designed for professional actors working in the eco-innovations and sustainable development sector in the Rhone-Alpes region with the aim of identifying, coordinating and promoting the Cleantechs' ecosystem. 10 conferences will be held on a WebTV set, running all day.

Four questions to Thierry Frémaux, Director of Institut Lumière and Ambassador of ONLYLYON.   What surprised you the most at this first Lumière Festival 2009? That everything was so miraculous: the popular success, the enjoyment of the guest film makers, and the idea that this festival seemed so natural, right from the start - as if Lyon had been preparing for it for many years. During the six days of the festival, Lyon was in the spotlight, joining the ranks of the great international film festivals.   What will you remember most about Clint Eastwood, the guest of honor of the festival? There were so many things, but especially the emotion on his face at the enthusiastic welcome of the 3000 spectators at the Amphitheater for the Lumière Prize and the 5000 spectators at Halle Tony Garnier. He was truly impressed and when he said "I've fallen in love with Lyon" he really meant it, and said so many times!

The Lyon National Opera, led by the Japanese conductor Kazushi Ono, is making a special tour of Japan, from November 1st to 10th.   This is an opportunity to share our musical heritage with enthusiastic Japanese audiences and to draw attention to the many attractions of our region. The Japanese market is very promising in terms of companies setting up in the Lyon area, which is why 50 Japanese investors and company directors were invited to attend the opening concert of the Lyon National Opera tour.   The Japanese are fervent admirers of our musical heritage   The programs to be performed in Japan give pride of place to French music, says Serge Dorny, Director General of the Lyon National Opera. Werther will be performed at the Bunkamura in Tokyo on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of this major cultural center. The repertory was chosen in light of our mission to promote our musical heritage around the world and, above all, because the Japanese public truly loves and appreciates our music.   An excellent opportunity for Lyon to spotlight its advantages   According to Jacques de Chilly, Executive Director of ADERLY, "The Lyon National Opera greatly contributes to the international renown of Lyon, thanks to the quality of its cultural production and to the charisma of its conductor. It is only natural for us to join in on this tour by inviting Japanese business leaders, whom we know are particularly sensitive to the cultural life in a city such as Lyon. We want to draw attention to this aspect of Lyon, to improve our chances, especially since Japan is very active in terms of business setups."

After a month of October focused on cinema, with the new Lumière Festival 2009, the first film festival in the Lyon region, the month of December will be dedicated to the image industries. On the program are a week with two key events, Game Connection and Serious Games.   Game Connection: the show for video game professionals   From December 8th to 10th, Game Connection will take place at the Cité Internationale in Lyon. Game Connection, held twice a year, alternating between Lyon and San Francisco, brings together video game publishers, distributors and buyers for a business convention unlike any other in its field, with more than 200 of the top companies participating. The event in Lyon is the occasion for thousands of one-on-one meetings and great opportunity for networking. The partners of the ONLYLYON initiative  will be present alongside the competitiveness cluster Imaginove to promote Lyon's many advantages in this sector.   Serious Game Expo: the serious side of games   The fifth Serious Game Expo will be held on December 9 at the Cité Internationale in Lyon. Widely used by businesses with a strong training and communication culture, serious games have fully established their legitimacy and efficiency. Focused on these two key areas of application, the Serious Game Expo 2009 attracts heads of human resources and training, communication and marketing managers who are seeking interactive solutions to better train, communicate and sell. The Serious Game Expo, the top event of its kind in France, is the reference for those interested in this sector. The event includes talks by user companies and an exhibition space with the industry leaders. Two new features in 2009: a business convention of service providers and buyers to boost the development of new projects, and special Serious Games awards for the best projects of 2009.  

Friday November 6, Taslima Nasreen will receive the medal of honor of the City of Lyon.   The Bangladeshi author, Taslima Nasreen, writes in protest against the oppression of women and the non Muslim minorities in her country. Now exiled in Paris, she is an international symbol of resistance against religious fundamentalism, and continues to write and publish on these issues, in spite of the fatwas and death threats.     After the award ceremony, Taslima Nasreen will give a talk on her fight for equality. The event is in conjunction with the publication of "Femmes en résistance" by Pierre-Yves Ginet.

On November 2, SWISS will welcome its 100,000th passenger onboard its flight from Lyon to Zurich. The passenger, bound for Shanghai via Zurich, will receive 2 plane tickets in Business Class valid for the entire European network of SWISS.   Furthermore, Aéroports de Lyon will give the winner the Silver PRIVILYS card. The PRIVILYS card offers a full range of services to enable passengers to get to Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport easier and enjoy numerous privileges (freebies and preferential services).   To highlight the event, Jean Marc Herbert, Rhône-Alpes Marketing Manager for SWISS, and Yves Guyon, Chairman of the Executive Board of Aéroports de Lyon, will congratulate the lucky winner at a cocktail party in the VIP room of the airport.   Since March 29, 2009, the range of flights out of Lyon has increased, with four daily flights between Lyon and Zurich. This route enables passengers to connect to the 76 destinations of the SWISS network via its hub in Zurich.

From October 28 to November 1, Eurexpo, the convention and exhibition center of Lyon, will be hosting the Equita' Fair, one of the most important equestrian events in Europe.   Many exhibitors and breeders are expected at the event, to discuss and share their equestrian passion with visitors. Many trades and activities will be presented, such as horse-riding tourism, horse-drawn vehicles and horse health and nutrition, thus providing an overall view of the equine world.   In 2009, Equita' Lyon has become one of the most important equestrian events in Europe with 80,000 sq. m indoors and another 20,000 sq. m outdoors. The fair has pioneered an ecologically responsible attitude by using recyclable materials, providing selective sorting facilities for visitors and setting up a carpooling system.   This year, Equita's sports level has gone up even higher with two World Cup competitions (jumping and dressage), CSI-W5* and CDI-W5*, a Reining competition, CRI 4*, a Horseball Champion's League final, and the famous Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping event.   With the pulling power of the World Cup, the public should be enthusiastic, because like in show jumping, the European World Cup League in dressage is at the highest level.   As for shows, Equita' will offer visitors the equestrian symphony "Carmencita" with the famous diva Julie Migenes, also known for her interpretation of Carmen in 1984, for which she won a Grammy Award, and the Lyon Symphony Orchestra of Philipe Fournier.

The ONLYLYON marketing campaign could be seen all summer long in European airports and airflight magazines. Have you seen it?   London Heathrow Airport  

35 bicultural ONLYLYON Ambassadors met last Saturday at the Hilton Hotel, for a friendly brunch. Theme: Lyon has international ambitions, and everyone can contribute in their own way!   As part of the "Lyon à la Carte" Fair, the ONLYLYON bicultural Ambassadors were able to talk together, for the space of a morning, in French, English, German, Spanish and Portuguese!

We announced it back in our April edition, Festival Managing Director Thierry Frémaux's gave away the scoop during the Ambassador's Evening at the Hôtel de Ville back in June, and now here we are! The Festival Lumière 2009 will begin next week on Tuesday October 13, 2009.   This year's festival will celebrate the history of cinema and cinematographic heritage. "France maintains its rank in the world of cinema; it is time for Lyon to take its rightful place alongside it", Thierry Frémaux.    A Sure Success: The people of Lyon made their enthusiasm for this event clear as tickets for the opening night event -at the Halle Tony Garnier on Tuesday, October 13-  sold out over a month ago!   A Big Event:   Each year, the Prix Lumière will be awarded to a contemporary film maker whose work has contributed to the splendour and power of the cinematographic art. Clint Eastwood will be the first to receive this honour on Saturday October 17 at the Amphithéâtre de la Cité Internationale.   Festival-goers' rendez-vous   The Village is set in the gardens of the Institut Lumière. Come and meet the professionals and celebrities in attendance!   At night ‘la Plateforme', a barge moored on the Augagneur quay, will become the festival-goers headquarters for the duration of the event. Open from 10 pm to 3 am.

  Every year, numerous lists and studies are published examining various criteria and how they apply to cities. These many indicators enable us to evaluate Lyon's position on the national and international scene and to understand the global perception of the city.   Among these studies is the European Cities Monitor, performed by the international consultancy Cushman & Wakefield. The 2009 edition has just been published.   For 20 years, this study has reviewed the criteria used to rate the appeal of European cities. Showing great staying power, Lyon is the only French city listed -along with Paris-, and is in 19th place, preceding several European cities.   Having climbed the ranks in 2007 (up 5 places), Lyon hit a plateau in 2009 in the 20 most attractive cities in Europe: Lyon was awarded the same number of points as in 2008 and now sits 19th (as opposed to 18th in 2008) in the list. It is still ahead of some capital cities such as Vienna, Rome, Prague, Stockholm, Budapest and Copenhagen. For the most part, the cities higher in the list are larger with a population exceeding 3 million inhabitants, such as London, Madrid and Berlin.

Lyon has great international ambitions and is very appealing to foreign businesses.   However, as an international city it is vital to welcome the ex-patriots who decide to make their life here.    This is why two ONLYLYON Ambassadors Sabine Kazoglou and Donna Willis have created a fair devoted to the international community in Lyon, which will take place at the Lyon Hilton Cité Internationale on October 17.    ‘Lyon à la Carte' is a fair devoted to Lyon's international community. With advice all about living, working and settling in Lyon as an ex-patriate. You can find out all kinds of information about banking, insurance, international schools, leisure activities and cultural heritage.   6 ex-pats tell their stories and of their arrival in Lyon. Read on (PDF) +   For this event, ONLYLYON will bring together bicultural actors from this network to discuss Lyon's international aspirations for the future.

From October 13 to 18, 2009, the Institut Lumière will organize a new film festival, with the support of Greater Lyon and the Rhône-Alpes Region. It is also supported by Rhone County, the City of Lyon, the Ministry of Culture and Communication and the National Center of Cinematography.   The ambition is to create an event worthy of the city where the "cinématographe" - the first movie camera - was invented by the Lumière brothers. But the aim is also to create a festival unlike any other in France: a festival entirely dedicated to the history of cinema, for the general public and cinema experts.   Lyon has always been a city where ideas and people meet. Now the birthplace of cinema will have its own annual event every month of October to celebrate the history of cinema in retrospectives, tributes and events.   A Love of Cinema   The Institut Lumière, presided by Bertrand Tavernier, has always been driven by a great passion for cinema and pursues its mission of conveying that passion to the general public by showing quintessential works. It is only natural that the Institut Lumière was entrusted with the task of organizing the film festival.   The birthplace of cinema celebrates films, their history and the people who make them.   Once a year, Lyon will invite the world of cinema to come celebrate the vitality of this art and its history. This unique event will cover the world heritage of the 7th art to show that the love of cinema is part of our collective heritage.   Retrospectives, tributes, history of cinema, restored copies, screenings of old films: the program is vast and the possibilities endless. The panorama from Rue du Premier-Film in Lyon is no doubt the best in the world.

The Biennial Festival of Lyon is one of the most significant contemporary art festivals of our time. Created in 1991 by the Culture Ministry and the City of Lyon, it is now the "French Biennial" and has a key place in the art world. A must-see art event, it more an more visitors every year (140,000 in 2007).   The next Biennial, marking the 10th showing of the festival, will run from September 16, 2009 to January 3, 2010 at several city locations: the Sucrière, the Contemporary Art Museum, the Bullukian Foundation and Entrepôt Bichat. The Biennial theme this year, "The Spectacle of Everyday Life," will explore the relationship between art and our reality, our world.

Thanks to the diversity of its industrial fabric and the presence of important decision centers, Lyon still draws foreign investment, according to the latest survey published by Ernst & Young.   Far ahead of Marseille and Toulouse, Lyon is even rivaling Paris in terms of attractiveness in the field of innovation.   According to the study, foreign investment could be made in Lyon in the sectors of excellence of the metropolis: the life sciences and the cleantech industries.

Renowned for the quality of its cultural programming, Lyon was designated as the leading French city for the arts by Arts Magazine (March 2009), according to a survey conducted in 239 cities! This finding has been confirmed by the new fall cultural season 2009, which will be celebrating diversity. From the Contemporary Art Biennial to the first-ever Greater Lyon Film Festival, together with the reopening of the Gadagne Museums, Lyon offers plenty of great reasons to take a city break here this fall.   Here are a few highlights to give you a taste of this thriving cultural scene:   > Starting in September, the 10th Contemporary Art Biennial (September 16, 2009 - January 3, 2010) will be held in various locations, both offbeat and conventional, for total cultural immersion. The 10th Lyon Biennial, a major European cultural event, open both to the general public and to professionals (140,000 visitors in 2007) will offer reflections on "The Spectacle of the Everyday" , with some 60 international artists invited by Hou Hanru, the curator of the Biennial, and Thierry Raspail, the artistic director.   > The second Docks Art Fair (September 14-20, 2009), the first international contemporary art fair created in Lyon, will take place next to La Sucrière, on the former docks on the banks of the Saone River. Open to all novice and experienced collectors, this event will host some 40 international galleries, each presenting the work of a single artist. The public will thus be able to discover and purchase the works of artists from around the world, in a privileged setting.   > Lyon knows how to draw on its rich history to create events - this might even be its trademark when it comes to culture. After the Festival of Lights, Lyon, the birthplace of the cinema (in the workshops of the  Lumière brothers) will launch in October the first ever Greater Lyon Film Festival (October 13-18, 2009), dedicated to movie lovers and the general public, together with professionals, who will share their enthusiasm and curiosity.   Organized by the Lumière Institute, led by the famous Lyon-based director Bertrand Tavernier and Thierry Frémaux, who is also the Delegate General of the Cannes Film Festival, the first ever Greater Lyon Film Festival will celebrate Clint Eastwood, who will attend the entire event. Popular and accessible, this festival will be held in 38 theaters, showing an international selection made up of retrospectives, tributes and monuments to the collective history of motion pictures. With simultaneous screenings, movie theaters created just for the occasion, daytime and nighttime villages, this festival will reach out to the entire metropolitan area with a unique program to suit all tastes.

Since the beginning of 2009, Lyon has been implementing a unique "Iconic Brands" strategy to attract globally renowned companies which, through their name and presence, will contribute to the worldwide reach and economic development of the city.   The Lyon Area Economic Development Agency (ADERLY) is building on the presence of the many influential players within its territory, across all sectors, and on its international pool of clients and highly-qualified workers to attract more icons, which will, in turn, generate even more attractiveness for Lyon.   In order to support this innovative approach, the Agency has set up a team of people dedicated to attracting these globally renowned companies to Lyon, and recently opened an office in Belgium. From Brussels, Thibault Van Rooden will develop a local prospecting strategy with global companies based in the Benelux region, and will also promote the international action of Aderly. For her part, Laetitia Petit will prospect companies based in London. These two international business developers will be joining the team managed from Lyon by Cédric Grignard.

The Québec Film and Television Council (QFTC) and the competitive cluster of the Rhône-Alpes Region, Imaginove, have just signed a partnership agreement to increase collaboration and economic development opportunities between the companies of Québec and the Rhône-Alpes Region.   The complementarity of the two regions is extremely pertinent, with Montreal representing a gateway to the North-American market and Lyon a gateway to the European market.   Beyond the exchange of good practices between the two clusters, the QFTC and Imaginove would like to develop direct ties between their respective members by encouraging them to meet and discuss shared interests.   The agreement was signed on June 11, 2009 during the International Animation Film Market (MIFA) in Annecy. Already, a first joint activity was organized in parallel with the MIFA: Quebec companies were able to participate in the Cluster Tour organized by Imaginove and meet and tour the studios of their colleagues from Annecy, in addition to participating in networking activities with delegations from Rhône-Alpes, Japan, Korea and Belgium.

One year after the launch of direct service between Lyon-Saint Exupéry and New York JFK, the results are outstanding, as traffic is still at excellent levels, with an average occupancy rate of 75%. Air France and Delta have carried more than 50,000 passengers on this route, open since July 17, 2008. This connection is a strategic stake for Lyon and a tool for boosting trade with the east coast of the US.   The first year of operation and the festive launch last July in Lyon and New York, with the promotional gala organized by ONLYLYON, have built up momentum in tourist and business traffic.   The flight has become a recognized business facilitator, appreciated and used by economic organizations such as the Lyon CCI, which assists many Lyon-based companies on the American market, or ADERLY, which has been stepping up its prospecting efforts in the US since last summer. Because, in addition to the logistical aspects, the development of this direct service between JFK and Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport by Delta Air Lines - the world's largest airline - is a factor of international renown and attractiveness which is very  important to American investors, already numerous in Lyon.