Concert at the Sorbonne

In 2001, the District 1660 was looking to organize a prestigious event to help a local charity and raise the profile of Rotary International.

A meeting between Gérard Morel (Governor 2000-2001) and Colette Jegouzo, President of theOCUP (Orchestre et Chœur des Universités de Paris) made this possible.

A prestigious venue - the Grand Amphithéâtre de La Sorbonne - a developing social project - the Samu Social - for which the two Parisian districts (D1660 & D1770) had already joined forces to donate a marauding vehicle the previous year, not forgetting the OCUP student participants who receive part of the proceeds.

Sponsors, the active participation of Parisian clubs in the organization of the evening, and tickets sold simultaneously at District 1660 headquarters and at FNAC ensured a full house for this first event, which took place on February 5, 2002. The concert was an immediate success, and the first in a series that has continued ever since.

In addition to the high musical quality of the OCUP's performances - which essentially explains its longevity - Rotarians enjoy the satisfaction of witnessing a successful example of cultural activity at the Universities of Paris, congratulating the students who work on music in addition to their studies, contributing to a social project that highlights the need to act to preserve respect for men and women in distress, and raising Rotary's profile by inviting non-Rotarian spectators.

From the outset, the funds generated by successive concerts have also been used to support the Rotary Foundation and the polio eradication campaign. Since 2005, almost all the profits have gone to the Rotary Foundation. The Rotary Foundation's Polio Plus program.

Every year, the District 1660 by members of Paris Academies and Paris Agora provides an example of the links that need to be forged between professionals and academics, in the interests of students' future prospects while doing "good in the world".

Find out more: 1660.fr/sorbonne

For the 20th edition of the Concert à la Sorbonne, and for the first time ever, the concert was recorded in its entirety.

An opportunity to see the concert again, and share it with your friends and family!

Article text: Françoise Dubreuil-Morel

Illustration photos: Pierre-Marie Achart
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