Sarcelles, France

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Sarcelles has shown that it knows how to be the city where everyone, whatever their origin, culture, skin colour or beliefs, can live in peace with others. From now on, it must be the city where each and every one of us seizes knowledge to become an actor in our own path.

Mr Patrick Haddad

Mayor

A youthful city

The population of Sarcelles grew by 44.3 per cent in barely six years. This can be explained by the construction of the grand ensemble, consisting of more than 12,000 dwellings in response to a national housing shortage, combined with a major baby boom and massive immigration. The high percentage of foreign and immigrant populations (50 per cent), in addition to the high youthfulness of the city (42 per cent), has led to an increase in the unemployment rate and cultural and language differences leading to exclusion. 

Vision and Strategy

Sarcelles, through its learning city strategy, aims to empower individuals and promote social cohesion, expand the use of modern learning techniques, and stimulate the mobilization and use of resources. Additionally, the city also would like to revitalize learning within families and communities and facilitate learning for employment and at work. Lastly, Sarcelles wants to promote sustainable development and foster a culture of lifelong within its communities. 

Policies, Plan and Implementation

Sustainability and health

• The City of Sarcelles has several initiatives in place to promote sustainability and health. Hosting urban agriculture actions to raise awareness of eating better, and creating workshops around environmental awareness, food hygiene, and addictive substances are some examples of initiatives in place.  

Equity and inclusion

• In terms of equality, the city is committed to addressing racism, anti-Semitism and discrimination, while at the same time promoting citizenship. Additionally, Sarcelles provides training on how to work with people with disabilities and autism. 

Decent work and entrepreneurship

• The municipality focuses on promoting entrepreneurship by allowing young people to deploy a short-lived business over a period of three months to allow them to discover aspects of starting a business. Sarcelles is home to a digital business incubator; a training and digital knowledge dissemination facility will be completed in 2023. 

Good practices

Philosophy book

• The philosopher Chiara Pastorini and the author Fiamma Luzzati are currently writing a book of philosophy in the heart of Sarcelles, featuring children from the city, each playing the role of a great philosopher. The book will be distributed to schools in Sarcelles in 2022. 

Languages in the street

• International designer Ruedi Baur is working with Frédéric Callens and Nicolas Treiber of the Musée national de l'histoire de l'immigration on a project to promote languages, particularly in the underprivileged Saint-Saëns district.