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The language of education and diplomacy: French ambassador visits school, forges Colorado connections

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13min 53sec
Embassy of France in the United States
French Ambassador Philippe Etienne gives an award to Sandra Bea, the executive director of immersion at Global Village Academy Aurora. The school was recognized for its French-English bilingual program.

Denver’s first sister city was Brest, France, an alliance formed in 1948 when schoolchildren here raised money for the war-ravaged European town. It’s also the second-oldest sister city relationship in the United States. Earlier this week, a pair of schools in Colorado furthered the connection between the two countries. The language-immersion charter, Global Village Academy, received an award from French Ambassador to the United States Philippe Etienne. The ceremony was part of a whirlwind trip to the state for Etienne, who spoke with Colorado Matters about the growing importance of multilingualism, and how France and Colorado are forging partnerships in education and technology.