In Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, what development ideas do young people have for their new region? By Marie CANAMAS

AURA... The greenest region in Europe?

It is not because we are young that we have no knowledge about or ability to understand complex social and economic issues or political situations. I hear sometimes that young people are not “mature enough” to hold a political opinion or defend their interests, but, just look at pupils in technological and professional “lycées”: they are confronted, during their apprenticeships, with real problems such as the failure of businesses to respect collective agreements, or unpaid internships and low wages. A 16-year-old is not so disconnected from political life: during the last presidential elections, there were “political” debates in class and pupils were encouraged to defend their convictions. It is in high school that we begin to learn what it means to be a citizen.

We are aware of socio-economic problems, and we do have the imagination, the will-power and the civic commitment to come up with solutions to those problems! As proof, examples of development ideas (concerning the AURA region for the most part) can be found on:

http://dcmassillon.blogspot.fr/p/blog-page_20.html

Most of the suggestions listed of course concern what we, lycéens, consider priorities (for ourselves), such as being given the vote at 16 in local elections (so that adults, especially politicians, finally take us a bit more seriously!). There are novel ideas such as a never-ending travelling regional festival to help create a sense of regional identity. There are also development projects that seem a bit crazy, such as the idea of having just one University for AURA rather than several; these ideas need a little explaining, but they are not so far-fetched…

I am going to describe just one feasible development idea for our region that pupils have had and I will show that it could solve several problems: the idea is to make AURA the “greenest” region in the EU!

Some say that the Auvergne (the western part of the new Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region) is remote and deserted, that there are just a few cows wandering about on extinct volcanos… Well, they are quite right: the Auvergne is not overpopulated, and Nature abounds! And where is the problem in that? Did you know that the Auvergne was named one of the six most wonderful destinations in the world by the Lonely Planet guide in 2016? The Auvergne is one of the few unpolluted spaces in Europe left: there is little light and air pollution, and the water is pure enough to bottle (like Volvic water). It has been spared intensive urbanization, and it is eco-friendly compared to other parts of France. As you can see from the map below, little of the Auvergne territory is occupied by towns (in black) and has many areas covered by forest (in purple), untouched by any activity (other than forestry).

However, Clermont-Ferrand (the capital of the Auvergne) is only the 23^rd “greenest city” in France. Angers is n°1 and it is in the Pays de La Loire which is far more urbanized than the Auvergne. So, we might be one of the greenest parts of our region, but progress has to be made as regards the pollution levels of its main town, Clermont-Ferrand. The problem of industrial activity (from factories such as Michelin) needs to be addressed in an area whose mountain landscape keeps pollution “trapped.” Perhaps investment in sustainable development projects for Clermont-Ferrand (only €230,000 last year) needs to be increased?

The Auvergne is where a promising eco-friendly food production technique called aquaponics was pioneered. It is a system which combines raising aquatic animals and cultivating water plants in a closed circuit. The growth rate of some plants is multiplied by three. Aquaponics is not very water-intensive (10% of what it takes to grow plants in soil) and it produces healthy plants that grow fast. In your own home, the system acts as a permanent store of readily-available cheap provisions (no need to go to the supermarket and so you help the planet by avoiding the production, processing, packaging, transportation, marketing, sales, routing and recycling process!).

Rhône-Alpes, the central and eastern part of the new AURA region, also wants to preserve its natural environment (despite having a growing population and the most intense industrial activity in France). Lyon is third in France in terms of cities that invest in improving parks and green spaces. In addition, Lyon is second as regards preserving local biodiversity.

Rhône-Alpes is also making real efforts as regards sustainable development. “Confluence,” one of Lyon’s eco-neighbourhoods, used to be an abandoned industrial wasteland ten years ago. Its new facilities, designed to meet sustainable development requirements, makes it an eco-neighbourhood with a promising future for its inhabitants and the environment.

But sustainable development is also about responsible nutrition. The association “La Légumerie” in Lyon promotes urban agriculture by its inhabitants. Through friendly get-togethers, people share their food-production knowledge. La Légumerie runs organic gardening workshops and runs a mobile kitchen where everyone is invited to swap tips and recipes, and to eat together of course! City dwellers, especially children, can (re)discover fruit and vegetables and learn to eat more healthily.

The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region has two of the ten French National Parks (“La Vanoise” and “Les Ecrins”). The Regional Nature Parks have recently set up the Association of Parks of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (APARA). The creation of APARA will result in an increase in technical exchanges, transfers of experiences and joint actions, which are already numerous between the parks. The network of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes parks consists of the nine Regional Nature Parks; almost 30% of the new region, when the four regional parks that are planned are included, will be covered by park land (25% of the communes). This is great news if we want to be the “greenest” of regions!

Although Laurent Wauquiez, the President of the region, does not consider the environment a priority for the region, great means have nevertheless been put in place to promote sustainable development in AURA. Since the merger between Auvergne and Rhône-Alpes, €50 million of eco-renovation work has already been carried out for the region.

I feel AURA could quite easily become the “greenest” region in the European Union; what I mean, is that we need to:

continue to respect our outstanding and well-preserved natural environment;

become ever-more eco-friendly, living close(r) to and respecting the natural environment (especially the mountainous areas of the Alpes and the Massif Central that give the region its identity);

lead the way in the EU with sustainable development projects (like the “Légumerie” and aquaponics system in all European countries).

The ambition to become the “greenest” EU region would give us, the inhabitants of the region, a good cause we could contribute to, individually and collectively, over the coming years. It would forge a regional identity we would be really proud of. We would become an example for other regions to follow. And young people could initiate and run sustainable development initiatives and show the adults how to be more eco-friendly through practical and daily actions like: switching off the lights, recycling, not wasting food, choosing organic food and products, school gardens, etc.

It’s up to every citizen of our region to learn, act and take part in its development. Everyone will find his own place in the new region only if everyone finds the strength and the means to be involved and invested in what is crucial: the development of the region within the framework of sustainable development.

Webography :

http://www.side.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/EXPLOITATION/DRAURA/accueil-rhone-alpes-auvergne.aspx#

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, a Region with a bright future? By Victor VOGE

On January 1^st 2016, the 22 regions that made up the French territory disappeared and 13 new ones appeared. The main aim of this territorial reform was better integration into the globalization process (bigger is better!) and therefore, in theory, a brighter future. Will AURA be one of the regions to succeed? In order to answer this question we will look at some of the factors (as regards AURA) that are the guarantors of a bright future (these factors include: economic vitality, innovation (research and development), high education levels, a highly-qualified workforce, employment opportunities, security, decent housing and amenities, a healthy and attractive environment, geographical advantages, an efficient transport network, fast internet, a strong sense of regional identity, a stable and tolerant society that cares for the most fragile of its members aiming for  social justice and that is open to the world).

AURA is economically a dynamic region. A recent study by APEC (“Association Pour l’Emploi des Cadres”) asked young graduates and young professionals to classify the most attractive regions according to them. The best combination for them is quality of life and economic dynamism; Rhône-Alpes stands out: 60% of young professionals and young graduates believe that that AURA is a region that best combines these two dimensions.  Young people represent the future; doesn’t the fact that they designated AURA as a dynamic region the promise of a bright future? The economy of AURA is primarily linked to the tertiary sector, but also to the industrial sector. More than half of the regional added value is generated by commercial, logistics and tourism activities. Tourism accounts for 9% of the regional added value (140,000 jobs). The 178 million overnight stays registered annually generated more than €20 billion in revenue. La Savoie is the first tourist “Départment” in France. The Auvergne has also been described as a "hidden jewel," one of the ten regions of the world to discover (2016 Lonely Planet guide)!

The Ministry of Education has 12 million pupils enrolled in primary and secondary education throughout France. The Academies of Lyon, Grenoble and Clermont-Ferrand, the academies in the AURA region, enrols 10.7% of these pupils. In other words, one in ten French students is enrolled in AURA, which shows that AURA provides good access to education. In addition, 56.1% of pupils in these academies attend a private school. This shows that the inhabitants of the region believe in the future by multiplying the chances of success of their children.

As regards security, AURA is 14 points below the national average for crime figures (26 points behind the Ile-de-France region); this incites people to settle in the region.

The very varied environment (mostly mountains, lakes and rivers) is a main asset of AURA. It is great for the locals and attracts tourists. AURA has the greatest number of regional nature parks (nine), and there are four parks currently under development. There are also two National Parks. 30% of the regional territory is part of these parks (25% of the communes).

AURA is well located between the Paris region and the Mediterranean coast and it has borders with Italy and Switzerland, which makes for easy commercial exchange on a European level.

However, some aspects of AURA need to be developed. Transport is a problem for the west of the region (the Auvergne); a high-speed train line needs to be built between Clermont-Ferrand and Lyon (and between Clermont and Paris). Politically, changes are also needed. In order for AURA to be as competitive as other European regions, it is essential that it takes on new powers. For this, the decentralization undertaken by the French state must be extended so that Regional Councils can decide on the subjects that concern them (such as education) and have bigger budgets. Also, development initiatives need to be more sustainable, i.e. respectful of the environment and of people, and more participatory democracy would encourage people to feel more involved.

What can we learn from Australia? By Elodie KANDAZOGLOU, Sarah PRIOU et Rachel VAZ DE AZEVEDO

School assembly at PLC

As “lycée” (high school) pupils, we have several suggestions to improve the French education system...

We contacted via Skype and email four girls at the Presbytarian Ladies’ College (PLC) in Perth, Western Australia. We asked them about their city, about their daily life and about school life. The education system in Australia is apparently really different from our system. Can we adapt some of their educational practices to our region (Auvergne Rhône-Alpes)?

Make school days shorter!

School days are too long in France; it is difficult to concentrate through so many lessons. We agree with the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) which has described the French school system as “too academic.” And, we take part in few after-school activities because most of us have so much homework. We like to learn, but we would like to have more free time. In Australia, there are fewer lessons. School stars at 9 o’clock and finishes at 3pm. They have homework too, but much more free time than we do. Also, they are used to learning by themselves and so become more independent as they get older. We teenagers, in France, are not lazy; if school days were shorter, we would be less tired and so more efficient (learn less, but better). It would have a positive impact on our social life, we would become more independent and be able to do other things like give a little more of our time to charity projects, etc. (which would look good on our CVs).

We want to get involved in charity work!

PLC in Perth upholds great values and does everything to make students shine. The school wants them to apply what they learn at school to the reality of the outside world. It encourages getting involved in charity work because that way pupils can learn to help others and each other, i.e. to be less selfish and to think about others more. The girls we talked to for example make breakfast for families who have children in hospital. PLC has integrated Community and Service Learning in the education programme. Girls in PLC have many opportunities to take part in community service projects (such as in the Police and Community Youth Centres, and for UnitingCare West which helps Indigenous communities, the homeless, single mothers, etc.), and they can also launch a project themselves. The girls win awards according to the number of hours they get involved in such projects. While countries like Australia have understood the importance of getting children and students involved in associations and in community service, the French school system has not… In France, we don’t learn to think about others much and we’re not fully aware of what can be done in order to help people around us. If our school told us more about it and if we had more free time as well, we are certain that more pupils would like to become involved in a charity programme. If more schools in France worked with at least one charitable organisation, it would raise awareness among teenagers of the need for solidarity (“fraternité,” as we say)…

We want to choose our subjects!

In the Australian education system, pupils can choose their subjects. While in year 10, about ten subjects are imposed, from year 11 (which corresponds to 3ème-2nde), only English class is mandatory. This allows pupils to focus on the subjects they like and need for their career choice. This keeps pupils motivated and usually means they get good results.

We want school streaming!

Another good thing in the Australian system is streaming. For example, in Mathematics there can be classes of different ability levels. This would be frowned upon in the egalitarian French education system, but, by grouping pupils of similar ability in one class, they can progress at their own pace with the adapted learning methods and tools; pupils don’t fall behind because the lessons are too difficult, or don’t get bored because they have finished the exercises before everyone else. The French system is one of “dumbing down” and does not encourage pupils to work better (let alone actually enjoy learning)…

We want more after-lessons activities!

As mentioned, the Australian timetable allows pupils to have more free time than we do in France. They use this free time ingeniously. Indeed, many activities are available at their school, including Sports, Art, Drama, and various outdoor activities. In Australia, these after-school activities are an important part of education. Everyone can discover and practice a hobby or even several. It is a way to make new friends, discover new things and to make school more fun. In France, a lot of pupils do not have time for extracurricular activities. In Australia, these activities are available within the school and this motivates almost every student to enrol in at least one.

We want more contact with other schools!

Extra-curricular activities are also a great way to meet pupils from other schools in the region. In Australia, pupils from different schools meet up with each other regularly for sports tournaments, etc. In the French system, we rarely see kids from other schools. What if we had school “twinning” committees?

How about “Houses”?!

Most schools in Australia have a “House” system. In PLC Perth for example, there are seven “Houses”, each with its own colour, emblem and motto. Every student and staff member is a member of one of the seven Houses. It seems to be a really good idea because nobody feels left out that way. Everybody is part of a team and learns team spirit and solidarity. But teachers and staff members also belong and this forges links between teachers and pupils. Our system is hierarchical (teachers and pupils do not mix), individualistic and competitive.

We want a uniform!

A school uniform means less discrimination because no one stands out because his or her clothes are “better quality.” In France, people would argue that a uniform goes against individual freedom (to wear what you like). But, does it not encourage a sense of “belonging”?

Conclusion

Since 1st January 2016, France has thirteen large “Régions” (instead of twenty two smaller ones). Regions have greater responsibilities than before and so, perhaps, now would be the right time to also give them more say regarding education? Why can’t each region develop its own educational system?

The Conseil Régional of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes has a €32 million budget for our region’s “lycées.” Would it not be great if part of that money were spent on improvements we, the pupils, would like?!

Please, M. Wauquiez, Conseil Régional President:

• Reduce the number of hours we have to spend studying; we would be less tired and so we could concentrate more easily and have better results!
• Let us choose the subjects we want to study, so that we would enjoy our classes more!
• Allow streaming of classes to make it easier for pupils to learn at their own pace!
• Encourage after-class activities (within schools) so that we can learn differently and get involved in civic activities and so become responsible citizens!

Does power inevitably corrupt? By Pierre Hospital

The darker, the more corrupt... 

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, corruption is “dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power, typically involving bribery.” It corresponds to “the action or effect of making someone or something morally depraved.” By definition, people involved in corruption want to gain something (money in most cases). There are two types of corruption (also called bribery): active corruption (you promise and give a bribe), and passive corruption (you accept a bribe). There are different degrees of corruption and it occurs in most sectors of activity.

Corruption isn’t a modern issue. It already existed during antiquity. At that time, the venality of the citizens (i.e. of the men) was very strong and they usually used money to reach their aims in society. This type of behaviour continued during the Middle Ages and then during the Renaissance. Corruption became omnipresent. Nowadays, it is a major issue; it is perhaps the norm in society, though it is seen very negatively.

Each year, the German non-governmental organization Transparency International publishes the Global Corruption Barometer and the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). Thanks to their figures, the organization can determine the level of corruption in each country and then rank them.

Somalia, South Sudan, North Korea, and Syria are the most corrupt, and Denmark, Finland, Sweden and New Zealand are the least corrupt in the world. The principal aim of Transparency International is to fight corruption.

Why is corruption on the rise?

Corruption is linked to power. The people involved in corruption have power (financial, political, and/or intellectual) and they usually want more, but does the power they exercise inevitably lead to corruption? I would argue that it does not inevitably lead to corruption (there are “honest” politicians for example!), but, in general, gaining (more) power and exercising and maintaining it, does involve a degree of corruption and moral compromise…

The most talked about corruption is that involving politicians. In France, Jacques Chirac and Nicolas Sarkozy (two former Presidents), among others, have been involved in bribery cases. Political corruption is a curse in many countries. Recently, the Romanian population has taken to the streets to demonstrate their disgust at the wide-spread corruption in the government.

The police service has not been spared corruption. For example, the case involving the New York Police Department in June 2016, when three commanders of the N.Y.P.D. were arrested for accepting bribes from a Brooklyn businessman.

Corruption is also common in the world of Sports. For example, in order to become the host city for the Winter Olympic Games, the councilors of Salt Lake City bribed members of the International Olympic Committee in 1995. Another case involves the International Federation of Association Football): Sepp Blatter, the president of FIFA from 1998 to 2015, gave $50,000 each year to the members of the Executive Committee who had elected him (he was banned from all FIFA activities in 2015). Match rigging is becoming ever more prevalent too; many major football clubs bribe the referees and make money by placing bets on the fixed results.

More surprisingly, corruption is also present in religious organizations. Pope Francis admitted in February 2017 that there was a lot of corruption in the Vatican. He hopes to reform the Church administration and get rid of corrupt cardinals (who have become rich).

The educational system has corruption problems too. For example, certain families bribe the university authorities in order to have their son or daughter admitted despite poor grades.

Corruption helps people reach their aims even if they know it is illegal and immoral. Luckily, some people are honest and don’t give in to corruption.

France is one of 48 members of the Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO). This monitoring body set up by the Council of Europe fights corruption and includes non-European states such as the USA. GRECO strengthens the anti-corruption policies of its members. Here is proof that lots of countries want to fight corruption in all its forms.

Bibliography

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_of_States_Against_Corruption

http://religionnews.com/2017/02/09/pope-francis-admits-theres-corruption-at-the-vatican/

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/21/nyregion/nypd-arrests.html?_r=0

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affaire_des_sondages_de_l%27Élysée

https://www.visualiserlacorruption.fr/home

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_d%27affaires_politico-financières_françaises

https://www.oxforddictionaries.com

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption#Political_corruption

https://www.coe.int/t/dg4/epas/Source/Ressources/EPAS_INFO_Bures_fr.pdf

https://www.transparency.org

http://www.latribune.fr/economie/international/roumanie-cinq-choses-a-savoir-sur-les-manifestations-contre-la-corruption-635641.html

What do “lycéens” think about their new region? By Alice COLLINET, Anne-Florence GOENVEC, Maud LAFOY & Mathilde BARDONNET

Young people have opinions and ideas and the possibility to have their voices heard. Also, we are going to be adults soon; this means we will be able to take part in the decision-making process and the development of the place we - most of us - want to live and work in: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (AURA). This is why we carried out an internet survey from January to April 2017 among “lycéens” (pupils aged 15 to 19) in our new region. Our goal was to get an insight into how pupils perceive their “Région” (it came into existence at the end of 2015). The results, we hope, will be useful for today’s decision-makers…

According to Panorama Statistique : Jeunesse, Sports, Cohésion Sociale Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes – 2015 (an INSEE publication), 15 to 19 year-olds represented about 6 % of the region’s population in 2014.

For our survey, we thought a lot about the type of questions to put to the pupils; they had to be easily understandable, unbiased, and with a choice of answers. With the help of our teacher, M. Faure, we came up with some twenty questions. Then, we had to contact a representative sample of secondary schools (i.e. the number of schools contacted was proportional to the size of the population of each “Département” of the “Région”). Only 140 final year ("terminale") pupils from just 20 schools (out of the 123 contacted) answered...

The first question was about the schools’ geographic positions. 95% of the pupils who answered are from Rhône-Alpes. Auvergne pupils’ opinions are underrepresented (there were no answers from Allier, Cantal and Haute-Loire). We wanted answers from different types of school: most pupils who answered the survey attend a “général” course (85.4 %). This is logical as most pupils go to a “Lycée général.” 12.4 % of the pupils who answered follow “technologique” courses. There were very few answers from pupils who go to professional or agricultural establishments.

The next question was about transport. About 65 % of the pupils use public transport every day to go to school. Public transport is subsidised by the regional council for most pupils. The creation of the new region has strengthened the link between Lyon and Clermont-Ferrand and has had an impact on the transport networks generally. For example, a pupil mentioned that the Illico SNCF train pass can now be used more widely. Improving transport is important because it takes, according to the survey results, more than twenty minutes on average for a pupil to get to school.

Concerning further and higher education, the next question, the few pupils from Auvergne who answered the survey seem attracted by the advantages Lyon can afford. Moreover, more than fifty percent of the respondents (most of whom come from Rhône-Alpes) say they want to continue living in their area (Rhône-Alpes is close to Switzerland and Italy which, in terms of work and business prospects, is advantageous). Do the pupils from Auvergne have the same ambition (to stay in their home area) as those from Rhône-Alpes? Perhaps not, since the Auvergne has relatively few opportunities for young people (in terms of higher education and jobs) compared to other parts of France.

The following question was: “Do you care about the new region?” And the result is unambiguous: 67.2 % of the students answered “no.” The majority of respondents seem not to feel concerned by “politics”. They do not seem to be aware of the impact the regional authority has on their everyday lives and future prospects (though the regional council is in charge of the “lycées” and it subsidises many training and job-creation initiatives). As young people, most of us do not feel we have a role to play in society (this will come when we get jobs). A few pupils did show interest in their region. They get involved in citizenship projects (cultural or otherwise); they feel they are affected positively by all the measures regarding the quality of life and particularly by the events organized in AURA.

Then, we sought to understand if the merger of Auvergne with Rhône-Alpes has caused changes in the lives of some of the pupils since some inhabitants from the Auvergne may have been obliged to move to the Lyon area for professional reasons (many administrative and management posts have been moved to Lyon from the Auvergne area). According to our results, the creation of the new region has had little effect on most pupils’ lives (no moves or additional journeys were mentioned).

We then put several questions to the pupils to test their knowledge of the new regional authority. The majority knew the name of the President (M. Wauquiez), but nothing much else…

Pupils then expressed their opinions about the negative and positive aspects of AURA. According to them, transport, sustainable development, and employment opportunities are aspects that need improving. Tourism and cultural activities are considered strong points of AURA.

63.7 % don’t have a particular opinion about the new region. 23 % are quite positive. 13.3 % are negative. A few pupils wrote that they were opposed to the merger with Auvergne (in sometimes quite cynical terms). In 2014, Rhône-Alpes had a regional budget of €2450 million whereas Auvergne had a regional budget of €675 million; these pupils consider perhaps that there is no advantage (to them) to be saddled with a “poor,” predominantly rural, neighbour…

How can we explain the results of our survey? And what conclusions can we draw from it? Our statistics can only give us a vague insight into how young people in AURA consider their region since the number of people that took part does not give us a representative sample (too few answers, especially from Auvergne, with insufficient variety of “lycée” types from different social milieu included). The fact that so few schools made the effort to take part in the survey (and so few pupils answered the questionnaire) could be interpreted as indifference to the subject by the school authorities and the pupils themselves.

What, then, is the attitude of the average pupil as regards AURA, based solely on our meagre results? It could be described as vague interest and little knowledge. Perhaps this is due to the fact that, as already said, the majority of young people do not take an interest (or are not sufficiently encouraged by schools and parents to take an interest) in matters of regional development and decision-making (they have other priorities: school exams, leisure activities, friends and family, etc.)? It could be due more simply to the fact that AURA was set up very recently; there has not been enough time to make an informed judgement yet (on something that citizens did not have, in any case, much say in the setting up of). Citizens, including young people, do not know enough about the new regional administrative and political setup (and how it will affect them); plus, change is not readily accepted anyway (many feel the loss of their old regions!).

So, incomprehension (why new and bigger regions?), lack of knowledge about how a regional council works or what it does exactly, and a feeling that the new region does not concern them (or care about them) individually, could explain the fairly negative results of our survey. Perhaps though, and more worryingly, the results reflect the fact that many young people are worried about the state of the world (economic, political and social turmoil, politicians accused of incompetence and corruption, the rise of political and religious extremism, the weakening of the EU, etc.); in that context, who cares about regional matters?!

We feel that youth should not become as negative, cynical, desperate or indifferent as so many of the adults are; we can contribute to making a better and safer world. Let’s start at home: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes!

What makes you want to live in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes? By Maximilien SOUYRIS & Evan VIALA

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes is a region in France created by the territorial reform of the French Regions in 2015. It results from the merger of Auvergne and Rhône-Alpes. The new region came into being on 1 January 2016, after the regional elections in December 2015. Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes covers an area of more than 69,711 km² making it the third largest in metropolitan France. Nowadays, with a population of 7,695,264, the region is only second to Île-de-France. We will see in the next paragraphs what makes you want to live in this region.

Firstly, inhabitants from the region appreciate the local food. For example in Auvergne you can find some delicious dishes such as “aligot,” “potée auvergnate,” “tripoux,” whereas in Rhône-Alpes you can find “gratin dauphinoise,” “ravioles,” “bugnes.” There are also different types of mouth-watering cheese that are very famous in France and in other countries (Saint-Nectaire, Cantal, Bleu d'Auvergne, Reblochon, Tomme, Vacherin). In addition, Lyon is known as the culinary capital of France and is famous for its “bouchons” (a particular type of restaurant specific to Lyon) and its 3 stars Michelin-rated “Auberge du Pont de Collonges”, otherwise known as Paul Bocuse’s restaurant. So Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes is a great culinary region known for its different varieties of food but is also popular for wine. We can mention the Côte-Rôtie, a Syrah wine considered perhaps the finest of the Rhône Valley.

Secondly, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes is also well-known for its nature. With 80% of its territory in the mountains, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes is the largest mountainous region in Europe. The central part of the regional territory is marked by mountain massifs of low altitude with the “Monts du Lyonnais,” “Monts de la Madeleine,” “Monts du Livradois-Forez.” To the east, the region extends over the Alps, with its high mountains dominating deep accessible valleys that allow traffic, especially towards the east. The Mont-Blanc, peaks at 4,809 m, the roof of Western Europe. Furthermore, large lakes are present mainly in the east. The “Chaîne des Puys” is dotted with small lakes like the “Chambon” and “Pavin”. Last but not least, hundreds of forests are good for hunting, biking or hiking.

Next, various amusement parks also make the region attractive. In fact, we find diversified activities for both winter and summer. For example, “Vulcania” and “Le Pal” are visited during summer time whereas during winter ski resorts play an important role. Ski resorts like Super-Besse or Tignes are well known.

In the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region everybody can live his passion. There is the possibility of watching high-level sports games, with “Olympique de Lyonnais” and “AS St-Etienne” for football and “ASM Clermont Auvergne” for rugby. Indeed, these teams contribute to the pride of their region. They unite the region and fans of these teams. So the question of living or not in the region is obvious for these fans: they absolutely want to live near their favourite team.

Malakoff Médéric has just published a study which shows that 91% of employees in the region think it is good to live in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. 77% of them believe that their region is dynamic from an economic point of view, compared to 68% at the national level. These studies show a good quality of life in the region and the attractiveness of the region. A large number of factors explain these results. First of all, the region possesses cheap accommodation (compared to Paris!). Another is the living environment for students which is deemed excellent (Grenoble 1st student city, Lyon 4th, Clermont-Ferrand 12th). According to Laurent Wauquiez: "We are one of the most powerful regions in the world as regards higher education and research. Let us be proud of it, it is one of the trump cards of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes”. The last point concerns transport. Every day, 154,000 passengers travel with the TER on nearly 1,630 trains, 420 buses and use 366 stations. These regional public transport routes are an essential link in serving the entire region. Lyon and Clermont-Ferrand also have international airports and Lyon has a high speed train which connects it to Paris in about two hours.

Another reason for wanting to live in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region is its highly diverse industry: from manufacturing companies like Michelin or pharmaceutical companies like Solvay, to companies in the service sector focusing on for example digital services or advertising. This variety makes us confident in finding a job.

In conclusion, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes is an attractive and dynamic region. It allows many people to find a positive work-life balance. The region offers advantages for people of all ages. As far as we are concerned, we clearly do see our future in the region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.

Does power inevitably corrupt? By Paul ZUBER & Louis MARCHAND

Power is the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events. In our civilized world power emanates from politics.

Corruption is dishonest or unethical conduct by a person in a position of authority, often to acquire personal benefit. Corruption may include bribery and embezzlement. Corruption is sometimes a rationing and prioritizing system in response to shortages, and seems inevitable. In a world of shortages of resources, it is “human nature” to get something easily and to avoid hardships.

As people can be corrupted, so can political systems; political systems rely on people. No political system is immune from corruption as long as people are corruptible. However, it may be possible to craft a system that has sufficient accountability and transparency to quickly expose and eradicate corruption, but that's the best we can do.

Some political leaders try to get power by any means possible; corruption is often the easiest means. It is impossible for all politicians to work free of corruption. This is because cupidity, envy, or the hunger for power will get the better of some people. Politicians aren't vetted for corruption the way police officers are (and even a few police officers mess up and become corrupt).

Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Humans cannot handle power without some degree of corruption, because they have a sinful nature. Wherever one finds power, someone willing to corrupt a functioning system is not far away. Political systems hold a lot of power and some people cannot be trusted with power. However, it is impossible to tell which people are more susceptible to corruption than others, so political systems will always be vulnerable.

Since 1995 Transparency International has published the Corruption Perceptions Index, annually ranking countries "by their perceived levels of corruption, as determined by expert assessments and opinion surveys." The CPI generally defines corruption as "the misuse of public power for private benefit." As it shown on the table, all countries are not free of corruption.

The countries are marked out of 100. The closer you are to 100 the less corrupt the country is. In the first place are Denmark and New Zealand with 90, France is 23^rd with 69, and the most corrupt countries are North Korea (12), South Sudan (11) and Somalia (10). It shows that, generally, the wealthier you are, the less corrupt you are.

Spain is a country lead by the “Partido Popular” (PP) which is a Conservative and Christian Democrat party. It is often associated with corruption. The corruption in Spain lead up to the economic crisis in 2008 and had many consequences. Unemployment hits a quarter of the active Spanish population and 29% of Spaniards now find themselves in poverty. That is why fewer people are voting for the PP, and more for “Podemos” (“We can”). The party was founded in March 2014 in the aftermath of the 15-M Movement protests, led by Pablo Iglesias, against inequality and corruption. Podemos is a left wing populist party.

In Romania corruption is also very common despite the fact that many Romanians are against it. Corruption has given rise to protests, calling for the dissolution of Sorin Grindeanu’s government which had passed a decree to soften the anti-corruption legislation. This decree, published on 1^st February 2017, significantly reduced the penalties for abuse of power and introduced a minimum threshold of 200,000 lei which is the equivalent of €44,000 euros, to initiate proceedings in most corruption cases. His detractors feared that the PSD leader would use it to settle his legal problems. Since January 31^st, Liviu Dragnea (a politician) has been tried for paying people for fictitious jobs. The damage is estimated at €24,000 which, if the decree is maintained, would enable him to escape from legal proceedings. Beyond that, this decree also raised fears that the fight against corruption in Romania would be reduced.

In recent years, the degree of corruption has exploded in many countries. The Tunisian parliament approved on the 22^nd February 2017 an anti-corruption law, six years after the uprising against the dictatorship of Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, widely marked by anti-corruption slogans. Since then, the phenomenon got worse and Youssef Chaed's government has made the fight against corruption one of its priorities.

Corruption is inevitable. People with power will always have pressure put on them and bribery is difficult to resist. Corruption compromises democracy. No country is immune from corruption and no political system either. Nevertheless, we can hope for a future with less corruption. More and more people are fighting against it. Politicians should know that with great power comes great responsibility.

In France, tolerance of corruption is becoming thinner. The general public wants its elected representatives to be above suspicion. And is corruption a problem in AURA? Here is a link to an article by franceinfo dated 21/02/17 which would tend to indicate that we are not spared the problem: click HERE!