Embarking on this new season marks a significant milestone. It is a milestone for an Association which, having secured and renewed its Social Centre accreditation for 2026–2029, looks to the future with renewed conviction: that of a vibrant social project, rooted in the realities of the local area, built with and for the local community. This Social Project 2026–2029, developed jointly through consultation and trust, is not just another document. It is a compass. It will guide every one of our actions and every one of our initiatives in our commitment to being a space that is ever more open, more inclusive and closer to those who need it most. This season will also be a season of transition. After nine years of tireless commitment, Charlotte, our Family Liaison Officer, is leaving the Centre that she has helped to transform profoundly. Tiphaine, who has been our coordinator for the Local School Support Scheme and the ‘Les Enfants du Méret’ nature club since 2022, is also moving on to new challenges. They leave behind a warm presence, projects carried out with conviction, and a lasting mark on the life of our Association. We thank them from the bottom of our hearts for everything they have contributed. This season will also be marked by a departure that strikes at the very heart of who we are. After 14 years, Manu, our Director, is leaving the MJC Mosaïque–Social Centre. After 14 years, Manu, our Director, is leaving the MJC Mosaïque–Social Centre. Fourteen years dedicated to a collective project, helping it to grow, defending it and shaping it day by day alongside the board members, the team, local residents, volunteers and partners. It is thanks to him, and to the collective effort he has fostered and nurtured, that our Association has secured Social Centre accreditation, strengthened its governance, broadened its reach and affirmed its identity. Behind every project, every initiative and every step forward in recent years has been his presence and his deep commitment to the values of popular education. His departure leaves a mark that words struggle to convey. We extend our sincere gratitude and friendship to him. The role of Family Liaison Officer has been entrusted to Floriane, whom we warmly welcome and to whom we extend a warm welcome to our organisation. These departures and this arrival remind us, if any reminder were needed, that our greatest asset is the men and women who bring the MJC Mosaïque-Centre Social to life every day. Nor can we ignore the difficult context in which community education organisations currently operate. As the 2027 elections approach, many of us feel a sense of unease. Social divisions are deepening, social ties are fraying, and the temptation to turn inwards is gaining ground. Budgetary pressures, the erosion of public funding and growing social needs are all challenges that require us to act with clear-sightedness, solidarity and determination. Now more than ever, we affirm that our organisations are essential pillars of social cohesion and citizenship. We call on our institutional partners to maintain strong and sustainable support for our work. At the MJC Mosaïque–Centre Social, we have chosen to continue fostering spaces for encounter, creativity, mutual aid, solidarity and Resistance. In 2007, the Fribourg Declaration proclaimed that culture is a fundamental right: the right of every person to access it, to participate in it and to help shape it. We believe in this deeply. And from this we draw a simple conviction: it is people who make culture. Every creative gesture, every act of sharing, every encounter centred on a work or a project is a cultural act in its own right. At the MJC Mosaïque–Centre Social, we are convinced that the practical exercise of cultural rights is inseparable from empowerment and living together.
That is why we will continue to make our Association a space where culture is lived, created and invented, with everyone, for everyone. The sliding-scale pricing, the initiatives for families, the choir, the dinner-and-show event, the Jardin du Méret, the new website designed by a volunteer, the youth information initiatives, the outreach work in the neighbourhoods… All of this shows that it is still possible to build a sense of community. That women and men – volunteers, local residents, young people, artists and professionals – can come together, create and work in unison, truly! In this context, our strategic priorities for 2026–2027 set out a clear path: The full and complete implementation of our new Social Project 2026–2029, to give substance to our collective commitments:
Strengthening our involvement in the Comprehensive Territorial Agreement, to work in closer cooperation with local stakeholders
Continuing to develop initiatives aimed at 16–30-year-olds, Youth Information services and young people who are often far removed from our doorsteps.
Stepping up outreach initiatives to engage with residents where they are, in every neighbourhood of the city.
Developing cultural, participatory and intergenerational activities, building on the positive momentum established over recent seasons.
None of this would be possible without you. Without the energy of our volunteers, the loyalty of our members, the commitment of our trustees and the expertise of our staff. It is this close-knit, proactive and committed community that forms the strength and soul of the MJC Mosaïque–Centre Social. In a world that is undermining community spirit, we choose to strengthen it and stand firm. In these discouraging times, we offer spaces where taking action, creating and coming together remain possible – and even joyful. In 2026–2027, let us continue together to make our MJC Mosaïque–Centre Social a vibrant place, a champion of popular education and resolutely human. In an era that pushes us to withdraw, we choose to come together and share. In a world that is becoming increasingly fragmented, we are banking on collective action to face these challenges… LET US UNITE!
Alain CHARTIER, President Agathe ERHARDT-EL ZOUBAA
