- Feb 25
- 7 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
THE 2026 IMMIGRANT TIMES SOLIDARITY PRIZE
Candidate for the 2026 Prize:
Val-de-Reuil, Normandy, France
The Immigrant Times Solidarity Prize will honour a town or city, large or small, where residents have demonstrated that communities thrive when people stand by one another, whether their neighbours are newly arrived immigrants, families with roots in other parts of the world, or locals whose ties to the place go back generations.
Val-de-Reuil, Normandy, France, has been selected as a candidate for the 2026 Solidarity Prize. The French ‘New Town’ has, since its foundation in 1972, welcomed refugees and migrants. (Photo: Normandie Photo) Please send us your comments if you support Val-de-Reuil. Please insert Val-de-Reuil in the subject line. The Solidarity Prize is now on TikTok. Please follow and comment if you wish.
About Val-de-Reuil
Val-de-Reuil is a commune in the Eure department of Normandy, in north-western France, situated south of Rouen in a loop of the Seine. It was created as the new town of Le Vaudreuil in 1972, one of nine new towns built in France at the time, and renamed Val-de-Reuil in 1984. With around 15,000 inhabitants, it is the youngest commune in France and the last of the new towns to be established.
Unlike the ancient villages and market towns that characterise much of Normandy, Val-de-Reuil was built from scratch, designed to house a new and diverse population. From its earliest years, it welcomed refugees and migrants: the first residents included Vietnamese, Cambodian and Laotian arrivals, followed over the decades by people from Lebanon, Iraq, Morocco, Libya, Sudan, Rwanda, the former Yugoslavia, Algeria, Afghanistan, Syria, and Ukraine. That history of reception is woven into the town's identity. As one nominator puts it: "Val-de-Reuil is one of the poorest cities in Normandy, but solidarity is our way of life."
The current mayor, Marc-Antoine Jamet, has led Val-de-Reuil since 2001. In the municipal elections of March 2026, his list won 89 per cent of the vote, securing 32 of the 33 seats on the municipal council. In France, mayors are not directly elected by the public but chosen by the newly elected council; as leader of the dominant list, Jamet was duly confirmed as mayor for a fifth consecutive term, having led the town without interruption since 2001. Beyond Val-de-Reuil, Jamet has served on France's national High Council for Integration, contributing to a national report on immigrant integration policy. Integration and welcome have been the defining themes of his quarter-century in office.
Overview of nominations for Val-de-Reuil
Nominations received for Val-de-Reuil speak with a consistent voice: this is a place that does not merely speak of inclusion but practises it, backed by a municipality that treats solidarity as a daily responsibility rather than an occasional gesture.
Several nominators highlight the town's response to specific refugee crises as the most vivid illustration of this commitment. Sanaa M. describes the case of a Ukrainian family who fled the war in 2022: a distant cousin in Val-de-Reuil contacted the mayor, who immediately mobilised his teams to provide furnished housing, social support, food, clothing, and administrative assistance. She notes that this was far from an isolated case, the town had already welcomed 50 Syrian refugees in 2015 and around twenty Afghans in the years that followed.
Philippe B., who has lived in Val-de-Reuil since its earliest years, traces the full arc of this history: Vietnamese and Cambodian arrivals in the late 1970s, then North and West African communities, then Kurds, Turks, people from the Balkans, Iraq, Syria, and Ukraine. The result, he writes, is a town of 60 nationalities, "an example of integration."
Moubtassim K. describes a social policy built on mutual aid, inclusion, and human dignity, with the municipality providing housing, food, clothing, access to healthcare, and administrative support to those who need them. Benhari I., writing in French, captures the spirit in a single phrase: "In Val-de-Reuil, no one is left behind." Rosa B. and Sanaa M. both emphasise the day-to-day texture of integration: French language classes, cultural workshops, job search assistance, and the collaborative work of local associations alongside the municipality.
Marlène B., who grew up in Val-de-Reuil and now lives in Los Angeles, returns every year and draws a comparison between her adopted California and her hometown. Despite Val-de-Reuil's modest economic resources, she writes, the mayor and his team have worked consistently to support vulnerable populations — a point echoed across the nominations. The town's solidarity, these voices agree, does not depend on wealth. It depends on will.
Individual nominations
(Please note: If you have already nominated Val-de-Reuil, there is no need to do so again. Your nomination has been registered. If you have not yet nominated Val-de-Reuil, you may do so until mid-summer. How to nominate.)
Nominated by Moubtassim K., Val-de-Reuil
Val-de-Reuil, a City of Solidarity and Unity.
In Val-de-Reuil, solidarity is not a concept; it’s a way of life rooted in everyday actions and shared values. Under the leadership of Mayor Marc-Antoine Jamet, the city has adopted an ambitious, compassionate, and innovative social policy that prioritises mutual aid, inclusion, and human dignity at its core…… Solidarity is expressed in countless ways. The municipality provides concrete assistance: housing, food, clothing, access to healthcare, and administrative support. French language classes, cultural workshops, educational support, and job integration programmes help each find their place and voice in the community.
Nominated by Marlène B., Los Angeles, California
I’ve been living in California for 12 years, but I grew up in Val-de-Reuil, and my parents are still living there. I come back every year with the same pleasure in “my” city, where I was first a pupil, then a teacher some years later.
There are some similarities between California and Val-de-Reuil in terms of solidarity and help for migrants. Val-de-Reuil is actively working to reduce poverty and promote social integration. Despite social and economic challenges, the Mayor, Marc-Antoine Jamet, and his team, in collaboration with various organisations, have implemented numerous initiatives to support vulnerable populations and strengthen community ties.
Nominated by Benhari I., Val-deReuil
À Val-de-Reuil, la solidarité n’est pas un slogan: c’est une réalité vécue chaque jour. Sous l’impulsion de son maire, Marc-Antoine Jamet, la commune déploie une politique ambitieuse, humaine et innovante, qui place l’entraide et l’inclusion au cœur de son action.
Pour les jeunes, tout est mis en œuvre afin de leur donner les moyens de réussir et de s’épanouir. Pour les personnes en difficulté, la ville déploie une aide concrète et efficace. Pour les seniors, Val-de-Reuil met en place des actions destinées à rompre l’isolement et à améliorer leur quotidien. Pour les populations réfugiées, notamment syriennes et afghanes, la commune fait preuve d’une solidarité exemplaire en assurant l’accueil, le suivi et l’accompagnement, permettant à ces familles de reconstruire leur vie dans la dignité et la fraternité.
À Val-de-Reuil, personne n’est laissé de côté. La ville est devenue un véritable modèle de justice sociale, de solidarité et de fraternité républicaine.
Nominated by Rosa B., Val-de-Reuil
In Val-de-Reuil, numerous solidarity initiatives have been launched to support refugees and help them integrate into the local community. Local associations, volunteers, and the municipality work together to provide essential aid such as food, clothing, and temporary housing. French language classes and cultural workshops are organised to facilitate communication and integration.
The town also promotes social inclusion through educational support, job search assistance, and sports or artistic activities. These actions reflect Val-de-Reuil’s citizens' strong commitment to welcoming and standing by those in need.
The poorest city in the district of Eure is also the most generous when it comes to helping people who need help. The Mayor, Marc-Antoine Jamet, and his team are working hard to make Val-de-Reuil the city of “Vivre-ensemble “
Nominated by Sanaa M., Val-de-Reuil
Though small and the youngest town in France, Val-de-Reuil has become a true land of welcome and social diversity. Seventy nationalities live together here in harmony and solidarity. Our mayor constantly advocates for unity, coexistence, and respect for all.
Every year, the municipality provides funding to associations engaged in solidarity-based initiatives. A concrete example immediately came to mind: the story of a Ukrainian family who fled the war in March 2022. A distant cousin, living in Val-de-Reuil, reached out to our Mayor Marc-Antoine Jamet, who, without hesitation, mobilised his teams to welcome this family under the best possible conditions.
The city immediately provided them with furnished housing at L’Espages, social support, material assistance (clothing, food, appliances), as well as quick access to healthcare and administrative procedures, in coordination with partner associations such as the CCAS.
And this family is not an isolated case: back in 2015, the city had already welcomed 50 Syrian refugees, as well as around twenty Afghans.
Nominated by Philippe B., Val-de-Reuil
Val-de-Reuil is very young. The city was only created in 1972. From its very beginning, the city welcomed people from other countries as war refugees or political refugees.
Vietnamese and Cambodians arrived in the late seventies, then North Africans and West Africans in the eighties. Later, from the beginning of the 90s till today, our city has welcomed refugees of all conflicts: Kurds and Turks, people from the Balkans, Iraq, Syria, and Ukraine.
The result is a city with 60 nationalities, an example of integration. Everything is due to the mayor and his team's positive actions.
Val-de-Reuil is one of the poorest cities in Normandy, but solidarity is our way of life. ‘Solidarity and Emergency Support (for displaced individuals and refugees)’. The city has helped accommodate displaced Ukrainians and Syrians by providing administrative support, daily necessities, and opportunities for community integration.
A number of organisations provide support for refugees, such as French classes. The municipality provides ‘Employment & Integration Programmes’ and other services to help people in different domains. We are proud to be part of such a city.
Please send us your comments if you support Val-de-Reuil. Please insert Val-de-Ruil in the subject line.
Candidates for the 2026 Solidarity Prize
Confirmed candidates, as of May 2026: Riace, Calabria, Italy || Freiburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany || Zwolle, Overijssel, Netherlands || Oliveri, Sicily, Italy || Legazpi, Basque Country, Spain || Northallerton, Yorkshire, UK || Graz, Styria, Austria || Val-de-Reuil, Normandy, France || Montpellier, France || Santo Stefano del Sole, Avellino, Italy || Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany || Edmonton, Alberta, Canada ||
Please nominate further towns and cities. The list of candidates will be updated regularly.
Further reading from The Immigrant Times: Introduction to the Solidarity Prize || Nominees from North America. || Nominess from Europe ||
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