Major General Jean Fred Berger, French Army, Commander Joint Warfare Centre, hosted a reception on 8 July 2011 in celebration of the Bastille Day.
The Joint Warfare Centre celebrated the French National Day, "La Féte Nationale", also known as the "Bastille Day" on 8 July 2011 with a series of events to mark the occasion, including a medal ceremony for four French military personnel in Jatta.
The festivities started with a morning coffee and breakfast, which was organized by the French National Support Element. The French Senior National Representative, Colonel Charles Sevin briefly talked about the seizure of the Bastille on 14 July 1789, an event which is as much a part of world history as it is a milestone of the French history. In his speech, Major General Jean Fred Berger explained the importance of this day for the French people and how it gave birth to the Republic and its ideas of liberty and equality, which, with the contribution of the U.S. revolutionaries at the very end of the 1770s, form the foundation of modern democracy. Major General Berger then expressed his pleasure to celebrate this special day together with his estemeed NATO colleagues in Stavanger.
The celebration continued with a small ceremony where Major General Jean Fred Berger named Lieutenant Colonel Raymond Geistel "Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur"; Sergeant Major Michel Estrade "La Médaille Militaire" and presented "La Médaille d'or de la Défense Nationale" to Adjudant Maxime Masson and "La Médaille de l'Union Européenne Agrafe Atalanta" to Maitre Patrick Ferrandi.
In the evening, Major General Berger hosted a formal reception in honour of the Bastille Day, which was held at the JWC's new training facility; decorated in the French Tricolour, for a mixed crowd including local government officials such as Ms Bjorg Tysdal Moe, Deputy Mayor of Stavanger City, among others, as well as the Joint Warfare Centre staff. The event continued to offer insights into the history and culture of France; including foods and French wine.
In his speech Major General Berger highlighted once again that he was delighted to celebrate the National Day of France together with his Norwegian hosts and NATO colleagues in Stavanger. He underlined the importance of strong bonds of friendship between the NATO Allies who work together to promote peace, and stressed the importance of cultural exchange and understanding such events can muster between different nations. At the end of his speech, the guests joined Major General Berger for the champagne toast to the French National Day.