French Connections

What is the Alliance Française?

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Founded in Paris in 1883, the Alliance Française is the largest network of French language and cultural institutions in the world:

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• Chapters in 138 countries
• 115 chapters in the U.S.

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What do we offer?

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• French language classes
• Cultural events
• Social events
• Student Scholarships
• Teacher Resource Grants

Performers from Paris sing Jacques Brel songs at Joslyn Art Museum

Selling French-themed gifts at the Durham Holiday Cultural Festival

Annual Fête de Fin de l’Année

Monthly Apéro meet-ups where people practice their French

Que du Français, a separate monthly meet-up where only French is spoken

Café et Conversation Midwest is a separate weekly French meet-up group for speakers at all levels

Annual celebration of Beaujolais Nouveau and other French wines

Discussions with authors of books about French culture

Participation in the One Cultural

Community Festival in downtown

Omaha

Presentation and discussion with Charlie Whitesides, founder of Street French

2026 Student Scholarship winners

Founded in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to promote peace through people-to-people diplomacy.

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For nearly seventy years, SCI’s leadership and volunteers have established thousands of partnerships between U.S. cities and cities worldwide.

Founded in 1965, OSCA is committed to promoting Omaha as a global city, developing international partnerships and networks, and sharing best practices through citizen-to-citizen connections.

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• Yantai, China
• Isigny-Omaha, France
• Braunschweig, Germany
• Naas, Ireland
• Carlentini, Italy
• Shizuoka, Japan
• Siauliai, Lithuania
• Xalapa, Mexico

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• Not a traditional Sister City. Instead of one city, it’s an ‘intercom’, which is somewhat like a county in the U.S.
• Total population around 26,000 spread among 59 villages
• Economy – tourism and agriculture (apples, pears, cheese, butter, Calvados apple brandy, caramels)

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Isigny-Omaha is part of the Normandy region in northwest France

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Isigny-Omaha was created in 2017 by the merging of three intercoms and incorporated the name ‘Omaha’ because Omaha Beach is within its boundaries.

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D-Day� June 6, 1944

• Largest seaborne invasion in world history. It was led by American, British and Canadian forces.
• Began the liberation of France and western Europe from the German occupation in World War II
• 156,000 Allied troops, 6,000 ships, 11,000 aircraft, 50,000 vehicles
• Omaha Beach was one of 5 landing sites. It suffered the most casualties.
• Approximately 2,400 Allied troops died on Omaha Beach on the first day alone

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Les Braves – Memorial to Allied forces who landed on Omaha Beach

(1951) The Desert Fox

(1962) The Longest Day

(1968) Where Eagles Dare

(1964) 36 Hours

(1975) Overlord

(1980) The Big Red One

(1998) Saving Private Ryan

(2004) Ike – Countdown to D Day

Isigny-Omaha Today

Friendship Agreement

October 16, 2019

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Isigny-Omaha Intercom and The City of Omaha

October 2019

Jean Stothert, Mayor of Omaha and

Anne Boissel, President of Isigny-Omaha Intercom

Welcome Remarks

Welcome Remarks

Gala Dinner

Visit to Omaha Beach

Ceremony at the American Cemetery

Honor Guard

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Patrick Thomines

President, Isigny-Omaha Intercom and

Mayor of Coleville-sur-Mer

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Jean Stothert

Mayor of Omaha

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Catherine Viel

Vice President for Culture and Sport, Isigny-Omaha and

Mayor of Columbières

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Noël Anquetil

Vice President for Tourism, Isigny-Omaha and

Mayor of Grandcamp-Maisy

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May 2023

Isigny-Omaha Officials Visit Omaha

Welcome Reception in the Aksarben District

Signing the

Sister City Agreement

Downtown Omaha

Mayor Jean Stothert and Patrick Thomines, President of Isigny-Omaha with the signed Sister City Agreement

Tour of StratCom

Breakfast Meeting with

U.S. Congressman Don Bacon

Tour of

Lauritzen Gardens

Gala Dinner at Field Club in Omaha

Casual Lunch in the Old Market Omaha

Brewery Tour Downtown Omaha

In June 2025 a group organized by Café et Conversation traveled from Omaha to Isigny-Omaha

In May 2026 a trip organized by Omaha Sister Cities and Alliance Française will include meeting with officials in Isigny-Omaha.

Discussion topics include a high school student exchange program and art exchanges.

Website

afomaha.org

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Email

bonjour@afomaha.org

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