This Italian region now has Europe’s highest Tibetan bridge
It’s not for the faint-hearted
The highly contested decision was approved yesterday with a minor margin
Yesterday, the Municipal Council of Grenoble adopted a new regulation on municipal pools. The changes de facto authorise wearing burkini, as well as topless bathing, as French media report. The decision on burkini, in particular, follows a heated and lengthy debate and was passed by a fragile majority.
A highly contested debate took place at the building of the Metropolis of Grenoble yesterday, under the close media observation and public scrutiny of some 200 people, gathered in front of the building. The reason: the proposed new regulation on municipal pools.
And while there were several changes on the agenda (including the mandatory accompaniment of children under 12, and the obligation to wear bathing caps), it was one point that most attracted the public and political attention for several hours on - swimwear.
As Le Monde reports, Article 10 prohibits loose shorts and T-shirts (for hygiene-related reasons) and imposes “specific fabrics for swimming, fitted close to the body”, which can cover the arms and legs. Hence, after 1 June, access to municipal swimming pools in Grenoble is allowed with swimwear, but without limits on its length. This way, without explicitly naming it, the regulation de facto authorises burkini, which is a novel and highly contradictory measure.
The latter is testified by the fact that the majority to vote for the change was just 29 to 27 with only 2 councillors abstaining. The disapproval came mostly from the opposition councillors but also from 13 councillors from the majority of green Mayor Eric Piolle's group, including his deputy-mayor. The motive for the decision, as Piolle puts it, is so that pool users (men and women) are able to dress as they please.
Burkini represents a long-fitted type of swimwear for women which covers the entire body, except for the face, hands and feet. It's most popular among Muslim women and is associated with religious freedoms or rather – the lack of personal such, as imposed on women. Thus, the burkini is taken as a type of wear that imposes on women a moral need to cover their bodies.
This makes the social and political aspects of the issue more salient in a country that takes pride in its laïcité or secularism – the separation of state from religious institutions.
The decision made Grenoble only the second French city to authorise burkini, after Rennes in 2018.
See also: A first for Germany - this summer, Göttingen allows topless swimmers in public pools
What are the reasons for that and are there any possible solutions for that problem?
Possibly making it the only legislature in the world with a religious temple on-site
It’s not for the faint-hearted
Presenting the next chapter in the Dutch capital’s ‘Stay Away’ campaign aimed at rowdy tourists
The City says this has become a necessity due to the increasing number of incidents involving these vehicles
That way you can notify a canal lock keeper to open the gates so the animals can swim through
The organizers had been considering different Parisian spots, but always with the idea of the flame being visible to the people
Electricity production in that Eastern European country will not release direct CO2 emissions anymore
Possibly making it the only legislature in the world with a religious temple on-site
This initiative is not just about making books more accessible – it has larger ambitions in its sights
We owe the unusual cultural icon to this country in Europe
The country’s capital has been a pioneer in crafting policy and initiatives to improve coexistence between people and pets
Urban dwellers across the EU are having a say in making their surroundings friendlier to people and the environment.
Forests in the EU can help green the European construction industry and bolster a continent-wide push for architectural improvements.
Apply by 10 November and do your part for the transformation of European public spaces
Catch up with some recommendations for the 2024 European Capital of Culture programme from the mayor of Tartu
An interview with the ICLEI regional director for Europe аfter the close of COP28
An interview with a member of the No Hate Speech Network team