In a groundbreaking cultural exchange, representatives from the City of Orléans, France, are set to make history by participating in the 16th annual Joan of Arc Parade in New Orleans on January 6, 2024. This unprecedented collaboration is made possible through a partnership between the New Orleans Rotary Fund, Inc. (NORFI), and the Krewe de Jeanne d’Arc.

The initiative began with NORFI awarding the Krewe de Jeanne d’Arc’s 2023 Maid of Honor a cultural scholarship to visit Orléans for ten days in the summer of 2023. In an exceptional gesture, Orléans reciprocated by sending their 2023 Jeanne d’Arc to New Orleans from January 3-9, 2024. This marks the first time in the 594-year history of Orléans’ Fetes des Jeanne d’Arc that the city is officially dispatching its Jeanne d’Arc to New Orleans.

The cultural exchange aligns with the sixth anniversary of the New Orleans/Orléans twinning, signed on January 6, 2018, during New Orleans’ tricentennial year. Mayor Olivier Carre of Orléans and then-New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu signed the agreement, solidifying the bond between the two cities.

Ms. Clairvie Quesne, the 2023 Orléans, France, Jeanne d’Arc, will be in New Orleans from January 3-9, 2024. During her visit, she will stay with local Rotarians, immersing herself in the unique culture of New Orleans. Her itinerary includes visits to iconic landmarks such as St. Louis Cathedral, The Historic New Orleans Collection, Steamboat Natchez, Vue New Orleans, L’Union Francaise, Laura Plantation, and The National WW II Museum. The visit culminates with Ms. Quesne participating in the Joan of Arc Parade on January 6, 2024, in the French Quarter.

A special ceremony at Gallier Hall on January 4 will officially welcome Ms. Quesne to the City of New Orleans. She will be accompanied by her two pages, Maximilien de Rochefort and Théophile Joinneaux, and Madame Benedicte Baranger, President of the Orléans Jeanne d’Arc Association, who portrayed Jeanne d’Arc in 1975.

Local 2024 Maid of Honor Marley Marsalis, portraying Joan of Arc in the January 6, 2024, parade, will accompany Ms. Quesne during her local visits throughout New Orleans. Ms. Marsalis is set to travel to Orleans, France, in the summer of 2024, representing the Joan of Arc Parade and New Orleans via the NORFI scholarship.

The Rotary Club of New Orleans established a Sister City Club with the Rotary Club of Orléans in 2021. The Rotary Fund Joan of Arc scholarship, launched in 2022, aims to foster cultural understanding and friendship between the “Joans of Arc” from both cities. Contestants for the Joan of Arc Parade Maid of Honor role undergo a rigorous selection process, showcasing leadership abilities, charitable accomplishments, an understanding of Joan of Arc’s story, appreciation for New Orleans’ French heritage, and proficiency in French.

This historic exchange exemplifies the power of cultural collaboration and serves as a testament to the enduring ties between the two cities. The Joan of Arc Parade on January 6, 2024, promises to be a celebration of shared heritage, friendship, and the spirit of Carnival.