Delegation returns from Biarritz; council hears climate resilience, arts and youth‑exchange takeaways

Parks & Recreation staff and the Sister Cities committee reported on two recent delegations to Biarritz, France: an adult delegation that attended a conference on coastal climate resilience and a junior‑guard youth exchange. Superintendent Jermaine Haddon Jones and committee chair Carla Barton highlighted cultural, arts and recreation exchanges and said they learned practices around coastal resiliency and community programming.

Jones said the international conference emphasized topics such as "the sustainable use of AI" and that the city may be asked to consider joining a coalition on that issue in the future. Youth delegates described reciprocal visits, shared ocean‑centered activities and the value of cross‑cultural exchanges; one junior guard, Gavin, told council that the trip was "a really amazing experience" and urged continued funding for youth exchanges. Council members thanked delegates and discussed potential next steps on arts programming and future exchanges.

The presentation was informational; council did not take formal action but accepted the report and invited additional follow‑up where appropriate.