Copley Connects Fall 2025 / Spring 2026

My role, in addition to dreaming up the idea, has been facilitating the communication between SanDISCA, the City of San Diego, and the City of Marseille. I applied for Friendship City status, which is a lower level and more informal relationship status between cities, which was approved by SanDISCA. I also had to have official approval from the City of San Diego, which I was able to eventually get, as I was previously appointed to the International Affairs Board of the City of San Diego, which serves as an advisory board to the Mayor of San Diego for international affairs and relations. I chose Marseille as a potential French Sister City because of all the things we have in common with each other. In regards to California and France, San Diego and Marseille are both the oldest cities in each, the second largest cities in each, the sunniest large cities in each, both are port cities, and the cities have similarities in growing industries, as well as similarities with immigration issues. This trade mission included Mayor Todd Gloria and Congressman Scott Peters, who were part of the delegation to Paris and Marseille. I flew to France and met with the delegation when they arrived in Marseille. The morning after the trade delegation arrived in Marseille, there was a special Sister City signing ceremony between Mayor Gloria and Mayor Benoît Payan, with both mayors speaking to a full room about the importance of international relations, peace, and diplomacy, now more than ever. Later that afternoon, the US Consul General hosted a reception at her residence, which included Mayor Gloria, Congressman Peters, and other dignitaries to speak about the future and the importance of building relationships. Since September, there has been further discussions of what kind of projects will continue under the San Diego Marseille banner of Sister Cities, including a potential music program that would hopefully end up with high school music students from San Diego performing in Marseille, a modern day take on “penpals” between an elementary school in San Diego and Marseille, further talks between cities on port city best practices, and more. The focus of the trade mission in September 2025 was economics, trade, investment, and other economic factors, but that is not the limit of the relationship. Future projects that have been discussed include educational/ academic exchange, music programs, tourism, cultural exchange programs, and even a discussion on a potential pop culture project! The next immediate step to happen is the unveiling of the new Marseille Sister City sign in the courtyard of City Hall in mid February. There is a hold on activity from the City of Marseille until after their election in March of 2026, but we are all excited to keep the momentum going and continue to build the relationship between the two great cities.

Mayor Todd Gloria and Dennis-Michael Broussard

Mayors Todd Gloria and Benoît Payan sign the Sister Cities agreement

UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO | 7