Kita Salut is ready for business!
In a groundbreaking move, Mayor Uwe CONRADT of Saarbrücken and Roland ROTH, President of the Community of Agglomeration Sarreguemines Confluences (CASC), joined forces on September 1, 2023, unveiling the soon-to-be-opened Kita Salut - the first cross-border, bilingual, and multicultural childcare facility in the SaarMoselle region. Set to welcome its first batch of young learners on September 6, this innovative facility signifies the culmination of six years of cross-border discussions and almost two years of construction.
Born out of a collaborative effort between Saarbrücken and CASC, Kita Salut will cater to 133 children aged 0 to 6, offering a unique opportunity to immerse in two distinct cultures and languages. The nursery area, developed under the Interreg V A Greater Region project "Babylingua," co-financed by the European Union and led by the Eurodistrict SaarMoselle, will provide 22 spaces for Saarland children and 11 for those hailing from the Saargemünd urban area.
The project's main objectives were to enrich the existing bilingual offer in the SaarMoselle region by expanding childcare options for children aged 0 to 3, increase the reception capacity of both territorial authorities, and accommodate the specific needs of border-crossers and those aiming for their children to grow up bilingual. With its modern and eco-friendly design, located just a 20-minute ride from Saargemünd, the facility will be manned by around 20 pedagogical experts tasked with guiding the children in acquiring language skills and learning to live in harmony within a diverse community.
To foster a sense of unity among the staff, those hired under the same conditions will participate in professional seminars focusing on intercultural communication. In addition, Kita Salut will serve as a test bed for future cross-border projects in Europe, hosting the "Tandem-places" system—an approach toward the French system that allows multiple children to share a single spot, unlike Saarland's "one place, one child" principle. This system will be tweaked and improved based on families' preferences over the coming years.
Aside from its educational benefits, Kita Salut aims to contribute to cultural and linguistic integration in the vibrant, cross-border region for at least 20 years, acting as both a learning and living space.
From a financial standpoint, the total investment in Kita Salut amounts to approximately 10 million euros. CASC contributed 650,000 euros, the European Fund for Regional Development (EFRE) invested nearly 2.3 million euros, and the remaining costs, nearly 7 million euros, were shared by the city of Saarbrücken, the Saarland Ministry of Education and Culture, and the Saarbrücken Regional Association. Operating costs will be divided among these regional authorities based on the number of occupied spots, with the French family allowance fund (Caisse d'Allocation Familiale de Moselle) being approached for financial assistance for the French children's spots.
Kita Salut, a beacon of cross-border cooperation, symbolizes the power of unity in fostering a brighter, more inclusive future for our children.
Education-and-self-development is at the heart of Kita Salut, a cross-border, bilingual, and multicultural childcare facility, as it aims to foster personal-growth and learning among its young learners. By immersing children in two distinct cultures and languages, this innovative facility not only enriches their language skills but also promotes cultural and linguistic integration in the SaarMoselle region for at least 20 years, acting as a both a learning and living space.
