5 years of SINGA Marseille: A clear mission

Launched in 2019, SINGA Marseille set itself an ambitious goal: to create bridges between newcomers and city residents. This project, born thanks to a handful of volunteers, quickly transformed into a dynamic and inclusive community, serving interculturality. Today, the association no longer limits itself to organizing convivial activities such as picnics or outings to bring newcomers and locals together, but also supports entrepreneurs with migration backgrounds through its incubator.

“We wanted to make Marseille a place where diversity becomes a collective strength,” explains Laetitia Chabannes, founding member of SINGA Marseille. It was this ambition that was celebrated on September 25th, during a festive day that brought together the SINGA Marseille community and its partners.

A day rich in festivities and sharing

The Couvent Levat, an emblematic place in the 3rd arrondissement, hosted a day of exchanges and festivities. The event began with a collective intelligence workshop entitled The Diversity Fresco.

For two hours, participants reflected together on the challenges and opportunities that diversity brings to a city like Marseille. This moment of co-creation reinforced the values of mutual aid and recognition of differences, foundations of SINGA’s action.

The day then honored the first cohort of the SINGA Marseille incubator. Nine entrepreneurs, who benefited from SINGA’s support, presented their projects to an enthusiastic audience. The intervention of Sadia Hessabi, author and former incubee of SINGA Lyon, provided a personal and inspiring testimony on the importance of support networks for success.

The day concluded with a multicultural buffet, where Lebanese, Ethiopian, and Filipino specialties delighted the participants. In a warm atmosphere, games and activities allowed everyone to gather around pétanque, the city’s iconic sport. The event ended with an inspiring speech by Benoît Hamon, CEO of SINGA Global, invited for the occasion. 

Setting course for the next 5 years: making diversity a lever for transformation

As SINGA Marseille blows out its fifth candle, the association resolutely turns towards the future with concrete projects to continue promoting the inclusion of newcomers in its territory. In the next five years, the focus will be on three main areas:

• Professional integration of newcomers: SINGA Marseille plans to expand its programs by supporting around 30 entrepreneurs each year, either from migration backgrounds or with intercultural projects, and by creating a new post-creation program. Personalized follow-up will continue, with mentoring sessions, practical workshops, and networking opportunities with key players in Marseille’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
• Intercultural events: SINGA Marseille will increase local initiatives by creating original meeting formats, such as cooking workshops, sports events, literary meetups, and discussion forums. To strengthen these activity hubs, SINGA Marseille plans to recruit by early 2025.
• Strengthening local partnerships: The association aims to expand its collaboration with organizations like Weavers, S.W.A.G Studio, and La Friche Belle de Mai to provide even more opportunities for its community. Pilot projects, such as the creation of a performance and the development of an entrepreneurship program specializing in cultural projects, are underway in collaboration with local partners.

These initiatives will allow SINGA Marseille to solidify its role in the Marseille ecosystem and continue to work towards a city where diversity is a strength, both for individuals and the local economy.