Lumignons du Cœur: when the Fête des Lumières becomes an act of solidarity

Since 1852, every 8 December, the people of Lyon have placed tealights on their windowsills and balconies, illuminating the city with thousands of small flames. Through the Lumignons du Cœur initiative, this deeply rooted tradition takes on a solidarity-driven dimension: each year, one association is selected to carry out the initiative alongside the City of Lyon during the Fête des Lumières.

In practical terms, 20,000 tealights are entrusted to the selected organisation, which offers them to the public and to companies at a price of €2 each. All funds raised are then fully donated to support the organisation’s work.

In 2025, this mission was entrusted to SINGA Lyon.

A collective mobilisation well before 8 December

While the Fête des Lumières unfolds over four days, the commitment behind it was built long in advance. From November onwards, SINGA Lyon launched the sale of tealights, mobilising its ecosystem on a large scale.

Thanks to this collective momentum, 19,500 physical tealights were sold out of the 20,000 entrusted, with the support of numerous corporate partners, including Orange, Europole, Accor, EDF, the Lyon Metropolitan Authority, the Association Soins et Santé, and many others.

The tealights were packaged and stored with the help of students from the Alfred de Musset vocational high school in Villeurbanne, illustrating a concrete and local chain of solidarity. At the same time, more than 50 points of sale were deployed across the Lyon metropolitan area to reach the general public and raise awareness of SINGA Lyon’s work. These included Leroy Merlin, Decathlon, Les Halles Paul Bocuse, the Lyon Tourist Office, the official Fête des Lumières shop, ASVEL Women’s Basketball, and LOU Rugby.

Place des Jacobins: a symbol at the heart of the Fête des Lumières

Each year during the Fête des Lumières, a light installation is created exclusively for the Lumignons du Cœur. In 2025, this installation came to life at Place des Jacobins, one of the event’s most emblematic locations.

Throughout the four evenings, visitors were invited to light a tealight and place it on the illuminated fresco. Gradually, the square was transformed through repeated gestures and outstretched hands. In total, 6,000 tealights were lit on the fresco, turning Place des Jacobins into a visible and collective symbol of solidarity at the heart of the Fête des Lumières.

SINGA Lyon also had a dedicated container on site, hosting a refreshment stand and offering light food. This convivial space encouraged exchanges and encounters, further strengthening both engagement and fundraising.

8 December: an emblematic evening

8 December, the historic night of the Fête des Lumières, marked a highlight for SINGA Lyon. Volunteers, partners and festival-goers gathered at Place des Jacobins in a warm and committed atmosphere.

Speeches, activities and live interventions on Radio Scoop punctuated the evening, reminding everyone that the Fête des Lumières can also be a space for awareness-raising, knowledge-sharing and meaningful encounters.

Figures that tell a human story

Behind every lumignon lit during the Fête des Lumières lie countless hours of commitment and an exceptional mobilisation:

• more than 350 volunteers mobilised
  
• €5,000 in corporate sponsorship, with the support of AIGA (ELISFA payroll service provider)
  
• €7,600 raised through the refreshment stand

In total, over €58,000 were raised. These essential funds will help strengthen and sustain the social and professional inclusion initiatives led by SINGA Lyon, in support of people newly arrived in the region.

When the Fête des Lumières shines a light on inclusion

Being highlighted during the Fête des Lumières represents far more than recognition for SINGA Lyon. It demonstrates that a popular tradition can become a powerful lever for solidarity, and that light, when shared, can also open pathways to inclusion and encounter.