Grigny: GrignyWood has its project stolen by a Belgian association

“It’s exactly the same project. And the worst part is that one of their managers asks that we stop harassing them! “Omar Dawson, one of the founders of the GrignyWood association, is not fearing. After having developed the citizen rap competition “Mayor of my city” in Senegal, Canada, the United States and Brazil, the GrignyWood association is today a victim of its success. In the next few days, the structure’s lawyer will send a letter of formal notice to the Belgian association Promo Jeunes AMO, which it accuses of having developed its concept without authorization.

A rap competition on the theme of citizenship, a clip and a recording and above all, a project called “If I was bourgmestre of my town”. The similarities between the Belgian and French versions are disturbing. And the doubt sets in even more when the founders of GrignyWood explain having exchanged several emails with Promo Jeunes AMO.

“We were in contact with them,” says Omar Dawson. We even met one of their representatives in Paris in 2017. They wanted to develop the “Mayor of my city” project in Belgium ”. We thought it was great! To help them, we even presented them with our grant application files. “

In the following weeks, the two associations exchanged several emails. And when GrignyWood invites its partners under the gold of the National Assembly in February, Promo Jeunes AMO is on the guest list. “They responded too late,” says Omar. And some time later, I learn that they launched the project without our agreement. “

The Belgian association does not wish to answer

To take up its concept, GrignyWood requires an agreement signature. A document that allows the association to bring money into its coffers to carry out new actions. “They asked us how much it cost, asserts Omar Dawson, supporting evidence. So they knew very well that there was an agreement to sign. But then, nothing more… I had no more news until I came across a report from a Belgian web TV. It’s simple, their speech is a copy-paste of an interview we gave to France 4. “

Faced with these accusations, the Belgian association prefers to remain silent. “We do not wish to answer, that does not interest us, sweeps Olivier de Roy, administrator of Promo Jeunes AMO. We have no comments to make, we put an end to this matter. “Despite the reminders, the manager will not say a word about the GrignyWood project. “We do not know these people, we have never met them, cuts the Belgian administrator. We are well established, all our actions are visible on our website. “