KAZAN, Russia -- Lyon, France, has been selected to host the 47th WorldSkills Competition in 2023, beating Japan’s Aichi with more than double the support from member countries, organizers said Friday.

In a vote held during the 2019 General Assembly in Kazan, Russia on Wednesday, Lyon gained 44 votes and Aichi, a village in Japan’s Nagano prefecture, 20 votes. 

Lyon, the third-largest city in France, hosted the 33rd WorldSkills Competition in 1996.

“Thank you for trusting us. I can assure you that you will not be disappointed,” said Michel Guisembert, the official delegate and president of WorldSkills France.

The French delegation, including Labor Minister Muriel Penicaud, had prepared a video featuring French President Emmanuel Macron promising full-fledged support for Lyon to host the world championships of vocational skills held every other year.

He added that the goal of WorldSkills aligned with the vocational training and education provided in France.

“Congratulations to Lyon on their presentation. France is a strong member of WorldSkills, we wish them well with their work over the next few years and I know they will do a great job,” said Simon Bartley, president of WorldSkills. 

By Kim Bo-gyung (lisakim425@heraldcorp.com)