On the occasion of a reception at the Residence of France in Vientiane on March 3, Ambassador of France Siv-Leng Chhuor officially launched the month of Francophonie, scheduled to be last through the end of this month.
The other French speaking countries represented in Laos namely Switzerland, Canada and Luxembourg are fully associated to this month of celebration.
Alongside Laos, which has been a member of the international organization of the Francophonie since 1972, the French-speaking countries are celebrating this common language by highlighting its richness and modernity.
Over the next few weeks, many activities will be organized to highlight the French language: photo exhibitions, theatre performances, film screenings, activities in bilingual classes and at the national University of Laos, and a spelling competition.
One of the main events will be a French song contest on March 18, at the French Institute of Laos. The full programme is available on the Facebook pages of the French Embassy and French Institute of Laos.
Many French-speaking Laotians attended the opening ceremony: alumni who studied in France, French teachers from schools and universities, students, among others.
In her speech, the French Ambassador thanked her Swiss, Canadian and Luxembourg counterparts for their contribution to the evening.
She reminded the audience that the French-speaking world is a community of nearly 300 million speakers throughout all five continents, who share a language, but also common values. The French language is the second most learned language in the world, with nearly 125 million students and approximately 900,000 teachers.
The Ambassador underlined the success of the many past Francophone projects and said many more were already planned in Laos. She confirmed her participation to the official celebration of the Francophonie that will be organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Pakse on March 23. She also thanked the many actors of the Francophonie in Laos: teachers, students, administrative officials and all the volunteers who keep the French language alive on a daily basis by perpetuating the deep link of friendship that unites Laos and France.
Source: Lao News Agency