Francophones to mark 41st anniversary

 The embassies of Romania, Canada, Algeria, Belgium, France, Switzerland, as well as the European Union, the French cultural centre in Harare, Alliance Française, and the French School (Jean de la Fontaine), are teaming up to celebrate the Franco-phonie Week at various places in Harare and Bulaw-ayo.
The Francophonie refers to French-speaking countries while the citizens of these countries are Francophones.
The director of Alliance Française, Charles Houdart, said each year in March, the main French-speaking emba-ssies, governments and institutions in Zimbabwe partner with the Alliance Française in Harare and the French School to present a series of films, concerts and activities that reflect the diversity of the French-speaking world.
Alliance Française is the cultural arm of the French government in its diplomatic missions.
Houdart said the goal of this week of celebration is to bring cultural activities to the Zimbabwean community that educate the public and improve cross-cultural understanding.
The opening ceremony is scheduled to be held at the residence of the Canadian ambassador on Monday, but attendance is by invitation followed by the screening of the film Congorama, the first of eight movies programmed for the Francophonie Film Festival in the framework of the Francophonie Week.
All other Francophonie movies will be shown at the Alliance Française in Harare on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday free of charge.
As part of the week-long festivities, he said, the French School — in conjun-ction with the Co-operation and Cult-ural Affairs Depart-ment of the French Embassy — will on Thursday host a dictation competition. The competition is open to all both French and non-French speakers and has no age limit.
“The competition will be launched simultaneously at the French School in Harare and the Alliance Française in Bulawayo,” said Houdart. “Results will be revealed the following day on the occasion of the ‘Sing your way to Paris’ music contest grand finale to be held at the Alliance França-ise in Harare.”
The music competition, which is supported by Nestlé, was launched last month and drew more than 50 contestants from Harare schools and 12 finalists will fight it out for a two-week trip to Paris, the capital of  France — all expenses paid for.
The grand finale will start at 2pm on Friday, followed by a concert with Patrick Lupi, a French songwriter. The prize-giving ceremony for the dictation competition and “Sing your way to Paris” music contest will follow after that. Entry is free of charge.
The International Organis-ation of the Franco-phonie was created in 1970. Its mission is to embody the active solidarity between its 70-member states and governments, which together represent over one-third of the United Nations’ membership and account for a population of over 870 million people.