Romania marks International Day of Francophonie

Bucharest, March 20 /Rompres/ - Romania marks the International Day of Francophonie in its capacity as a member state of the International Organization of Francophonie (OIF) both at home and abroad, through the agency of the diplomatic missions, by organizing a number of cultural, artistic and scientific events, which make up the Francophonie Week (March 19-25).

In Romania the events devoted to the International Day of Francophonie started on Tuesday with the ceremony during which they signed the memorandum referring to the implementation of the multi-annual programme of training in French (2007-2009), meant for the civil servants working in the Romanian administration. According to the release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE), the document is signed by Minister of Culture and Religious Affairs Adrian Iorgulescu and Clement Duhaime, OIF administrator, the ambassadors of the French speaking countries accredited to Bucharest attending.

Subsequently the ambassadors of the French speaking countries accredited to Bucharest go to various secondary schools in Romania's capital where they will deliver lectures aimed at promoting the values and diversity of the French speaking world among the Bucharest teenagers.

MAE cooperated with the Ministry of Education and Research in organizing the contest Kangourou linguiste, dealing with special subjects connected to the francophonie. The contest addressed the pupils in primary and secondary schools. The winners are to be rewarded with trips to Paris.

Romania's missions abroad will mark the day of March 20 by participating in the festival of the French speaking film (Algiers, Athens, Beirut, Bratislava, Colombo, Damascus, Harare, Kiev, Nicosia, Oslo, Prague, Singapore, Warsaw), by presenting Romanian films (Berlin, Copenhagen, Dakar, Dublin, Helsinki, Riyadh, Tirana), poetry recitals, musical soirees and performances (Brussels - music, pantomime and dance performance, Copenhagen - concert of classical music and literary soiree, Helsinki - performance of Romanian peasant dances, Luxembourg - festival of poetry and music, Paris - soiree devoted to the children and young artists in several French-speaking countries - music, poetry and painting - and recital of classical music, Prague - performance of French sacred and classical music, Warsaw - the night of the French song), exhibitions ( books - Bonn, Riyadh, photographs - Berne, Kiev, Ljubljana, Nicosia, Zagreb, Skopje, stamps - Berne, cooking - Belgrade, Lisbon, Nicosia) , forums, intercultural dialogue, conferences dealing with subjects connected to the francophonie (Berne, Brasilia, Copenhagen, Paris, Rome, Tbilisi), stands presenting Romania in about 30 countries, receptions, cocktail parties in most diplomatic missions,

The events aim at promoting Romania's image, the francophone diversity and values, marking Romania's francophone identity and are meant for the diplomatic and academic circles, the mass media, schools, the wide audience.

On March 20, 1970 the institutional francophonie was founded by setting up in Niamey the Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation. This moment is a landmark for the francophonie and is marked as such by all the member states and governments of the organization, says MAE.

[ Source : Romanian National News Agency ROMPRES