#month of francophonie

[frenchlanguageday]

Événements de la Journée International de la Francophonie 2023 dans le monde.

Le 20 mars 2023. Cette année, la journée est placée sous le thème : « 321 millions de francophones, des milliards de contenus culturels ».

[thebusylilbee]

hey french speakers, France Culture radio has released a series of 4 podcasts called "African-American history. A marginalized history." for Black History Month.

I've listened to the first episode and it was very informative, so here are all the links for others who might be interested :

1/4 - Exploiting masses, exploiting races. A history of capitalism

2/4 - Once upon a time in the West, black cow-boys

3/4 - 1941, Arizona. A black army in the desert

4/4 - Artists and activists, reinventing anthropology

[wariocompany]

Hello dear Internet stranger, I just want to tell you that I’ve been following your blog for a few months and you make my fricking day every single time I go through it. Like it’s actually ridiculous, how I can’t stop laughing and smiling at your posts. Astérix was part of my childhood (outing myself as a native French speaker ew ouais je sais c’est dégueu) and I even got ridiculously hyperfixated on it for like a few months when I was around nine, and it just brings me so much joy to see you talk about it and meme the heck out of it like it’s just any other big tumblr fandom (it really feels like it is when I’m looking at your blog). Also I can really relate to being obsessed with a relatively niche thing that barely anybody knows about (I mean, in Astérix’s case, the entirety of la francophonie knows about it, but you get what I mean), since I never EVER shut up about Yume no Crayon Oukoku, even though it’s a 90s toddlers anime that literally nobody has seen.

ANYWAY, I just wanted to thank you for making so many of my days better and also for single-handedly carrying the Astérix and BD fandom on your back. You’re awesome, keep doing you! :) :)

Oh also Gaylois is canon (I don’t know if you remember me, I’m the person who said they were ace and you I agreed.)

Sorry for the late reply, honestly I've just been keeping it in my inbox to gaze at happily like a nice letter from Papa who's gone to war. This means very much to me, so thank you! I think I absorb speaking patterns from fandom Tumblr so even when I'm talking about stuff that doesn't have a fandom I make it "sound like it".

I'm so glad you like my posts!!! And Astérix!!

[gascon-en-exil]

I am almost never inclined to be political, but as yesterday was Québec Fête Nationale I've been having some more thoughts in their direction.

I have had friends in Montréal for around a decade now; I met two of them in the usual way when they came to visit New Orleans, and I've been a small part of their circle ever since. The more I've learned about Québécois politics from them, the more I've realized that, despite the differences in circumstances, they share many underlying similarities with Louisiana politics, and the political affiliations of the Louisianais in particular, i.e. as opposed to the non-French population of Louisiana, who consider themselves Americans and are politically dominated by the Bible Belt Anglos that control the north of the state. When Louisiana votes red or however you say it in US elections, those are the people to blame.

From what I've seen, Québécois politics are just as dramatic, and their interests defy neat categorization into conservative and liberal causes as defined by Canadian/US politics. A few months ago one of my friends and I discussed this similarity, and how it leads to Canadian/US conservatives calling us liberals and their liberals calling us conservatives - which inspired (in least for me) a moment of solidarity in feeling that no one will ever be on our side. Obviously the motivation behind this differs somewhat; the cause of Québec separatism has had real political weight and supporters and detractors from all across the spectrum, whereas New Orleans entices and reviles all because we are a city committed to the indulgence of every imaginable vice and to the fatalistic, apolitical allure of death. (Also there are the Cajuns, who trust no one outside their own communities and trust the US government even less.) Humorously this has even cropped up in my online life, as I've had trolls on Tumblr, YouTube, and a certain Discord calling me variously a hardline religious conservative or a delusional SJW liberal, according to whichever affiliation they hate.

If I were politically inclined and had the resources to do so, I could see myself moving to Montréal and helping the Québécois cause in what way I could, with an added eye for outreach toward Louisiana and connection with the organizations here dedicated to preserving the French languages and cultures of the state. It's just about the only cause* that I've ever really felt passionate about. Unfortunately I don't think that's ever going to be a feasible goal for me, for financial reasons if nothing else - but every once in a while I can dream of something beyond hedonistic cynicism.

*One might question why I don't feel the same passion about being queer, but as it happens being a gay French New Orleanian has always felt rather effortless - even expected in a way. Anglos, after all, think of French people as kinky pansexuals out to seduce their significant others with our irresistible Latin charm, and New Orleans has for centuries played host to crossdressing Carnival masquerades and drag performances in reputable establishments, to the point that the Pride initiated by New York City almost feels like a footnote here with the wild abandon of Mardi Gras on the one side and dark, raunchy Decadence on the other. It's taken considerably more active effort on my part to affirm myself as a Frenchman here: interested in the broader Francophonie, and invested in the fate - however grim and inevitable - of the Louisianais.

[kakonged]

Francophonie Month Celebrate with Flair

[atlanticcanada]

Dieppe prepares to celebrate French language

With planning well underway, the City of Dieppe is getting ready to highlight the French language and its history later this month.

The city was chosen by the Province of New Brunswick to host the 2023 International Francophonie Day festivities, which will take place from March 20-31st with a handful of different events planned.

“It’s very exciting for us,” said Mayor Yvon Lapierre. “Obviously the use of the French language is always something that we pride ourselves on and we have a large majority, a very large majority, of our citizens that are Francophonie’s.”

The celebrations will include events like a youth story and sing along, a cooking class with Chef Luc Schofield and a discussion panel.

This year’s theme is Nous célébrons la Francophonie or celebrating la Francophonie. On top of festivities for everyone to enjoy, Lapierre says it’s also a chance to highlight how far Dieppe has come since declaring as a francophone city back in the early 2000s.

“It was not a popular thing with everybody, but I would say for citizens of Dieppe it was a big thing and I think it’s paid off for us over the years to attract and build on the Francophonie, our heritage,” he said.

Adding, “It’ll be everything to do with the story of Dieppe and the fact that when we go back, even to when I moved here actually, it was 1977, a number of years ago, but it was just a small community of about 7000 people. Today the City of Dieppe is 30,000 people or more, we’re pushing 31,000.”

He says events this year will be bigger with the financial support from the province and the exposure to the community will benefit everybody.

“We work hard at it,” he said. “It was not always the most popular thing, like I said going way back, but today people are proud, you can see it in their eyes, and they’re proud to live in Dieppe and participate in the events and really get involved in the community.”

Dieppe celebrates Francophonie Day every year according to Lapierre, but that isn’t the only event that shines a light on the French language and its importance.

Back in 2019 the city held events as part of theCongrès mondial acadien (CMA) and it recognizes the Dieppe Raid from 1942.

“On the 19th of August, or the closest Sunday to the 19th of August, it’s not a celebration but a recognition of where our name comes from,” said Lapierre. “It’s a credit that we owe to the Canadian soldiers that died on the beaches of Dieppe on the 19th of August, 1942.”

“We’re proud of the name,” he adds. “We have good relationship with the folks from Dieppe France and we want to continue that.”

He says there’s a number of veterans in Dieppe that are very active in the city and it’s important to recognize their work, other armed forces residents, and the history in the community.

For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated page.

from CTV News - Atlantic https://ift.tt/XZ69cMK

[kayla360]

I know that black history month just passed but I just remembered a story today that my uncle told me years ago and I did some research to make sure it was true and it is. So let me tell you the story of how Saint-Firmin Monestime became the first black mayor in Canada. It happen in a town, pretty close from my home town, in northern Ontario. This town was called Mattawa and the majority of the population were either French Canadian(Franco-ontarien to be exact) or first-nation (of the Algonquin nation). But the story doesn’t start here it starts in Haiti with a young doctor that later on fled his country because of his political idea. Monestime Immigrated in Quebec City to upgrade his medical training to the Canadian standard. He then on practice in Quebec City as well as Ottawa and a couple other city. Now comes the interesting part, the part that my uncle told me years ago. Monestime decided to move to Timmins so he could have his own practice there. In route he decided to stop and eat in a dinner in Mattawa. Andthe reality is that Monestime was sadly used to people treating him differently because of his skin colour and racist comments were the norm. So when he was greeted with open arm and treated like everyone else he was pleasantly surprised and he strayed a conversation with the server. In the conversation the server learned that he was a doctor and talked about how they were an hospital in town but really needed doctor and proceeded to try to convince him to move here instead of Timmins and he was convinced. My uncle told me that it was first time someone treated him like a human and a doctor first instead of a black person. So that’s how he moved in town and Monestime was obviously very politically active (considering that’s why he had to leave his home country ). He then went to be part of the municipal council and then became the first black mayor in Canada. He created a lot of services for the community and if you want to know more about his accomplishments read the article attached. Now that I’m done I guess it does fit the themed of March being the Francophone month. But also we don’t need a specific month, day or year to talk about that. He was a man that changed history in his own way.

https://obvc.ca/story/dr-firmin-monestime-becomes-the-first-black-mayor-in-canada/

https://lavoixdunord.ca/2022/02/18/9334/

[beardedmrbean]

French prosecutors said on Wednesday they are investigating a junior minister in President Emmanuel Macron’s government after two allegations of rape were brought against her.

The rape allegations go back to when Chrysoula Zacharopoulou—who is now state secretary for development, Francophonie and international partnerships—still worked as a gynaecologist, according to French magazine Marianne.

One complaint was lodged May 25 and the investigation opened two days later, the prosecutors said. The second complaint was filed on June 16.

Greece-born Zacharopoulou, 46, joined the government of Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne in May, having been a member of the European Parliament for the previous three years. She reports to Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna.

She gained prominence in 2015 by campaigning for greater public awareness of endometriosis together with actress Julie Gayet, who this year married former French president Francois Hollande.

Zacharopoulou was strongly involved in the UN’s COVAX coronavirus vaccine rollout effort, and has spoken out in favour of women’s reproductive rights.

These are not the first rape allegations to shadow Macron’s government and come at a time of political difficulty for the president after he failed to retain a majority in parliamentary elections.

Prosecutors investigated Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin over an allegation for rape filed in 2017. He denied any wrongdoing and prosecutors in January asked for the case to be dropped.

Solidarities minister Damien Abad was also the target of rape allegations in a controversy that erupted last month but French prosecutors have said they were not currently opening an investigation.

[inaudiblemon]

Yesterday, I had coffee with a friend, who’s going through her own brand of Hard Times™ (we encourage each other to get out of the house, and we chat over coffee, for mutual support) and we talked about how we perform our online selves. I talked about how toxic it is to circle the same three social medias and go down the drain of negativity, as my depressed brain cannot focus on anything else. Because of that negativity, I’ve felt more combattive than usual, and I felt it comes out in how I behave online, but she disagreed. 

I’ve been posting in the Pokémon Reddit reminding people that it lacks humanity to ask people to prove they’ve received death threats (things got intense in the Pokémon fandom lately). I saw it as just adding to the discourse war, but she saw it as standing up for people and defending moral decency.

I’ll sometimes post articles about La Francophonie on Facebook, and I’m usually pointing out some injustice or discrimination. I saw it as complaining, but she reminded me that I always speak about it with nuance and compassion, and that I end up getting responses from people who appreciate my take, or feel like I highlighted something they’ve lived but could never put into words, and some even share other related experiences, most often in ways that are considerate and valid; I create spaces for wholesome discussions.

It was nice being reminded of that, and it’s something I like about myself.

It reminded me of this article that I talked about today at our Grad Student meeting; my thesis supervisor, who is a wonderfully compassionate person, noticed that some of us felt that grad school wasn’t worth it, or otherwise had been dealing with issues surrounding that, so we talked about it. I was maybe in the best/worse position to speak to it, since I’ve been DEEP into the rabbit hole of that thought spiral for months. She asked us also what motivates us, and I said that it was knowing the people I’m studying (young adults with mixed linguistic backgrounds) feel seen and validated by what I’m working on whenever I talk about it. I see that my compassion and understanding stance is an asset to research, and I want to find ways to share my findings beyond academic conferences and journals. I don’t want to write for academia, I want my shit to reach beyond that and have it accessible for everyone. That’s the only reason I haven’t fully given up yet.

I see the value I add to to humanity in how I interpret the world; a lot can be said about if it’s worth the personal burdens I’m taking on, but unfortunately, I’ll only be able to know once it’s over (but I mean, at the expense of my whole mental health and $30k worth of debt, I fucking hope it’s worth it).

Despite this, I still wonder if I should or should not keep posting on the social medias, especially Instagram, or at least, post more honestly. A part of me wants to, but another part of me feels forced. It sometimes feels like keeping up appearances that things are okay, when clearly they are not. I’m not sure I’m at what point I’m comfortable being public about how my brain-machine broke and there are no more McFlurries to be had, but I see the value in being open about it. I’m sure I’d have a full, nuanced and compassionate take on discourses around mental health, and I’m sure the way I’d frame it would speak to a lot of people and not just be vapid noise about “ending the stigma”, but more so on how being depressed is a bitch, and we all need to be easier on ourselves. But also, does it also constitute getting back into the race with a broken leg?

That said, I’m surrounded by lovely people who care a lot (yes, including you Catherine), and that’s really great and I hope I return the favour (and am not too much of a burden with my problems). I’ve been working at trying to give myself the same kindness I’ve been shown, and while things are hard (every resolution I’ve land upon recently has it’s own set of difficulties or creates other problems), I’d like to keep hope that if I keep working at it and eliminate enough problems, things should get easier at some point. 

[jamesmurualiterary]

Alain Mabanckou stars at Francophonie Month in Nairobi

Alain Mabanckou stars at Francophonie Month in Nairobi

Alain Mabanckou dazzled Nairobi residents as the guest of honour of Francophonie Month in Kenya from March 10-14, 2022. Every year during the month of March, the richness and vitality of La Francophonie is celebrated around the world. In Nairobi, the guest of honour for Francophonie Month was novelist, journalist, poet, and academic Alain Mabanckou. Arguably the most garlanded African who writes…

[frenchlanguageday]

321 Millions de francophones; des milliards de contenus culturels.

La majorité de ces francophones ont un usage quotidien de la langue. 62 % d'entre eux résident en Afrique, soit 2,5 points de plus qu'en 2018.

[foreign-indianlanguages]

Knowing the Importance of Learning French Language in India | Symbiosis SIFIL

It is never enough to learn a language, especially in today's world, which is immensely diverse in all aspects of human activity. Learning French will only open up new possibilities for you! The benefits of learning French are obvious, thanks to a variety of languages-related occupations. The fascination with the French language goes beyond the distinct aesthetics of French food, tradition, history, culture, literature, traditions, arts, and places. Two Reasons to Learn French in India

There are multitudinous benefits to learning a foreign language. Then there are some important, valid, satisfying, and compelling reasons to take up a French language course in India.

The French Language is Spoken All Over the World

French is the only language spoken on all five mainlands in addition to English. Following English, Spanish, Hindi, Mandarin Chinese, and Arabic, it is the world's sixth most widely spoken language. France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Canada, and Switzerland are just a few of the 29 French-speaking countries in the world. La Francophonie is an association of 84 countries that share the proper use and teaching of French. It has a population of over 270 million French speakers. 

The majority of people who speak French do not live in France and are not native speakers. After English, French is the world's second most widely taught language and one of the most commonly used languages on the Internet. By learning French, you will not only be able to communicate with native French speakers, but also with other people who have learned the language. Because it is the world's second most taught language, there are a plethora of study materials and tools available to help you learn this lovely language.

France is a Popular Study Abroad Option for Indian Students

For Indian and foreign students, France is one of the top three most popular study abroad destinations in Europe. Paris is widely regarded as the best city in the world for students. Every year, around 5,000 students from India travel to France. Your French language skills will enable you to pursue higher education at French business schools and universities. 

France has around 3,500 higher education institutions, including many century-old universities. Some educational institutions provide top-notch education in a variety of subjects, including management, science, art, and technology. Several of France's innovation and research institutes are among the best in the world. According to a 2015 deal between the Indian and French governments, Indian students can stay in France for up to 24 months after finishing their studies. Indi is unable to communicate due to language barriers.

Hence these are two top reasons why taking up a Spanish language course is important in India. SIFIL is the place where you can learn these languages with great efficiency.

[armeniaitn]

Secretary General of the Organization of La Francophonie congratulates Nikol Pashinyan on election win

New Post has been published on https://armenia.in-the.news/politics/secretary-general-of-the-organization-of-la-francophonie-congratulates-nikol-pashinyan-on-election-win-76645-21-07-2021/

Secretary General of the Organization of La Francophonie congratulates Nikol Pashinyan on election win

Secretary General of the Organization of La Francophonie Louise Mushikiwabo congratulated Nikol Pashinyan on his political party’s victory in the snap parliamentary elections. The message reads:

Mr. Prime Minister,

During the polls of June 20, the citizens of Armenia gave a majority of their votes to the political party you headed. As the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia has completed the consideration of appeals, I am pleased to congratulate you on behalf of the Francophone family and on my own behalf for holding free, reliable and transparent elections.

For several months in a row, the Republic of Armenia has been facing serious challenges, particularly in terms of security. In this regard, I would like to reaffirm the solidarity of the Francophone community with those Armenian families awaiting the return of prisoners of war and the victims’ families.

In this context, national unity and dialogue continue to play a basic role. I have no doubt that you will be able to find ways and resources to consolidate the citizens of Armenia and uphold the dynamics of reforms you have initiated since 2018. I mean the democratic reforms, in particular.

Taking the opportunity, I would like to reaffirm the readiness of the International Organization of La Francophonie to promote cooperation between our organization and Armenia, especially as regards the establishment of the rule of law and the French language.  

Read original article here.

[ecelebmirror]

More About Maurizio Arrivabene’s Daughter Stefania Arrivabene

Maurizio Arrivabene is the former team principal of the Scuderia Ferrari Formula One team. Hailing from a marketing and sales background, Maurizio later got involved with the Ferrari Formula One team and sat on the Commission as a representative of the sport’s sponsor from 2010. Maurizio Arrivabene daughter Stefania Arrivabene is working as a marketing consultant at Interproteccion since 2017. The Glion Institute of Higher Education graduate has an extensive resume. She later joined the company as a marketing coordinator assistant in 2011 and worked for five months. Likewise, Stefania also studied fashion styling at Istituto Marangoni in 2009-10. She later worked at XIIIe Sommet de la Francophonie as an organizing secretariat.

Read more

[atlanticcanada]

HRM rolling out bilingual stop signs near French schools this month

The Halifax Regional Municipality is replacing existing stop signs around French schools with bilingual ones in time for International Francophonie Day.

from CBC | Nova Scotia News https://ift.tt/en1rA9h

[valeriecarmetstudio]

For my women history month challenge and because it is francophonie day today I chose a Marie Claude Marquis piece. It reminds me of my early work as a Picassiette artist when I used all those antique plates to create mosaic pieces of art! #marimaki #antiqueplates#vintageplates#francophonie #womenhistorymonth # @marimaki https://www.instagram.com/p/CMrjV5igQYA/?igshid=1w7tt7likjccz