Month of cultural events to celebrate the French language

CYPRUS will celebrate the International Month of Francophonie in March with a variety of cultural events across the island.

The programme of the International Month of Francophonie was presented yesterday by Education Minister Andreas Demetriou and French Ambassador in Nicosia Nicolas Galey.

The Minister said that Cyprus participates actively in the events co-organised by the government and the countries members of the International Organisation of Francophonie (OIF).

Moreover, Cyprus participates through its embassies abroad in the events organised by the other member states of the Organisation, thus making Cypriot civilisation known to the world.

Galey said that the number of people learning French in Cyprus has increased in recent years.

“Francophonie will be celebrated in Cyprus with various events on TV, radio, at the University of Cyprus, the French School Arthur Rimbaud, Cyprus’ public schools, Alliances Francaises in Limassol and Paphos, and in venues in Larnaca and Nicosia”.

Cyprus became an associate member of the International Organisation of Francophonie in September 2006 with the aim to further enhance its relations with France and other member states of the Organisation.

The OIF comprises 68 states and governments, including 24 European states. The French language is the official language of 32 of these states.

The Minister said that Cyprus decided to participate in the Organisation since “it is a forum of common values, cooperation and solidarity”.

Demetriou added: “The legacy of the French language and its values for humanity, which constitute world values of the rule of law and offer the basis for respect of human rights, signal a valuable opening to modern world”,.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.