Francophone festival ‘strengthens cultural ties’

The Francophone festival has helped strengthen ties between French-speaking nations across the globe, said Louis Blin, the French consul general at the conclusion of the two-week event at his residence in Jeddah on Thursday.
The Francophone week started on March 13 with the participation of 20 countries in various cultural activities, photo exhibitions, film nights, concerts, and literary evenings. It concluded with a traditional food festival.
The 20 countries were France, Egypt, Algeria, Belgium, Morocco, Tunisia, Syria, Lebanon, Canada, Switzerland, Congo (DRC), Burundi, Madagascar, Rwanda, Ivory Coast, Greece, Togo, Guinea, Niger, Senegal, Turkey and Cameroon.
The term Francophone refers to people whose cultural background is primarily associated with the French language, regardless of ethnic or geographical differences.
Blin said the links between the countries were not only based on language but also “common values.” He thanked Saudi Arabia for supporting the event, which attracted thousands of people.
He praised the efforts of Sebastien Lafragette, the cultural attaché at the French consulate, and the entire organizing team.
Salah Attia, the Algerian consul general and dean of the consular corps, congratulated the consulates for helping to make the festival a success.
It provided an opportunity for the Francophone community “to get together, share their mutual culture and strengthen relations.” Algeria was also able to display handicrafts, he added.
Lafragette said the event was successful because most of the consulates organized activities over the two-week period.
“It is very important to mention that there are around 50,000 Francophone people in Jeddah. It is a very dynamic group over here. It’s not about the language but the spirit of brotherhood that exists among all these countries. Everyone enjoyed the festival with music, plastic art, cinema, literature, book experiences, sports and food from all the participant countries,” he added.
The traditional food included the Lebanese national dish kibbeh, Algerian couscous, Swiss cheese, Egyptian rice with lentils, and sweets from Turkey and other countries.
On the first night of the festival, French artist Corinne Sauvage sang a tribute to singer Dalida in front of an audience of about 450 people.