Alliance Française de Gaborone marks 40th Anniversary in style
Alliance Française de Gaborone – a linguistic and cultural centre – held a video launch of the 40th Anniversary of its inception in Botswana Wednesday evening in a laidback but pleasant ambience at its premises in Gaborone.
The cultural centre could not celebrate the big day last year ( 1980 - 2020) with pomp and fanfare on account of COVID- 19, which has sullied life as we used to know it. But this week Wednesday and Thursday an exclusive group of invited guests braved the early winter to pay homage - in the words of French Ambassador to Botswana, Laurence Beau – to the “marriage of two beautiful cultures”. In glowing words the French envoy paid tribute to the work that Alliance Française de Gaborone has done not only in the promotion of the French language with French professors, teachers, guests and French culture, but also in the promotion of Tswana culture. She said they have managed to do the latter by working hand in hand with artists, local businesses as well as offering Setswana lessons at the centre. In fact, the Ambassador pleasantly shocked her audience when she announced that she is taking Tswana lessons and even demonstrated her ability by speaking a few words!
Alliance Française de Gaborone is not just a cultural centre, but has also helped many to forge new and in some cases, enduring lifetime relationships as well as job opportunities and many other souvenirs and memories for those who walked through its doors. In fact, in the 15 minutes DVD, made up of 40 people who had an impact on the success of AFG, Ulf Nermak, a professional photographer, fondly remembers Alliance Française as the place where he met his wife! Ambassador Beau announced that in the near future the centre will relocate to a new building currently under restoration, where she said, patrons will have the opportunity to “learn more” about the different initiatives through the planned activities of the Alliance Française and the special events that will be offered there. In all the countries that she has been posted to, including Mexico, whose centre, at 137 years, is probably the oldest in the world – Ambassador Beau found that Alliance Française provided a fertile ground for making new friendships. Alliance Française de Gaborone Director Aurélie Gbeffa, who sadly, will be leaving in August this year, explained that the DVD features former and present students, stakeholders, former personnel, sponsors and people from various walks of life.