Ja to experience ‘A Touch of France’ this week
FRENCH AMBASSADOR to Jamaica, Denys Wibaux, has hailed his embassy-endorsed ‘A Touch of France’ exhibition as a showpiece event for cementing the French-Jamaican relationship.
‘A Touch of France’ was launched in 2000 and is a biannual exchange of culture and business event, managed and implemented by the French Embassy. The event will have its official opening on Thursday and will spread over three days at Spanish Court Hotel in New Kingston.
“We have a solid foundation between France and Jamaica to build upon. ‘A Touch of France’ is one more opportunity to build more relationships in terms of culture and business and also fashion and cuisine, so I am very happy to have this event and I fully support this project,” said Wibaux.
He said that this edition of the event coincides with the visit of a number of French companies.
“They come in the framework of the visit from the Private Sector Organisation of France and will have meetings with the Jamaican authorities and also with local private-sector organisations. So it’s a good convergence of efforts and initiatives,”Wibauxnoted.
Twenty-seven exhibitors will be on show over the three days and will feature a mix of local and overseas companies.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ON FRIDAY
Pierre Lemaire, the event chairman, said that ‘A Touch of France’ has become a signature exhibition and that its success is as a result of the strong relations between the two countries that share more than meets the eye.
“It is simply to give the Jamaican public the chance of experiencing what France has to offer, so they can come and meet French businesses, and this has brought great successes over the years,” he said.
According to Lemaire, the event is also an opportunity to present various aspects of French culture, whether from mainland France or from its overseas departments, through the participation of those who live this culture every day. These include artists and professionals from the world of music, dance, cuisine and fashion.
The exhibition will be open to the public on Friday, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Major sponsors of the event include JAMPRO, the Tourism Enhancement Fund, The RJRGLEANER Communications Group, Kingston Freeport Terminal Limited, Vinci Construction, Marksman, CMA CGM, Fidelity Motors (Nissan), Trans Jamaican Highway, Highway 2000, Thales, J Wray and Nephew, and JIO.