France’s cultural cooperation and the network of Alliances Françaises
Building on a strong network all over the world, France’s cultural action is based on two pillars: promoting the French language and fostering exchanges between countries in various artistic and scientific fields, such as performing arts, visual arts, literature, cinema, research and science. The main purpose of the French cultural cooperation is to bring together international and local artists in order to promote their work, to create discussions and debates and to encourage intellectual exchanges.
In Sri Lanka, as elsewhere in the world, the Alliance Française network has been a key operator in the organization of France’s educational and cultural programmes. The Alliances Françaises of Kotte, Jaffna, Kandy and Matara/Galle are Sri Lankan organizations operating under local law. In coordination with the Embassy of France, they conduct cultural activities, involving young creators and artists.
These activities have substantially increased over the past two years thanks to the creation, in Colombo, of the new Alliance Française de Kotte in April 2010.
The Alliance Française de Kotte hosts the General Delegation of the Alliance Française in Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The Delegation represents the Paris head Office of the international organization, Fondation Alliance Française, and ensures the application of the Chart of Quality shared by the network of Alliances in the world.
As such, it has opened its doors to an increasing number of students of French language who find in its educational programmes the proper curriculum to satisfy their linguistic needs.
The Alliances Françaises de Kotte and Kandy also prepare and organize the renown diplomas of DELF and DALF for Adults and Juniors, the only French diplomas with international recognition in Sri Lanka.
On the other hand, Alliance Française de Kotte has .been able to organize successful cultural events, thanks to the support of the Embassy of France and of a growing number of local and European partners and sponsors.
The Alliance Française de Kotte has been supporting local artists, organized film festivals and concerts, such as those of Diotima, Benzine, Soo Bin and Thriloka at the end of 2011.
The Alliance Française de Kandy is particularly active with the local artists and caters actively to the creative activities of its students.
In 2012, The Alliance Française de Kotte worked very closely with the Embassy of France in the organization of the French Spring in Sri Lanka, which received the support of the Sri Lankan Ministry of Culture and of the BMICH, as well as the sponsorship of numerous French Sri Lankan institutions and companies operating in the two countries.
For the first time ever, the French spring in Sri Lanka, which was extended to Kandy, Matara and Galle, presented during 10 days a dozen events free of charge and open to all, covering fields of artistic creations from both countries with world and classical music, rock and electro, Fête de la Musique, contemporary dance and hip hop, street art, photography, cinema, architecture and gastronomy.
Favouring the meeting and the gathering spirit of people from all communities and cultures, is definitely an Embassy of France and Alliance Française “trait” that reinforces the amicable cooperation between the two countries.