Celebrating Francophonie across the world

From May to September 2024, Alliances Françaises around the world united for a global initiative celebrating the diversity and richness of Francophonie. From the New York Alliance, Louise Bertin shares this collective journey, which culminated beautifully with a festive collage in the heart of Paris.

Louise Bertin
NOVEMBER, 1ST 2024

The "Les visages de la Francophonie" initiative was launched to mark the 140th anniversary of the Alliance Française, with the goal of uniting the Alliance Française network around a common, inclusive project. Tatyana Franck, President of the Alliance Française in New York, initiated this action to bring the Alliances together in a worldwide celebration, highlighting the diversity within the French-speaking world.

This initiative seeks to showcase the richness of Francophone culture through the faces of the people who bring it to life every day. From the students learning French to the staff and patrons, and anyone drawn to the shared love of the French language. Each Alliance Française created their own display, forming a global mosaic celebrating our multicultural, global community.

Launched At the beginning of 2024, the project brought together 19 Alliances from 14 countries across all continents!

"Les visages de la Francophonie", New York, United States, July 2024, 249 portraits

The Fondation des Alliances Françaises was a key partner, amplifying the call for participation and rallying Alliance teams worldwide. The "Faces of the Francophonie" action was truly collaborative, with Vasilena Koleva, project manager at the Foundation, and Marc Cerdan, Secretary General, leading efforts. Each team in every Alliance organized photo sessions and displays, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. They took on the challenge of incorporating this project into their schedules, and each Alliance brought energy and enthusiasm to make it a success.

Several moments stood out, especially the project in Ulaanbaatar, in Mongolia, which completed its collage in May 2024. The team photographed Mongolian athletes learning French in partnership with the Mongolian Olympic and Paralympic Committees and the Paris Olympic Games, bringing the excitement of the Francophonie together with the global anticipation for the Paris Olympics.

"Les visages de la Francophonie", Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, May 2024, 20 portraits

In Cochabamba in Bolivia, the collage celebrated the 75th anniversary of Alliance Française, with nearly 200 portraits covering a massive wall. In Cartagena, Spain, the Alliance collaborated with the French School in Murcia, French teachers from public and private schools, and French language enthusiasts. The display of 154 photos was exhibited at various locations around the city.

"Les visages de la Francophonie", Cochabamba, Bolivia, July 2024, 190 portraits 

Across all the Alliances, each group leader’s dedication to their projects reinforced the sense of belonging to a global, interconnected community with a shared message. Alliance Française in New York is incredibly grateful for this investment from everyone.

In New York, we were able to carry out our local action with a photobooth truck during our annual Bastille Day celebration. Over 250 portraits were displayed on Madison Avenue, and we gathered participants’ reflections on their love for France and the French language. Some comments made us smile, others made us think, but all reminded us of the rich individual and collective stories tied to Francophone culture:

“I was born in France and am very proud of my culture and roots. We have so many wonderful things—landscapes, food. My story with France forms the basis of my identity. I now live in Mexico, and I’m so happy to have both cultures and nationalities. Today, as I walk through New York, I’m also happy to join this project.”

“My ex was from France. We dated two years ago, and I still think of him today. (…) He taught me not only about the French language and culture but also about life. I wish him the best and hope he comes back.”

“French people are cool. They have amazing cheese, but especially they really know how to protest!"

“I feel I’ve always been drawn to French culture since I was little. I’m Haitian, so of course, it’s part of my culture. And I love it.”

“I was born in the U.S., and while I have a French last name, I’m not French. My family came here hundreds of years ago. I moved to France at 23, nearly 20 years ago. It was for the classic reason: I was chasing after my girlfriend. (…) I picked up some French, but more than that, I developed a connection with wine, which led to my career in that field.”

"Les visages de la Francophonie", New York, United States, July 2024, 249 portraits

To wrap up the project beautifully, we created two collages in Paris, with a selection of portraits from around the world. These were displayed on September 19 and 20 at the Foundation of Alliances Françaises and the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs. These displays were part of European Heritage Days and the "Remake the World" Festival held during the Francophonie Summit. The collages drew the curiosity of over 3,200 visitors at the Quai d'Orsay, and we received heartfelt messages from Alliance Française teams around the world (from Canada, Spain, Angola, and others) who were moved to see their faces displayed in Paris.

"Les visages de la Francophonie", Paris, France, September 2024, 100 portraits

The Alliance Française team in New York returned to the U.S., grateful to Inside Out and all the participants of this unique project. We hope these faces will remain visible for as long as possible on walls around the world.

 

Participating alliances include:

Brisbane (Australia)              Havana (Cuba)                        New York (U.S.)

Cochabamba (Bolivia)          Tetovo (Macedonia)                  San Francisco (U.S.)   

Halifax (Canada)                  Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia)            Miami (U.S.)

Moncton (Canada)                The Hague (Netherlands)        Luanda (Angola)

Montreal (Canada)                Cartagena (Spain)                   Antsirabe (Madagascar)

Bogota (Colombia)                New Orleans (U.S.)                 Banská Bystrica (Slovakia)

Medellín (Colombia)