This year’s French Language and Francophonie Week will run from March 12-22. Supplied
March is a month of celebration in Cambodia, as the French Institute of Cambodia (Institut Français du Cambodge) and the French embassy present a cultural programme which highlights the French language and Francophone cultures.
This year’s events, part of the French Language and Francophonie Week, are running from March 12 to 22. They offer a rich mix of activities that showcase the beauty and diversity of the French-speaking world.
Among the events is a literary meeting with Jean-Louis Tripp, a renowned comic book author, and various performances that celebrate the French language through song and public speaking.
Film screenings featuring directors from Tunisia, Morocco, Canada and Ivory Coast are also part of the lineup, along with a storytelling session featuring Ivorian tales and a special concert with master lyricist Arthur Ribo and improvisational pianist Roch Havet, who will create a detailed unscripted tale using words from the audience.
Organised every year around March 20, the International Day of Francophonie, the French Language and Francophonie Week is a key international event that promotes cultural exchange and education.
This year, the French Institute of Cambodia has made these events accessible to a wide range of audiences, from university students to the general public.
Cambodian schools and universities are actively participating in the celebrations, with a tour of Molière’s “The Imaginary Invalid” presented by the theatre company “Les Incompressibles” from New Caledonia.
In addition, Arthur Ribo, who will perform in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Battambang, will also lead workshops for secondary school students, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport.
With over 22,000 students learning French in the Kingdom, the French embassy continues to support French language education, offering teacher training and creating opportunities for students to engage in cultural and educational activities.
These initiatives are designed to highlight the advantages of the French language for academic and professional development.
Looking ahead, Cambodia will host the 20th Francophonie Summit in 2026, the second to be held in Asia nearly 30 years after the summit took place in Hanoi in 1997.
This will be a chance to showcase the vitality of the Francophone community in Southeast Asia and to honour His Majesty King Father Norodom Sihanouk, a founding father of the multilateral Francophonie.
“The Cambodian Francophonie is particularly dynamic, and the Cambodian government includes many French speakers. Mastery of this language allows Cambodians to be part of a strong community of 343 million speakers worldwide. Franco-Cambodian cooperation will continue in the fields of education, university studies, science, heritage and culture,” said Pierre Vincent, cooperation and cultural action advisor, and director of the French Institute of Cambodia.
