ASTANA – Francophonie Spring 2023 Festival kicked off on March 1 and will run until April 30 to promote the French language and Francophone cultures in Kazakhstan, said French Ambassador to Kazakhstan Didier Canesse at a Central Communications Service briefing on March 1.
Photo credit: nationaltoday.com.
The festival, which has been held in Kazakhstan for the past 13 years, features art exhibitions, sports events, conferences, meetings, and master classes with foreign experts, as well as the Francophonie film week, which will screen 19 French movies.
The events will take place in Astana, Almaty, Shymkent, Karagandy, Atyrau, Kostanai, and Ust-Kamenogorsk.
“The festival’s goal is to mark the richness of the French language and the diversity of Francophone cultures,” Canesse said.
On March 14, schoolchildren in Almaty who study French will participate in a big event competing in athletics, judo, and karate, among other sports. Astana and Almaty will host concerts with performances by the Ruée des Arts dance team.
As part of the festival, French photographers will showcase their works. Adèle Jelansky, a photographer and artist, will begin her three-month project in early April. It will culminate in the exhibition of all her works created with Kazakh artists at the Esentai Gallery in Almaty, while photographer Jean-Marc Godès will exhibit his works in Almaty, Karagandy, and Astana.
The festival will also include a virtual reality display and a traditional francophonie song contest.
The festival is organized by the Embassies of Armenia, Canada, Egypt, France, Lebanon, Morocco, Romania, Switzerland, French alliances, and other French institutions in Kazakhstan.
