International Francophonie Day Facts and Celebration : International Francophonie Day is celebrated every year on 20th of March. Did you know that there are 29 countries where French is the official language? Well, that sounds interesting, and most of you might not know about it. You might be fond of speaking French and would try your best to unleash information about French terms. Well, one of the most remarkable yet worth-knowing terms is Francophonie. Some of you might know about it; some might not. You must have heard about Francophonie Day and would be wondering about its significance. We have covered you all with how the term originated, rose to fame, and why people celebrate the day!
How Did Francophonies Originate and Rose?
Francophonie means French-speaking. There are two terms, ‘Francophonie’ and ‘francophonie,’ the former with an uppercase initial, which refers to French-speaking people, while the latter with a lowercase initial is for French-speaking nations. The origin of the word dates back to 1880. Yes, the terms aren’t new, but they are a few centuries old.
Once, a geographer from France traversed to Africa, where he was impressed with so many people speaking French. His name was Onesime Reclus. He realized the importance of his active language and also how the language was uprooted in colonial Africa. Several people from the region used it as a medium of communication, and the ethical French culture and traditions were also embedded in it. That’s when he first used the term Francophonie.
Despite their location, backgrounds, and diversities, the French language has United various individuals under a common way of communication. Unfortunately, the term wasn’t popular then, and dictionaries slowly started to trace it.
International Francophonie Day Facts
Leopold Sedar Senghor, a poet, is the person who played a crucial role in popularizing Francophonie. It was then.im.160 that he also comprehended how the language had connected different nations promoting the culture and using it as a native language. You might think of how a nominal poet rose the term to fame!
Apart from that, he has been the first president of Senegal. When he comprehended that without any bondage, independent countries and people embrace the French language and culture, he frequently emphasized the term. It was to illustrate how important France was to other nations. He also believed that it would not only promote the culture but would also extend the relationship of France with other nations. Surprisingly, it did connect two different continents, French and Europe, also sharing varied traditions and lifestyles.
Why is Francophonie Day Celebrated?
Francophonie day is when La Francophonie signed the Niamey Convention in Niger. It played an essential role for Francophonie as it facilitated the recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards among French-speaking countries. Many Francophone countries, including Niger, are signatories to the Niamey Convention. It contributed to developing international commercial arbitration to resolve disputes in the Francophone world. It helped to strengthen economic and legal ties between francophone countries. The Convention was crucial in promoting the stability and predictability of cross-border transactions in the Francophone world.
La Francophone, initially known as Agence de Cooperation Culturelle et technique (A.C.C.T), is located in Niamey. As mentioned earlier, the first president of Senegal supported the Francophonie. He intends to popularize it. Thus, to expand and increase its influence, he became the vice president of ACCT’s high council. His efforts reflect even today when 29 countries use French as their national or official language. Besides, people worldwide have a deep interest in speaking French.
International Francophonie Day Facts and Celebration
The Asians think it is highly prestigious. That’s why even people who aren’t Cavallari with it take effort to learn it or use common French words. Both senior and Reclus, the French geographer, had comprehended it well.
What’s more interesting is that the accent of Francoponies differs, yet their speaking French is no less than a delight. Besides, Canada has become one of the biggest Francophonie. These nations even show slight variations in the French language, similar to what wordplay does in literature. The organization, now known as La Francophonie, celebrates the day to promote the French language, tradition, and its vast adoption worldwide. Some do consider the language a hallmark of peace and think that it safeguards human rights.
The day continues to proliferate the idea of Francophonie. What’s noteworthy is that UNESCO also promotes the concept of La Francophonie as they believe in strengthening humanity with the medium of French. It owes to the high credibility of the language that people and nations have faith in. Followers of French not only speak it but also embrace its culture, values, and traditions, believe and use their human rights, and thus it promotes harmony.
How Do People Celebrate Francophonie Day?
Different nations worldwide celebrate International Francophonie Day. What’s noteworthy is the fact that they even celebrate International Francophonie week from 17 to 25 March. There are various cultural events that organizations and private firms host. Some attend it while others organize to promote the idea.
Others watch a French movie or series to celebrate Francophonie day. Even educational institutions organize activities, competitions, and events to promote the concept and, thus, peace and harmony. It will be interesting to see how people celebrate the day this year!
The Wrap Up
If you wanted to know comprehensively about International Francophonie Day, you would have got your answer! The day embarks the signing of the Niamey Convention in Niger and the A.C.C.T. In particular, the day is celebrated to embrace French culture and language. So, Francophonies celebrate it and increase the idea of promoting peace and harmony. Onesime Reclus coined the term Francophonie and Senegal, ha she credits it to popularizing it. Their efforts played a crucial role, and their effects are also evident today.
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