Music performances, sports tournaments, gastronomic events and a speech contest will mark this year’s Francophonie festival in Doha, scheduled from March 13 to 23, French ambassador Franck Gellet has announced.
The event, organised by the French embassy in Doha and the French Institute of Qatar, is dedicated to those who love the French language beyond just being the first language of culture and communication.
The embassy noted that Qatar has around 200,000 Francophones according to latest estimates.
“The Francophonie festival is more of discovering the wealth of the French language and sharing it to others,” the envoy told reporters at a press conference on Sunday at Alwadi Hotel Doha. He was joined by French Institute of Qatar assistant director Sylvie Lamy.
He said students of French in the country will gather at Rotana Hotel City Center on March 13 from 6.30pm for the debut of the speech competition. Eight finalists will be showcasing their eloquence in front of a panel of judges, composed of diplomats, lawyers, and theatre professionals during the elimination round.
Gellet said the next activity, a sporty one, will bring together 24 teams who will be competing in the second French Touch Rugby tournament, hosted by Blue Falcons Rugby Club, on March 15 (8am to 6pm) at Doha Sport Park.
The festival is also set to host the French dictation, ‘La Grande dictee de langue francaise’ on March 21 (5pm), which will feature two categories: French as a mother tongue and French as a second language.
The envoy said a week is dedicated to French cuisine, a gastronomic event dubbed as ‘Gout de France/Good France’ that will dazzle residents and visitors with the flavours of Provence from March 21to 24. It will be celebrated in many restaurants across Doha.
Students from different schools will battle it out at the ‘Olympiades of the Francophonie’, a series of sporting competitions kicking off with fencing (a sport in which the French language is used), theatrical performances, writing contests, and plastic arts on March 23 from 10am to 4pm at the French Qatari Voltaire School in Al Waab.
The five-member musical group ‘Cinq de Coeur’ will present a unique show titled ‘The non-return concert’, aimed at entertaining the audience with their humour and vocal skills through lyrical chant. The quintet will perform renowned classical repertoire or the standard variety through wacky scenes on March 23 at 4pm at the Drama Theater, Katara – the Cultural Village.
The Francophonie festival is being held with the support and in partnership with Qatar Foundation, Katara – the Cultural Village, FNAC – Fifty One East, and Qatar Airways (official airline). Entry to the events is free of charge.
