Francophonie month in Panama from March 7 to 24
The programming started this Tuesday, March 7 and will end on the 24th of this month at the headquarters of the French Alliance of Panama, located on Calle 44 with Avenida Justo Arosemena in Panama City.
Source: La Prensa
Concerts, film cycles, educational activities and literary meetings are part of the activities scheduled to celebrate the month of the Francophonie in Panama.
The Francophonie includes those men and women who share a common language: French. It is estimated that there are more than 321 million French-speaking people spread across the five continents, according to data from the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF), which was born on March 20, 1970 and is made up of more than 88 countries and governments around the world.
To celebrate this French-speaking holiday, the diplomatic representations of the OIF countries established in Panama (France, Belgium, Canada, Costa Rica, Haiti, Morocco, Mexico, Switzerland and Poland) have come together to present the different cultural activities. The French Alliance of David and the French International Lyceum are also added.
During these three weeks there will be at least one daily activity. For the organization of the festival, the French Alliance of Panama has worked with nine embassies that are present in the country and that are members of the International Organization of la Francophonie.
As part of the film series, each embassy will provide a film from their country. Some of the films that will be screened are: L'orchestre de minuit (Morocco), I have electric dreams (Belgium), Güeros (Mexico), Last Dance (Switzerland), among others. In addition, the French authors Clara Arnaud and Marianne Roche and the Panamanian Fernando Sucre will lead the meeting called "Literary Perspectives."
In turn, a round table on gender and music will be held, with the participation of Nathalie Marín (French conductor), Nathalie Manfrino (French soprano), Mar Alzamora (Panamanian bassist, composer, poet and researcher) and Patricia Vlieg (Panamanian multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter). This debate will revolve around the place of women in music, be it as creators, instrumentalists, soloists and even as women who work in musical institutions.
The program also includes exhibitions, readings to music, free French classes, a concert with a French musical repertoire and, as a great closing, the "French-speaking market" will take place, said Florian Davrou, head of culture of the French Alliance of Panama. In this little market, all the embassies offer attendees products from their countries and national artists will also be presented, Davrou explained.
Most of the activities are free, except for the French-speaking repertoire, which costs $5. Nor is it necessary to make reservations.
In
the last edition of 2022, some 1,300 people were received at the festival.
According to the organizers, this year the average number of attendees is
expected to exceed that of last year.
"During
these weeks, the public in Panama will be able to learn French in all its
diversity, which is not only France but all the countries where French is
spoken or that have a history linked to France," said Davrou.