HCM City (VNA) – Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’sCommittee Le Van Khoa on March 17 welcomed Adama Ouane, Director of theInternational Francophone Organisation (OIF), who is on a working visit toVietnam and attends Francophone Day activities in the southern city.
Vice Chairman Khoa highly spoke of the OIF’s role in international and regionalissues, thereby showing the the organisation’s development, especially in promotingeducational cooperation and expanding the Francophone community in the world.
He thanked the organisation for its cooperation with and support to the city inrecent times, saying that southern hub is maintaining French-language teaching inschools and universities. About 4,000 school students and 5,000 universitystudents in the city are studying French, he added.
Khoa proposed the OIF continue its help in training and improving skills of teachersin French at local education establishments.
The organisation was also asked to help restore French architecture works inorder to protect and preserve typical culture of the Francophone community inHCM city.
OIF Director Ouane, for his part, said Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City inparticular have played an important role in the relations between the OIF andthe Asia-Pacific region, as well as a central role in developing the OIF’s Francophonecommunity in the region.
His current visit to Vietnam is to learn about the demand of Vietnam as well asHCM City in promoting the development of the French-speaking community, headded.
On the occasion of the 48th anniversary of Francophone Day (March 20), aFrancophone festive day 2018 was held by the HCM City’s Department of Educationand Training and Union of Friendship Organisation, and the French ConsulateGeneral in the city on March 18.
The event drew the participation of about 5,000 students and learners ofFrench-language programmes and teachers in French, and representatives fromconsulate generals in the city of the Francophone community.
The event included cultural and art activities, games, booths introducing learningprogrammes of schools using French language from primary to tertiary levels,along with others featuring cuisine, culture and arts of the Francophonecommunity.- VNA