On the 20th of March every year since 1988, the 88 states and governments part of the francophonie celebrate and promote all over the world the French language and its cultural and linguistic diversity.
Did you know that over the world there are 321 million french speakers ? Right now there are 93 million students learning French at school and 51 million people learning by other ways. The French language is the fifth most spoken language in the world, and the fourth most used on the internet.
The French language had always had a special place between other languages. First, it is a symbol of culture and creativity. It also has been a vector of democracy and humanism. These are values shared by the UNESCO for example and that’s why French is one of the six official languages spoken in this organization.
Did you know that over the world there are 321 million french speakers ? Right now there are 93 million students learning French at school and 51 million people learning by other ways. The French language is the fifth most spoken language in the world, and the fourth most used on the internet.
The French language had always had a special place between other languages. First, it is a symbol of culture and creativity. It also has been a vector of democracy and humanism. These are values shared by the UNESCO for example and that’s why French is one of the six official languages spoken in this organization.
As you can see, the five colors of the francophonie flag are reminders about the colors of the states and governments participating in the francophonie summit. It also represents the five continents. The interlocked strips symbolize mutual aid, reunification and dynamism.
The motto of the francophonie organisation is "égalité, complémentarité, solidarité" (equality, complementarity, and solidarity), which is a direct allusion to France's motto "liberté, égalité, fraternité" (liberty, equality, fraternity).
The goal of the organization is also to send a message about peace, democracy, human rights, supporting education, cooperation and sustainable development.
One of the exercises that every school does on this day is the famous “french dictation”. It is officially since 2004 part of the activities done around the world to celebrate the francophonie day.
In France, its use began in 1850. The oldest is attributed to the writer and academician of the 19th century Prosper Mérimée.
It is an exercise well known by the students in the French school system and it has become a playful activity for them and is very often a trial in many exams.
The goal of the dictation is to sensitize the students to the diversity and wealth of the french language by its expressions and vocabulary.
For the francophonie day the dictation presents itself as a few paragraphs in which there are expressions and words from regions and countries of the francophonie. This year the countries and regions promoted are Quebec, Lebanon and Lorraine.
So today don’t forget to take a pen with you, eat a croissant, learn the difference between vers, ver, vert and verre and be ready to celebrate the French language with all the other people speaking it across the world !
The motto of the francophonie organisation is "égalité, complémentarité, solidarité" (equality, complementarity, and solidarity), which is a direct allusion to France's motto "liberté, égalité, fraternité" (liberty, equality, fraternity).
The goal of the organization is also to send a message about peace, democracy, human rights, supporting education, cooperation and sustainable development.
One of the exercises that every school does on this day is the famous “french dictation”. It is officially since 2004 part of the activities done around the world to celebrate the francophonie day.
In France, its use began in 1850. The oldest is attributed to the writer and academician of the 19th century Prosper Mérimée.
It is an exercise well known by the students in the French school system and it has become a playful activity for them and is very often a trial in many exams.
The goal of the dictation is to sensitize the students to the diversity and wealth of the french language by its expressions and vocabulary.
For the francophonie day the dictation presents itself as a few paragraphs in which there are expressions and words from regions and countries of the francophonie. This year the countries and regions promoted are Quebec, Lebanon and Lorraine.
So today don’t forget to take a pen with you, eat a croissant, learn the difference between vers, ver, vert and verre and be ready to celebrate the French language with all the other people speaking it across the world !
Arthur Otin
Arthur is a French volunteer involved in the Francophonie Day
