site.btaParliament Hosts Exhibition "Francophonie and University Diplomacy"

Marking International Francophonie Day, March 20, the exhibition "Francophonie and University Diplomacy" was opened at the National Assembly, Parliament's website said.

The event, organized by Deputy Parliament Chair Filiz Hyusmenova and Chair of the Committee on Direct Participation of Citizens and Interaction with Civil Society Valentin Tonchev in partnership with the embassies of France, Switzerland, Morocco, and Romania, took place in honour of the 53rd anniversary of the establishment of the International Organisation of La Francophonie.

The exhibition includes 20 panels that show different aspects of the activities of the representatives of the academic world in the Francophone space.

Filiz Hyusmenova expressed her satisfaction that the legislative institution is hosting such an event. According to her, French is the language of beauty, diplomacy, and culture. Valentin Tonchev pointed out that Bulgaria introduced the study of French as a first foreign language at the end of the 19th century and joined the International Organisation of La Francophonie in 1993 on the initiative of President Zhelyu Zhelev.

French Ambassador Joel Meyer also described the celebration of the International Day of Francophonie as a celebration of the dynamism of parliamentary diplomacy.

The opening of the exhibition was attended by the choir of the 9th French Language School "Alphonse de Lamartine" and the choir of Sofia University. The event was also attended by MPs, French language teachers, public figures, journalists, representatives of the diplomatic corps and the French Cultural Institute in Bulgaria, Parliament's press centre said.