Today 274 million people speak French. This is the fifth most popular language on the planet, the third in the business sector and the fourth on the Internet. The Francophonie helps to develop, guard and study French, to establish links between the North and the South — the countries of Europe, North America, and Africa. The organization opens French language centers and launches new projects to support communication between countries.
Now the international organization Francophonie (OIF) unites 84 states (26 of them are observers), not all of them are only francophone. Any country that shares French cultural and social values, the key ideas of Francophonie, can apply for the membership. We are talking about such important topics as “uncompromising humanism”, democracy, the protection of human rights, the support of education, cultural diversity and peace.
With the help of the Francophonie, the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions was adopted in 2005. Every year 90 French-speaking festivals are held with the support of the OIF, there are programs for writers, artists, musicians available. Some of the events organized by the Francophonie have grown into world-famous events. For example, the Film and Television Festival of Panafrica in Ouagadougou (FESPACO), first held in 1969, became the real voice of Africa for European and American audiences.
The Francophonie helps to defend human rights and monitors the implementation of laws, participating in solving acute problems. For example, concerning the Iraq issue, the OIF has categorically opposed the use of force, demanding that the United States and Great Britain comply with the international law. The countries of the OIF managed to convince the UN of their rightness. As a result, it was decided to preserve the territory of Iraq and its independence.
The Francophonie takes an active part in the fate of African countries. It was the intervention of the OIF that helped prevent civil wars following coups in Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea and other troubled regions of Africa.
The Francophonie is one of the most influential organizations in the world. The OIF cooperates with UNESCO, the UN, the Commonwealth of Nations, UNICEF and other intergovernmental organizations. The summits of the Francophonie are held once in two years. The participating countries discuss topical issues, plans, and strategies.
In 2018, the summit of the Francophonie will be held in Yerevan. Armenia joined the OIF in 2008 and takes an active part in the work of the organization.
And what do you know about this organization?
