French Embassy in Qatar Celebrates International Day of the Francophonie

Doha, March 10 (QNA) - The French Embassy in Qatar today celebrated the International Day of Francophonie which falls the March 20 each year, with the participation of HE the Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage Dr Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kuwari, French Ambassador to Qatar Jean-Christophe Peaucelle and a number of ambassadors of member states in the Organization accredited to Qatar.. At the outset of the celebration Dr. Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kuwari gave a speech in which he welcomed the ambassadors and thanked the French ambassador for this invitation, which provides a platform to talk about the accession of the State of Qatar as an associate member of the International Organization of Francophonie. The Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage in this regard said the causes of Qatar's accession to the Organization of Francophonie stemmed from its keenness on promoting dialogue among civilizations by taking several initiatives in this direction, such as hosting many seminars, conferences and various events , pointing out that this openness toward other cultures allowed the current generation of Qatar to learn different languages, including French. Dr.Al-Kuwari pointed to the importance of learning a language with a cultural and civilizational depth, although English is the most influential and widespread, referring in this regard to the authenticity of French culture and the importance of that language, which he considered a motivation to start joint action that creates a platform for dialogue between the Arab and French cultures. He said the State of Qatar is keen on maintaining the Arabic language and consolidate its position, but stressed at the same time that Qatar belongs to an ancient civilization, authentic deeply rooted in history which is Arab-Islamic civilization. He added that the Gulf region, including Qatar, knew for hundreds of years of coexistence and convergence with different cultures and civilizations, which may be rare in other parts of the world, pointing out that this coexistence has become the norm that could guide the way toward rich and peaceful bilateral initiatives. Dr. Al Kuwari stressed the importance of culture and language in general, and their impact on the service of international relations, referring to the economic role played by Qatar as an investor in the Francophone countries. He said openness towards the French language comes as an important factor in the service of bilateral relations between Qatar and these countries. Dr. Al Kuwari added: "All these factors led us to seek the membership of the International Organization of Francophonie, which promotes cultural diversity and is committed to the values of peace and cooperation."(QNA)