WINDHOEK, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Namibian youth and diplomats on Saturday gathered at the Franco-Namibian Cultural Centre (FNCC) in Windhoek for the annual Francophone Fair, celebrating linguistic and cultural diversity through exhibitions, food and performances.
The event marked the official launch of this year's Francophonie Week and brought together more than 200 high school and university students from across Namibia who are studying French.
The students organized a one-day exhibition highlighting the traditions, history and geography of various French-speaking countries.
"We use March for the celebration of the Francophone fair. It is an opportunity to gather students from Namibia who are learning French in school," FNCC Director Martin Beyer told Xinhua in an interview.
"It's an opportunity for them to meet students from other schools, to meet the ambassadors of the French-speaking countries, and to give little presentations of what they have studied in their school about Francophone countries," he said.
Beyer said the Francophonie celebrations will continue in the coming days, with a French cinema dinner scheduled for March 18 and a Francophonie concert set for March 25 in Windhoek.
Beyond the educational exhibits, the event also used food and traditional dishes to foster cultural exchange.
In a joint effort, the embassies of Congo-Brazzaville, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt and France hosted a food fair, offering visitors a culinary journey through the French-speaking world.
Heads of mission and diplomats attended the event, with ambassadors from participating countries addressing the crowd and stressing the role of language in promoting peace and economic partnership. ■
