Author: NADA HAMEEDFri, 2018-03-30 20:45ID: 1522421231457534200
JEDDAH: The French consulate cultural service and the Cercle des Amis de la Culture Française (CACF) held the traditional closing ceremony of the 26th “Rencontres de la Francophonie” in Jeddah on Thursday evening.
The annual event gathers together the French-speaking communities in Jeddah, Riyadh and Khobar for a celebration of the diverse cultures that share Frances language and values. More than 84 countries joined in the month-long event.
Folk dances including the “Lebanese Dabke,” an Arab folk dance native to the Levant, were performed by school students. Dabke combines circle dance and line dancing and is widely performed at weddings and other celebrations.
Traditional cuisines, costumes and African music instruments were on display and “La Vie en Rose,” the French song popularized by Edith Piaf, was also performed.
The celebration in Jeddah during March included music concerts, movie screenings, literary lectures, sports competitions and folk shows. The series of events aims to support the promotion of Francophone culture at the local and regional level in Saudi Arabia and to establish and support a network of partnerships with leading centers, libraries, schools and institutions.
The celebration was attended by a number of consuls generals along with their families, school students and local media.
Mostafa Mihraje, the consul general of France in Jeddah, told Arab News: “This annual event aims to celebrate the Francophone family, which not only shares the same language but also the same values, and today the cultural diversity was presented through the folk dancing of different countries.”
Ameera Essa, a guest from Chad who is studying French culture, told Arab News: “It is great to have such events where the French-speaking community in the city have the chance to get to know each other more.”
Main category: Saudi ArabiaTags: FrancophoneCercle des Amis de la Culture FrançaiseDabkeEdith PiafJeddahrelated_nodes: Francophone festival strengthens cultural tiesFrancophone week launched
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