Her Excellency the First Lady Madam Zineb Yahya Jammeh Monday presided over the opening ceremony of the 2010 Francophone Week Celebrations. The weeklong event is organized by St. Francophile Association in collaboration with Alliance Franco Gambienne and the French Teachers Association as well as the French Cooperation in The Gambia.

The main highlight of the program was a procession by senior government officials and school children from the Total Petrol Station in Fajara to the Alliance Franco Gambienne centre along Kairaba Avenue.

The head of French Association in the Gambia, Gerald Chouin said the occasion is an annual event organized worldwide to celebrate and promote the French language. He described the program as important, as it encourages the sharing of cultural values. Mr. Chouin thanked the First Lady of the Republic for complementing efforts to make The Gambia a bilingual state.

The National Coordinator St. Francophile Association Adama Talla said the association seeks to bring together French clubs in the country with a view to develop French language.

Mr. Talla also said that events marking the celebrations include cultural parades, academic symposia, quiz competitions, concerts, as well as exhibitions throughout the country.

By Karabulie Conteh