Six-City Francophone Spring Marathon in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan Hosts Francophone Spring Cultural Festival to Celebrate French Language and Culture
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is currently hosting the Francophone Spring cultural festival from April 1 to May 31, aimed at promoting the French language and Francophone cultures within the country. Events are being held in various cities across Kazakhstan, including Astana, Almaty, Aktobe, Shymkent, Karagandy, and Oskemen, as reported by Central Communications Service (CCS) on April 8.
Organized by the Embassies of Armenia, Belgium, France, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, and Switzerland, the festival is now in its 15th year and features a variety of activities such as film screenings, exhibitions, culinary events, and musical performances.
French Ambassador to Kazakhstan Sylvain Guiguet announced that Alliance Française in Astana will commemorate its 20th anniversary in May with a special music and dance show. Additionally, the festival will include the final of the Francophone song Contest in Astana on April 26 and the second edition of the UBIFRANCE French Film Festival in Oskemen, showcasing seven films.
From April 14 to 20, Astana will host Francophone Gastronomy Week, where chefs from France and Belgium will be offering the national cuisine of Francophone countries.
Notable film screenings during the festival include the Oscar-winning animated film “Flow,” a collaboration between Belgium, France, and Latvia, as well as the documentary “Riverboom” from Switzerland. Belgium will also present its exhibition “A Visit to Belgium in Comics” in Karaganda.
French, being the fifth most spoken language in the world, is an official language in 29 countries and various international organizations such as the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU).
French Ambassador Guiguet highlighted the growing interest in French language education in Kazakhstan, with over 11,000 students currently studying French. The embassy is actively supporting bilingual programs in schools across Astana, Almaty, Karagandy, and Aktau, with plans to establish two French schools in Astana and Almaty in the near future.
