The first edition of “Les Francophonies de Pondicherry” will be held here from March 21 to 25. Organised jointly by the French Institute in India, the Consulate General of France in Puducherry, Alliance Francaise and the French International Lycee School, in collaboration with the Department of Tourism of Government of Puducherry, the first edition will feature performing arts of different forms — circus, theatre, dance and music.
Addressing a press conference, Catherine Suard, Consul General of France in Puducherry, said the event would be held in the same spirit and commitment as last year’s events organised as part of Bonjour India, such as the first regatta and the Ecole Nomade (theatre training session). Ms. Suard said sustainable tourism was a key factor to Puducherry’s future, which implied developing attractive activities in sports and culture.
“The francophone identity of Puducherry, the French heritage, not just the buildings, but culture, language, hospitality and gastronomy as well, is an asset of added value for Puducherry and represents means to develop new links,” she said.
In France, “Les Francophonies en Limousin” is an annual event that has been taking place only in Limoges for over three decades. The event brings together several artists sharing their theatrical practice in French-speaking countries. For the first time ever, the intention was to lead the way for a replica of the same to be organised in Puducherry, she said. Ms. Suard said the 2019 edition, built on limited resources, would prove to be a test model.
Francois Grosjean, artistic director of the festival, said a variety of forms including circus, theatre, dance and music, reflecting the variety of artistic languages as well as the diversity of francophones would be held as part of the event.
Other programmes
The event will also include meetings and workshops for youth, performances by artists from Mali, the Central African Republic, Algeria, France and India.
As part of the Tourism Department’s plan to develop new areas in Puducherry, a music event led by Bibi Tanga and its South Connection would take place on the Pondi Marina near the new lighthouse on Sunday at 6 p.m., he said.