French Language Day at the UN Celebrated at French University of Armenia

Students, university professors, authorities, diplomats and journalists learned more about use of the French Language at the UN during the observation of the French Language Day at the UN organized today.

In addition to being one of the UN official languages, French is one of the two working languages of the UN Secretariat. It is also spoken on all continents, playing an important role in spreading the message of the UN in the world.

The event was initiated by the UN Department of Public Information (UNDPI) and the French University in Armenia and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and the French Embassy. It was conducted in the framework of the Month of Francophonie in Armenia.

The UNDPI in Armenia jointly with its partners will mark in 2012 the days of all six UN official languages. French language is the first on the list.

Dafina Gercheva, UN Resident Coordinator, Joëlle le Morzellec, Rector of French University in Armenia, Henri Reynaud, French Ambassador, John Sloan, Canadian Ambassador, and Christian Ter Stepanian, Adviser to Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, in charge of “Francophonie” spoke about importance of the French language for the UN development and called Armenian youth to further study this language.

Dafina Gercheva, the UN Resident Coordinator said: “I am happy to see so many young people in the audience today! It is important that Armenians are learning French, which will help them to open the borders and learn more about the world around, will help them to be citizens of the world. We exist in a multilingual world where the languages we speak, or read, or write, affect the way we think and act.”

Joëlle le Morzellec, Rector of French University in Armenia said: “French is a unique language: traditionally acknowledged as the language of diplomacy, it’s also a language of culture. And now it’s the language of communication for the 75 countries of Francophone economic space in the context of globalization”.

The students of the French University spoke on the usage of French Language at the UN and presented their film where their peers talked why they are learning French. Public learned more about work of the UN High Commissionner for Human Rights, while watching a film on a French language. The initial draft of this one of UN founding documents was written in French. The event was concluded with the performance of schoolchildren from school N 78 and the Basic French School.

Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish are the six official languages of the UN. In 2010 the UN Department of Public Information in New York has announced the launch of “Language Days at the United Nations”, a new initiative which seeks to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity. UN Department of Public Information Yerevan Office is also commemorating these six official languages of the United Nations starting 2011.