19th Francophonie Summit and Francophonie Festival [fr]

A Summit focusing on creation, innovation and entrepreneurship

France is hosting the 19th Francophonie Summit or “Villers Cotterêts Summit”, a major event in diplomatic, economic and cultural terms, from 4 to 5 October 2024. It will be a significant international highlight of 2024 for France, along with the 80th anniversary of the Allied Landings in Normandy and Provence, the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the re-opening of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.

Creativity, innovation and the ability to do business in French will be central focuses of the event. Initiatives organized by the Heads of MStates and Governments of the International Organisation of La Francophonie will therefore be guided by the theme: “Create, innovate and do business in French”.

The inaugural session will take place in Villers-Cotterêts at the Cité Internationale de la Langue Française on 4 October 2024. The plenary session, closed session and closing session will continue at the Grand Palais in Paris on 5 October 2024.

A Francophonie Festival in over 40 countries to bring to life a vibrant Francophonie with the power to transform the world

The “Making a Better World” Francophonie Festival was launched on March 20, the day of Francophonie. It is an invitation to explore the artistic, cultural and entrepreneurial dimensions of Francophone creativity. This festival will celebrate a Francophonie that is vibrant, tangible and open to the world; a vector for cooperation and solutions in the face of global challenges that is embodied by inspiring personalities from all over the world, particularly the up-and-coming Francophone generation.

A two-phase Francophonie Festival

From 20 March and until the end of September 2024, more than 40 countries and 400 organizations got involved, setting up projects and events to demonstrate the vibrancy of Francophone creativity in all areas. These initiatives were selected through calls for projects launched in France through cultural stakeholders, international cooperation, schools and higher education institutions, as well as internationally through the diplomatic network.

Throughout this period, the Cité internationale de la langue française at the Château de Villers Cotterêts, hosted the Francophonie Summit, will offer exhibitions, performances and residencies.

To reflect this national and international resonance, the Francophonie Festival involves a large number of partners, including:

• In France: the Pompidou Centre, the Francofolies Festival in La Rochelle, the Paris Book Fair, the Théâtre de la Ville, the City of Paris and Paris Université Club, the Angoulême Francophone Film Festival, Universcience, the Francophonies – Des Écritures à la Scène festival, the La Chartreuse-CNES national playwriting centre in Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, the Centre des Monuments Nationaux and the Cité Internationale de la Langue Française, and the International Institute for Francophone Studies at Jean Moulin Lyon 3 University
• Internationally: diplomatic posts, Instituts Français and Alliance Française branches, the University Agency for Francophonie and the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development)t.

From 2 to 6 October 2024, from Villers-Cotterêts to Paris, the Francophonie will be celebrated in various iconic locations:

• The Gaîté Lyrique theatre – a cultural centre opened by the City of Paris that creates dialogue between engagement and creation – will be the beating heart of the festival, presenting a multidisciplinary programme made up of shows and performances, conferences and debates, film screenings and concerts, and meet-and-greets
• "FrancoTech", a showcase of French innovations, will bring together Francophone entrepreneurs at Station F
• A Francophonie Village will host the pavilions of the International Organisation of La Francophonie, its Member States and Governments taking part in the Summit, and its agencies