It was in 1907 that Alliance Ethio- Francaise was established in Addis Ababa aiming at rendering cultural exchange between France and Ethiopia vibrant. Hosting a dynamic schedule of concerts, exhibitions, film screenings, theatre and related cultural events it helps showcase an amalgam of arts in Ethiopia. It also organizes programs that help to foster the local arts sector.
Christian Merer, Alliance Ethio- Francaise Director believes that the organization has been striving to get the people of France and Ethiopia closer for over a century. It has been teaching French language in Addis Ababa. So far, it has trained over 4000 students.
It is the first institution in Ethiopia in launching a foreign language (French) training center in the capital, he said. It is working with, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, AU, UN and other international institutions towards the development of the language. “It is also the only international cultural institution [having language centre] in giving French language training to Ethiopian teachers.”
Addis Ababa is a diplomatic capital and French is an international language. That is why the Alliance-Ethio-Francaise is here to teach the language. It has official recognition on European basis to certificate the language trainees. The information center of the Alliance Ethio-Française serves as a resource for those interested in France and French culture. Also for those interested in studying French as a foreign language.
The institution has made more than 15,000 books, audio-cassettes, DVDs and CD-ROMs available. “We would like to encourage French speakers to enable people have information access. This could increase their chance of getting hired in international organizations.”
Alliance was a school. Through time it has grown to a cultural center where various artistic pieces are presented to audiences. Today, the organization organizes various artistic programs in order to showcase the potentials of Ethiopian artists so that they can bask under global limelight and thereby win international recognition.
This would enable them to get the sought-for benefits either in finance or other ways. “Artists deserve a better life as they bring special ideas that can serve their respective people and of course the international community,” Therefore, the organization prepares various occasions where photography, film, music and dance, among others, will be presented to the audience. Today, France is one of the leading countries in giving due recognition for Ethio-Jazz, electronic music and reggae genres. Regarding this, the institution has a French library.
According to the director, the relations between Ethiopia and France are getting consolidated through time and the official visit of the leaders clearly shows this reality.
It is to be recalled that during the President Macron official visit to Addis Ababa last March, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed underlined that culture is the identity of a nation and conserving it is a must.
The statement is a notable one. We are working on that to promote cultural cooperation between the two nations, according to Merer.
Cooperation to restore cultural heritages
According to Milikias Tilahun Organization Administrator, the French people love to preserve cultural heritages. Ethiopians too have a similar bent to heritages. Therefore, this might help the two people to harness their cultural similarity. On the other hand, peoples of the two nations have a great respect to art and artists. Such similarities will help to foster the cultural diplomacy between the nations.
The commonalities have made apparent clicking between the governments of the nations. The French government has recently agreed to restore Ethiopia’s precious cultural heritage site, housing the Roch-hewn churches of Lalibela, he stated.
Merer also buys Milikias’s thought. He added that the French government is also working to restore the Hailesselassie I palace. He stated that France has contemporary knowledge and skill in cultural heritage restoration. Therefore, the cooperation would help Ethiopia to restore its time-old architectural outputs.
France’s soft power
“We want to let people wrldwide to follow their own preferences and to opt for with whom to make relations. Therefore we pay attention to those who want to make relation with us. France is the first country in the world to apply soft power [perceiving nations up on their desire] Nations of the world are now imitating,” Merer underlined.
By the same token, cultural diplomacy is among the main elements that fosters relations among countries. Talking about the cultural exchange between Ethiopia and France, Milikias noted that the exchange is very important.
It brings knowledge and technological transfer, which helps to improve people’s lives. However he noted “We should be cautious in importing things that might not be in keeping with to our cultures. Otherwise, the demerit may outweigh the merits.”
According to Milikiyas, the Alliance is achieving its goals as it allowed many to know French and Ethiopian cultures through various means and especially in art and language. As to him, Ethiopian artists are interested to learn French language. It also facilitates a capacity building training to let artists unleash their talents to the full.
Accordingly, various Ethiopian artists have got the unreserved support of the alliance and of course most of them became successful. Dancer and Choreographer Dawit Seto was a traditional dancer, but after getting training in France he upgraded his skill to a contemporary art work.
Similarly, traditional dancer Melaku Belay has become an innovative Ethiopian dancer and ‘a cultural entrepreneur’ trying to support and spread the cultural and musical wealth of his country after working with the Alliance. Such cooperation would go a long way to promote artists and help them to get the needed benefit from their efforts, Merer told.
Prerequisite to present artworks at the alliance
The requirement for Ethiopian artists to slot their works in the alliance program is only to admit the specific art pieces of the artists. This means there is no requirement to receive the works. No need to appear in person. Talented individuals can contact us about their works via email.
Mediums and feedback
The Alliance uses social media especially Facebook to sensitize audiences about developments and to collect feedbacks. To communicate with attendees, as a timely information medium, it also publishes newsletters in English, French and Amharic.
The organization plans to launch a website to timely provide information. This helps it collect timely feedbacks of the audience and also to reexamine what the Alliance undertakes.
Upcoming events
The Alliance plans to organize exhibitions and workshops across the country. An exhibition on European and Ethiopian historic cartographies will be organized. The alliance will also organize humanitarian programs staged by various artists. The resource pulled will be channeled towards humanitarian activities in June. There will also be a dance exhibition on which dancer Dawit Seto will partake.
In 2020, the Alliance will organize African exhibition in France taking on board Ethiopian artists so that they can present their art pieces to their international audiences. On the occasion, one of France’s renowned Movie Companies will present visual works in collaboration with its Ethiopian partners.
The event will involve all Africans. A wider presence of Ethiopians is expected. The event will take place from September to December 2020. Ethiopia will be represented by Fekat Circus, Azmari and electronic musicians, cartoonists among various visual art performers.
The cultural exchange will help to advance the economic and political relations of the two nations. On the occasion the participation of various artists from the region is expected with the perception of various countries including Kenya and Tanzania.
Addis Vintage is an interesting photography project which will be organized soon by the organization aiming at featuring the historic memory of Ethiopian and French people who have memory with Alliance in one or the other way. Ethiopian Family photographs from 1960s to 90s will be presented on the occasion, According to Merer.
According to Merer, Ethiopian artists and art lovers can take part on the occasions to be organized by the Alliance. In addition, artists can submit their art works to Alliance and the institution can hold the intended program so that it could see the real critiques of the audience.
On the other hand the art loving community can permanently attend the events with no payment. Such programs would create conducive environments to the artists, audiences and the public in general to engage in edutainment program payment free.
The Ethiopian Herald June 23/2019
BY YOHANES JEMANEH
