25-26 Program
In 2023, to mark a triple anniversary (the 140th anniversary of the Alliance Française movement worldwide, the 100th anniversary of the Alliance Française in Strasbourg, and the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Alliance Française school in Strasbourg), the Alliance Française decided to open a new venue.
This 200 m² venue, housed within the magnificent ESCA building constructed in 1923, is dedicated to the arts and culture.
Designed to host exhibitions, meetings, conferences, concerts and performances, the Grande Salle opened its doors on October, 3rd 2023.
Its aim? To foster exchange with others, continuing the Alliance Française’s commitment to the Francophonie through cultural activities. This is about interculturality, exchanges between foreign cultures and France: a work of remembrance and recognition of history.
The theme of the cultural programme presented by the Alliance Française in its main auditorium is entitled ‘La part de l’autre’. Reflecting the Alliance Française’s commitment to intercultural cooperation, it has highlighted the diversity and richness of the many different cultural backgrounds of those who frequent the Alliance Française (learners, members or friends) and who share the French language.
This is an exploration of how everyone can contribute to our collective enrichment through their own history and culture. The programme is based on an inclusive approach, structured around three themes focusing on ‘the Other’, running from October 2025 to June 2026
Francophonie Weeks: 23rd March to 5th June 2026
Exhibition– Écrire en français, venir d’ailleurs
- from the 23rd March to the 5th June, Monday to Friday, 2 pm to 5 pm
For many of these authors, French is not merely a language of writing, but a language of transition – sometimes one they have adopted, sometimes one passed down to them, but always one that brings about transformation. The exhibition Écrire en français, venir d’ailleurs, curated by the Alliance Française de Paris, invites visitors to discover the richness and diversity of
contemporary Francophone literature through the eyes of writers from all corners of the globe.
Presented in the form of portraits, powerful quotations and video interviews, the exhibition offers an immersive experience that brings to life the individual journeys and literary worlds of these writers. It explores the notions of identity, exile, belonging and creativity, whilst highlighting how the French language can become a place of anchorage, dialogue and, at times, tension. Through these diverse voices, French emerges not as a static language, but as a living entity, in constant flux, nourished by the diversity of cultures, life stories and sensibilities.
Conference – Pourquoi y a-t-il une française ? de Bernard Cerquiglini
- 15th April at 7pm à
A renowned French linguist, Bernard Cerquiglini is one of the leading contemporary figures in the study of the French language. A professor of linguistics at the University of Paris VII Diderot, former director of the National Institute of the French Language and a member of Oulipo, he advocates a conception of French as a living language,
shaped by history, power relations and political choices.
His lecture sets out to explore a question as simple as it is fundamental: why does the French language exist? Why do we not speak Occitan, for example? Why did a distinct Romance language develop in the north of Gaul? French. The least Romance of the Romance languages, the most Germanised, with the most distinctive phonetics, made unique by many characteristics, almost a dissident within the languages derived from Latin.
But why was French the first Romance language to be written, favoured by those in power from its very inception, institutionalised at an early stage, endowed with ambition and the means to achieve it?
Because French was born within the Carolingian Empire, which shaped its destiny.
Yet another invention of Charlemagne!
An enlightening encounter to understand how a language is born, establishes itself and shapes a culture for the long term.
Registration required by the following link :https://my.weezevent.com/conference-bernard-cerquiglini-pourquoi-il-y-a-t-il-une-langue-francaise
Literary gathering – Le rêve du pêcheur by Hemley BOUM
- 29th April at 7pm
Published in 2024 by Gallimard, Le Rêve du pêcheur by Hemley Boum, winner of the Prix des cinq continents de la Francophonie (OIF Prize), is also in the running for the European Prize for Romance Novels.
In this expansive and deeply human novel, the Franco-Cameroonian author explores a fundamental question: can one grow up without love?
Hemley Boum skilfully blends the personal with history, creating a dialogue between individual destinies and the legacies of the colonial past. The narrative revolves around two figures separated by time. Zacharias, a fisherman in Campo, Cameroon, in the 1970s, and Zachary, his grandson, a psychologist now living in Paris. They do not
know each other, but share a common lineage of men on the run, attempting to escape a heavy past and reinvent themselves elsewhere.
In Paris, Zack sees the life he has built for himself begin to crumble as buried secrets resurface. Decades earlier, his grandfather witnessed the brutal transformation of his village with the arrival of a logging company, dreaming of a different future for his people. The novel opens and closes at the mouth of the River Ntem, a metaphor for a narrative permeated by questions of inheritance, responsibility and memory.
With Le Rêve du pêcheur, Hemley Boum has written a powerful work on lineage, flight and the fragile possibility of repairing what has been broken.
Registration required by the following link : https://my.weezevent.com/rencontre-litteraire-hemley-boum-le-reve-du-pecheur
Conference – Africa and the French-speaking world, by Jean-Marie BOCKEL
- 20th May at 7pm
The discussion on contemporary issues facing the Francophonie will continue with the visit of Jean-Marie Bockel, a French politician with a long-standing commitment to international relations and dialogue with the African continent.
Former Secretary of State for Cooperation and the Francophonie from 2007 to 2008, Jean-Marie Bockel worked to strengthen ties between France and French-speaking countries, advocating for cooperation based on transparency, democracy and sustainable development. His work was driven by a desire to renew relations with partner states, prioritising a more balanced approach that respects sovereignty.
In this lecture, Jean Marie Bockel will offer an analysis of current developments in relations between France and French-speaking African countries, examining the role of the French language as a diplomatic, cultural and political lever. This event will provide an opportunity to consider the Francophonie not only as a linguistic space, but as a vehicle for dialogue, cooperation and development.
Registration required by the following link : https://my.weezevent.com/conference-jean-marie-bockel-afrique-et-francophonie
Closing concert – Rodolphe BURGER
- 5th June at 7pm
The programme will conclude with a special closing concert featuring Rodolphe Burger, a composer, guitarist and singer born in Colmar in 1957, who is a major and distinctive figure on the French music scene. As the founder of the band Kat Onoma, he has spent several decades developing an independent and demanding artistic career at the crossroads of rock, poetry and experimental sound. Through his label Dernière Bande and the Compagnie Rodolphe Burger, he has fostered numerous collaborations with musicians, writers, filmmakers and visual artists, affirming an
open and cross-disciplinary approach to creation.
An artist deeply attached to his region, he is also the founder of the “C’est dans la Vallée” festival, conceived from the outset as a space for collective creation. Far from being a mere series of concerts, this event stands out for its experimental spirit, where artists are invited to come together, work collaboratively and invent new forms, blending music, visual arts and cinema. This dynamic of encounter and experimentation permeates all his work.
This closing concert will thus extend this demanding and sensitive vision of creation, offering the audience a moment that is both intense and unique, where music becomes a space for dialogue between disciplines, imaginations and territories, whilst celebrating it.
Registration required by the following link : https://my.weezevent.com/concert-la-compagnie-rodolphe-burger
