Alliance Française turns 140; new centres at Bhubaneswar, Dehradun to come up

Alliance Française, the institution that has played a vital role in fostering Indo-French ties for 140 years, is now geared up to tackle post-pandemic challenges in India through innovation and digital initiatives. The organisation will also be opening two new centres in Bhubaneswar and Dehradun later this year.

The main celebration of the 140th year of the Alliance Française will be held in Paris this week. The celebration, attended by representatives of the network, will be marked by discussions on innovations in teaching French as a foreign language, local animation and strengthening the brand around the world. 

The Indian Alliance Française centres will be organising their own celebrations, with special functions planned in Chennai and Chandigarh, commemorating their 70th and 40th anniversaries, respectively.

Expressing his pride in the Alliance Française network in India, HE Emmanuel Lenain, the French Ambassador to India, said, "I am very proud of the Alliance Française network in India, of its dynamism, its openness, and its ability to reach out to all who are interested in France, all across India. Indeed, Alliance Française brings the French language and culture and fosters intercultural dialogues in more than 15 centres and 25 cities in India. It thus contributes daily to enhancing ties between France and India.”

He further added, “Challenges lie ahead, especially in the post-pandemic era, but I know that the Alliance Française’ powerful network in India will be able to keep on innovating and thriving in the years to come, with the full support of the Embassy of France. I wish the teams of our Alliance Française network a very happy 140th anniversary!"

This organisation was started on July 21, 1883, by a group that included scientist Louis Pasteur and writer Jules Verne. It has since witnessed the steadfast dedication of Alliance Française to promote the French language and culture, fostering intercultural dialogues across India. 

Having set foot in India in 1889 with its first centre in Puducherry, the Alliance Française network has cumulatively provided over 2.2 million hours of French language and related courses to learners in India. Last year alone, the number of learners reached an impressive 28,000.

To cater to passionate French language readers, Alliance Française offers an online platform called Culturetheque, providing access to a wide array of French cultural resources.

In its efforts to expand outreach, the Alliance Française network recently organised Fête De la Musique and has planned various new campaigns throughout the year to attract new members.