Wang Jingli

wangjingli0715@163.com

THE Alliance Française de Shenzhen was officially inaugurated yesterday during a ceremony held at Shenzhen University (SZU) in Nanshan District, marking the establishment of 14th Alliance Française institution on the Chinese mainland.

Alliance Française de Shenzhen was jointly built by SZU and the Alliance Française de Paris to promote the French language, cultures of French-speaking countries and cross-cultural exchanges. The institution will open high-quality French courses and hold French cultural events, according to information released at the ceremony.

Alliance Française was founded in 1883 in Paris, France, and now has established 834 institutions worldwide.

Mao Junfa, president of SZU, said at the inauguration ceremony that “French President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to China last week brings new opportunities for cooperation between the countries and the establishment of Alliance Française de Shenzhen is timely.”

Mao added that the Alliance Française is a bridge of friendship between China and France, as well as an important window for Sino-French educational cooperation and exchanges. It will not only benefit Shenzhen people in learning French and cultivating French-speaking talents in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, but also provide a platform for the Chinese and French people to understand each other’s cultures and support the development of French disciplines in SZU.

French Ambassador to China Bertrand Lortholary said at the ceremony that Macron announced the opening of Alliance Française de Shenzhen during his visit to Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, which shows that France and President Macron attached importance to the alliance.