From April 21 to May 2, the French Embassy in Tajikistan, in collaboration with the Swiss Cooperation Office, is organizing Francophonie Days in Tajikistan.
In Dushanbe, the Francophonie Days will begin with a French-language film festival on April 21, 22, 24, and 25. Every evening at 18:00, a French-language film with Russian subtitles will be shown at the Vatan Cinema. Films from France, Belgium, Canada, and Switzerland will allow Tajik audiences to explore the diversity of French-language cinema.
This year, the festival will open with the dramatic thriller Green Algae, set against the backdrop of environmental issues. It will be followed by the documentary The Liberated Broom, telling the story of a cleaning cooperative operating without a boss. On April 24, the drama The Last Supper will be shown, about the reunion of a daughter and her father. The festival will conclude with the animated film No Dogs or Italians Allowed, depicting the struggles of an Italian family in the early 20th century between Italy, Switzerland, and France.
Regarding cultural events, on April 27, a quiz on Francophonie will be held in Russian on the first floor of Diar Dushanbe (Jaihun Business Center). This will provide participants the chance to test their knowledge of Francophone culture in various areas, from geography to cuisine and cinema.
The National Library of Tajikistan will host a conference on Tajik borrowings from the French language, exploring the connections between the French and Tajik languages.
Since language is conveyed not only through words but also through music, a concert by the renowned French pianist François Chaplin will take place on April 23 at 18:30 in the S. Ayni Opera and Ballet Theatre, featuring excerpts from the works of Satie, Chopin, and Debussy.
On the culinary front, the Francophone community in Dushanbe is organizing cooking workshops showcasing French, Swiss, and Malagasy cuisine. To participate in these free workshops, prior registration is required, subject to availability (a maximum of 12 people per workshop). These will take place starting April 22 at the food court kitchens in Dushanbe Mall (Auchan).
Francophonie Days are also an important celebration for everyone who studies or teaches French. The State Pedagogical University, Choreographic College, Russian-Tajik Slavic University, QSI School, and the International University of Foreign Languages are helping organize Francophonie performances.
On April 25 at 16:00 and April 26 at 10:00, the Campus France office in Tajikistan will organize two open house days in Russian to promote study opportunities in France for Tajik students.
All events are free and open to everyone, except for François Chaplin's concert (80 somonis; tickets can be purchased at Echipta.tj or at the theater box office). Detailed information about the Francophonie Days program is available on the embassy’s website and on the French Embassy’s and Alliance Française in Khujand Facebook pages.
Over 20 years with Francophonie
Francophonie unites 19 countries where French is an official language (either as the sole language, as in France, or alongside other official languages, as in Switzerland, Canada, or Belgium), a native language for part of the population, or a language of culture (as in Lebanon or Romania).
Since 1995, March 20 has been celebrated annually as Francophonie Day in countries around the world, with cultural and educational events dedicated to the French language and the culture of French-speaking countries. In Tajikistan, Francophonie Day is celebrated in April in connection with the Navrouz holiday.
There are several thousand French-speaking people in Tajikistan, and according to the Ministry of Education, 6,000 students and schoolchildren study French. For more than 20 years, the French Embassy and the Swiss Cooperation Office have been offering a series of cultural and educational events aimed at promoting the arts and culture of French-speaking countries.
Universities and schools where French is taught are also mobilizing efforts to promote the language by organizing performances that combine poetry, songs, dances, and theater. Since 2022, "Alliance Française Khujand" has been offering a similar program in the city for Francophonie Days.
