Francophone Day has been marked in Vietnam for two consecutive years by a group of Francophone embassies, mission and agencies, the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry and the International Francophone Organisation (OIF).
The main celebration ceremony will take place at the Hanoi Opera House on March 20 under the chairmanship of Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien.

In the second half of March, a photo exhibition by Vietnamese photographer Le Vuong entitled "Sac mau cac dan toc Vietnam" (Colours of Vietnamese ethnic groups), a quiz programme by Francophone radios, and a Francophone gala night to introduce films from French-speaking countries and an eloquence contest will be held at the Centre for French Culture (L'Espace) in Hanoi.

Cultural exchange programmes conducting by the embassies of French-speaking countries will include a concert extolling the French language by twin Canadian sisters, a book exhibition by four young Canadian authors, and a concert by Belgian singer Marka. Special films of France, Belgium and Switzerland will be screened during Francophone Film Week.

2006 also honours the 100th birth anniversary of former Senegalese President Lopold Sedar Senghor, one of the first to promote the establishment of the Francophone community in the early 1960s. The Francophone Community has decided to name 2006 as the Year of Senghor.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Post and Telematics and the Hanoi People's Committee, in collaboration with the Foreign Ministry and the OIF Office for Asia-Pacific, will issue a special stamp with a picture of former President Senghor.

VNA