Le mot du Délégué général
Monday, November 23, 2009
Dear Friends,
Following are a few lines jotted down upon my return from San Diego, in the wake of ACTFL’s annual convention. This was an opportunity to see many of the Délégation générale’s longtime partners again, but also to meet new people and organizations with whom to create those partnerships that serve as tools to the Alliance Française network in the US.
The Alliance Française de San Diego took advantage of the large annual gathering being held in its hometown by arranging an official inauguration ceremony for its new location by the Ambassador of France to the United States, in the presence of an array of local VIP’s and those coming from Los Angeles, Washington and New York.
In his speech preceding the traditional ribbon-cutting, Ambassador Vimont emphasized the remarkable energy of this Alliance Française, which began offering courses only three years ago and achieved exemplary results, thanks to the skills of its director and to the enlightened management of its board of directors. Their success made it possible to move into a pleasant and functional location where the Alliance Française’s two primary missions can be carried out: French teaching and the promotion of French and francophone cultures.
The annual director’s meeting, which will be held in San Francisco from February 18 - 19, will be centered on these two themes. The meeting is open to all directors, pedagogical and cultural coordinators and head media librarians. In early December, a preliminary agenda will be posted on line, as well as a list of participants. Please complete your registration by January 31st at the latest [usual password]. As for lodging, the Holiday Inn Golden Gateway (Group rate = SAF) - located in the vicinity of the Alliance Française de San Francisco - has just agreed to a very attractive rate of $100.00 (including taxes) per room for a single or double occupancy. More details about how to book will be available in our next posting of l’AF en bref.
In the meantime, I invite you to take note of the cultural update from Isabelle and the pedagogical news from Pascal and to read the first annual report of the Fondation Alliance Française.
The Délégation générale team joins me in wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving.
Cordiallly,
Thierry Lagnau
General Delegate