Djibouti: Francophonie 2024 awards ceremony

On May 19, 2024, at the French Institute of Djibouti, an awards ceremony was organized for the winners of the Francophonie 2024 competitions.
Organized by the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training (MENFOP), the OIF, the French Embassy and the French Institute of Djibouti, this ceremony aimed to celebrate and reward primary school students , middle schools, high schools, as well as seniors for their successes in various literary competitions. It also aimed to affirm Djibouti’s belonging to the French-speaking world through activities to promote mastery of the French language.

The evening began with the opening speeches, where the director of the French Institute of Djibouti Eric Chevreul, highlighted the importance of the Francophonie for intercultural dialogue and peace, saluting the winners for their passion for French. Then, French Ambassador Dana Purcarescu highlighted the richness of the French language and its cultural diversity. Then, Dr. Rennie Yotova, director of the OIF for the teaching and learning of French and Head of the Francophone Regional Center for Africa (CREFA), congratulated the mobilization of 550 students from Djibouti and the regions of Arta, Alisabieh and Tadjourah, supervised by their teachers with the support of the Djiboutian Association of French Teachers. She also paid tribute to the writer and journalist Bernard Pivot, who died on May 6, and to his influence on the promotion of reading and the French language, notably through international dictation competitions. Finally, Mohamed Abdallah Mahyoub, Secretary General of MENFOP, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to promoting French in the Djiboutian education system and encouraged students to become more involved in learning French. 

He recalled that this evening was also enhanced by artistic performances highlighting the cultural diversity of Djibouti, with musical performances, modern dances, theater in French, and humorous sketches on the importance of reading. A video spot also retraced the activities of La Francophonie in Djibouti, highlighting the literary activities carried out to promote the French language and sport.

The highlight of the evening was the awards ceremony for the winners. They demonstrated exceptional mastery of spelling, grammar and the French language during the Dictée de la Francophonie Juniors, the Grande dictée and the competition for writing the best sports articles. The OIF awarded 1st prizes in all categories – computer, tablets and books by French-speaking authors, as well as the participation of the winner of the Grande Dictée Osman Farah Yacin, Educational Advisor, at the 11th Congress of the Africa Commission and Indian Ocean Festival to be held in Kampala, Uganda from July 22 to 26, 2024.