A number of activities will be held in Vietnam from mid-March to early April to celebrate the International Francophonie Day, said Anissa Barrak, Director of the Asia-Pacific office of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF), on March 12.

Barrak said the official ceremony, chaired by the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will be held on March 20 in Hanoi . Before this, a workshop to review the challenges and prospects of Vietnam ’s French-speaking job market will be jointly held by the ministry and the office.

A number of activities will take place across the country, including the French-Speaking Film Festival in Hanoi, Vinh, Hue and Ho Chi Minh City; the Cultural Festival at the Hanoi University on March 16; and concerts, fashion shows and exhibitions in French Cultural Centre L’Espace, she added.

Barrak affirmed that the International Francophonie Day on March 20 is not only a festival for French speakers, but also for those who believe in solidarity and equality.

French is the first language of 220 million people in the world and used by 900 million people in the 77 member states and governments of OIF.-VNA