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YEREVAN, OCTOBER 6, ARMENPRESS: “Armenpress” news agency spoke about issues of Francophonie in Armenia and in the world with the rector of Francophonie University Agency Bernard Cerquiglini.
- Mr Cerquiglini, what basic goals does the agency put in front of it?
- Our main goal is to unite scientists and researches on the international level, using the French language. Armenia is part of Francophonie like a political organization, but Armenia is also part of the peculiar phenomenon which I call “university Francophonie”. It is a big university network where French is being taught as a foreign language and in parallel is used for teaching other subjects. I am in Armenia to extend my greetings to those students and lecturers who together with their dynamics and enthusiasm consolidate the development of Francophonie. Our agency, using financial and technology means stands by all those students and lecturers who use French in their studies.
- What peculiar issues does Francophonie have in Armenia?
- Today Armenia and Armenians are becoming more and more open for the whole world and the university Francophonie is one of the mechanisms to open for the world. The contacts I had in Armenia – with the foreign minister, my colleagues and students – give us an opportunity to think about the opportunity of granting joint diplomas for Armenia and other Francophonie countries. We must help those students which have such background. We must not also forget that students come from secondary schools, thus we must help schoolteachers so that they update their teaching methods. It is also necessary to assist those teachers who teach French in elementary classes. We see that Armenia’s government has a great wish to develop Francophonie in Armenia, thus it is our job to help them.
- You and Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandyan signed an agreement on “Creation of Center for Digitalization of Information Materials in French”. Which is the importance of this document?
- It is very important document. We view Francophonie digitalization center as representation of Francophonie in Armenia. With this the Republic of Armenia recognizes the digitalization center as a part of the Agency of Francophonie Universities. It gives us a status, rights, facilitates our work. It is a recognition document which shows that RA assists development of Francophonie in its country.
- Which are the main directions of development of Francophonie?
- The next summit of the Francophonie countries which will take place in Montreal will discuss a number of issues connected with Francophonie, but the main issue is connected with making French as a language of research works and as a language of teaching. We will see with great interest what ideas representatives of different countries have over these issues. And before it, a conference will take place in Geneva dedicated to the multilingual issues.
- What impression have you got of the level of knowledge of French in Armenia as a result of your personal contacts?
- You see on your own how wonderful French many young people speak in and if the youth is interested in it and studies French, we may fact that Francophonie will have great future in Armenia.