the heart of Kigali, the sounds of different French accents, laughter, and music blended into one vibrant celebration of the Francophone world on Saturday, March 14. The event, organized by Kigali Accueil in partnership with the Francophone Cultural Center, brought together nearly ten ambassadors and several people from French-speaking countries, highlighting the rich diversity of the Francophonie community in Rwanda. ALSO READ: What speaking French means for Rwanda's youth Through games, cultural exchanges, food and drinks, and conversation, the gathering illustrated how Kigali continues to position itself as a crossroads of cultures within the global community. A language that connects a global family For French Ambassador to Rwanda Aurélie Royet-Gounin, the Francophonie represents far more than a community with a shared language. “French is a language we share with more than 320 million speakers around the world,” she said. “So we are delighted to be reunited with this entire family of French speakers here in Rwanda.” “You can see it tonight the faces are different, the culinary traditions are different, the music is different but we share one language that unites us. It’s a beautiful symbol of unity, and that’s exactly what we wanted to celebrate joyfully tonight.” ALSO READ: Rwanda backs Mushikiwabo for third term at Francophonie The ambassador also expressed hope for more cultural and sporting initiatives that bring together the Francophone community in Rwanda. “There is an association called Kigali Accueil that welcomes French-speaking expatriates and friends of the Francophonie,” she added. “We hope they will continue organizing many events like this, including sporting events when athletes from French-speaking countries come to Rwanda.” Celebrating shared values The Ambassador of Senegal to Rwanda, Doudou Sow, emphasized the importance of the gathering, noting that around twenty Francophone countries with diplomatic missions in Rwanda regularly collaborate. “We are here celebrating Francophonie Month,” Sow said. “Meetings like this symbolize the values of the Francophonie the values of sharing, solidarity, and tolerance.” For him, celebrating cultural diversity is not simply an opportunity, but a responsibility. “Our world today is sick because of isolationism,” he said. “It is sick because of hatred toward others, because some people believe that if you do not share the same religion, the same values, or the same skin color, you should be rejected,” said the ambassador. Instead, he believes diversity enriches societies. “Celebrating diversity means recognizing that we are all different and that these differences enrich us. We must break down the barriers, tear down the walls that separate us, and share what we have with one another.” Addressing young people, he added a hopeful vision. “Let us cultivate universalism. Let us help the younger generation build a world where everyone greets each other in the morning and says goodnight at night like a global village.” Building connection in the Francophone community For Colline Ferro, founder and president of Kigali Accueil, the event was also about creating meaningful connections within the French speaking community. “Our mission has two aspects,” she explained. “First, we support French-speaking expatriates who want to settle in Rwanda by guiding them with practical advice from understanding customs and traditions to finding housing or renting a car.” The second aspect focuses on community building. “Many people sometimes struggle to find other French speakers to talk to,” she said. “So we try to create connections through activities, visits, and events like this one.” Ferro said. The Francophonie celebration was therefore designed to bring together different cultures united by the French language. “Rwanda is an important actor within the Francophonie and we felt it was important to bring the community together around the diversity that defines the Francophone world.” According to Ferro, cultural exchange strengthens understanding between individuals and nations. “Culture is an asset. The exchange of cultures fosters open-mindedness and mutual understanding. When you look at the state of the world today, it is essential that we talk to each other and build common ground.” The celebration also attracted students and expats of different nationalities to experience the diversity of the Francophone world. Sarah Bibang, a Gabonese student at UNILAK, said she appreciated the opportunity to network and discover expressions from different parts of the world. “I learned new expressions and discovered cities from Francophone countries that I didn’t know before,” she said, adding that she is happy to see Rwanda becoming an increasingly important hub for the Francophone community. Thomas, a French citizen, traveled from Bujumbura to attend the event. “I took part in the quiz and it was really interesting,” he said. “I enjoyed seeing cultural expressions from Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, and Rwanda being highlighted.” Beyond Francophonie The celebration also attracted participants from outside the Francophone world. Agathe Lee, a Korean citizen, attended the event to meet French speakers and practice the language. “I was happy to join the quiz and taste traditional foods from Canada, Egypt, Senegal, and other Francophone cultures,” she said. Yuta Moriguchi, chief of political section at Japanese embassy, also appreciated the multicultural atmosphere of the gathering. “I’m very happy to take part in this Francophonie celebration,” he said. “It is wonderful to see such cultural diversity here in Rwanda, which is truly a crossroads of cultures.” Seeing people of different backgrounds sharing food, drinks, and songs together left a strong impression on him. “Perhaps in the future we could even organize events that mix Francophone and Anglophon3 countries together to celebrate linguistic diversity even more,” he suggested. The event demonstrated how language can build bridges between people from vastly different backgrounds. Kigali, a city increasingly known for its international outlook, the celebration of Francophonie served as a reminder that diversity, when embraced, can become a powerful force for unity.
