FRANCO-PHILIPPINEFRIENDSHIP

YEARS OF

PHILFRANCE

2017 marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between France and the Philippines. While growing steadily throughout the decades, our bilateral relations have entered a golden age in recent years with the exchange of several high-level official visits, including the first ever visit of a French Head of State to the Philippines in 2015. This momentum has allowed us to further deepen and diversify our partnership.

The friendship between our two nations emerged in the 19th century from a common attachment to the values of democracy inherited from the French Revolution and glorified by Ilustrados such as national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, who, while living in Paris, translated the French Declaration of Human and Civil Rights of 1789 to Filipino. France was also the first country to support the restoration of democracy in the Philippines following the People Power Revolution in 1986. We provided support to the new regime, and welcomed the President of the Philippines as the guest of honor during the Bicentennial Celebration of our Revolution in Paris in 1989.

Franco-Philippine relations have been nurtured by a wide range of spiritual and cultural interactions from the legacy of major French Catholic institutions to the education system of the Philippines, to our common passion for cuisine, cinema, music, dance and the visual arts. Following the footsteps of Dr. Jose Rizal, a growing number of young Filipinos are now studying in France, which welcomes a significant population of OFWs. At the same time, the largest number of French volunteers based in Asia is found in the Philippines, where they help those who are most in need. In

70 YEARS of FRANCO-PHILIPPINE FRIENDSHIP

PHILFRANCE

2013, following the passage of typhoon Yolanda, the France-Philippines United Action was created. It is a unique organization, now a foundation, created by the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry with the support of the French Embassy, to gather and assist French donors, including companies, NGOs, private organizations, and government agencies, in extending relief to populations affected by natural disasters. The foundation gives a special focus on building resilient shelters, providing healthcare and empowering the youth.

In recent years, our trade and economic relations have also been booming. French companies, which already provide tens of thousands of jobs to Filipino workers and sell a wide range of products to the Philippines, from planes to pharmaceuticals, electrical equipment, food products and luxury items, are eager to develop their presence in strategic sectors such as infrastructure, transportation, and renewable energy. More recently, SME-driven and techno-entrepreneurship initiatives have become the motto of the French Tech in the Philippines. Last but not the least, the French Development Agency is actively promoting green and inclusive growth in the country while supporting the Philippine government’s efforts in fighting climate change and preserving the environment.

It is in this most favorable context that we have decided to launch in 2017 the campaign “PhilFrance: Feel French!” a festival to celebrate every year, throughout the seasons, with a program of numerous events highlighting the different aspects of our interactions under five main categories: Arts and Culture, “Art de Vivre,” the Youth and Knowledge, High Tech and Entrepreneurship, and Sharing Values. Our objective is to give Filipinos all over the country the opportunity to feel France in various aspects of everyday life and to experience the strength of the friendship between our two countries.

So let’s PhilFrance: Feel French!

Thierry MathouAmbassador of France to the Philippines

February 16 to 22, 2017 42nd International BAMBOO ORGAN Festival

2nd Semester of 2017

June 2017

June 22, 2017

August 2017 PALAWAN through a FRENCH EYE

RAVEL Unraveled

Manila French PHOTO Festival

French FILM Festival

June 2017

April 13 to May 19, 2017

Fête de la MUSIQUE

Juvenal SANSO

This year, the French artistic and cultural focus will

be on music, cinema, photography and painting.

ARTS & CULTURE

42nd International BAMBOO

The International Bamboo Organ Festival is held annually at the St. Joseph Parish Church in Las Piñas City to celebrate the existence of the only surviving 19th century bamboo organ in the Philippines. The 42nd edition of this festival takes place from February 16 to 22, 2017 with the special participation of French artist Lambert Colson, one of the very few Cornetto players in the world.

Famous painter Juvenal Sanso’s 50-year experience in France can be considered as a metaphor for the fruitful relations between our two countries. His love for France, especially for the region of Brittany, has had a profound influence on his artworks and has led him to produce beautiful landscape paintings. These paintings and other French-inspired artworks are the highlights of an exhibition to be organized by the Alliance Française de Manille, the French cultural and linguistic center in Manila.

The Alliance Française de Manille and the Alliance Française de Cebu will propose several other cultural programs throughout the year.

Websites: Alliance Française de Manille - http://www.alliance.ph Alliance Française de Cebu - http://www.alliancefr.ph/fr

ORGAN Festival

Juvenal SANSO

February 16 to 22, 2017

April 13 to May 19, 2017

French FILM Festival June 2017

The 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and

the Philippines coincides with the 70th edition of the Cannes Film

Festival. In 2017, the 22nd edition of the French Film Festival in Manila

will feature not only the best of contemporary French cinema,

but also a selection of French and Filipino films which have been

selected and awarded in Cannes, as well as restored classics to be

presented in a special Memory Section of our festival.

First launched in France in 1982 and now organized in more than

100 countries, the Fête de la Musique is a celebration of music held

every year on June 21 to mark the coming of summer. In 2017, it

will highlight the talent of Filipino musicians as they collaborate with

visiting French musicians on different stages and locations in the

Philippines during the summer equinox weekend.

Fête de la MUSIQUEJune 2017

During the second semester, French photojournalist Christophe

Loviny will come to Manila to launch a new Photography Festival that

will focus on photojournalism and photography as documentation.

A screening of photo documentaries will be held alongside an

exhibition of the 50 years of the Gamma Agency.

Manila French PHOTO Festival 2nd Semester of 2017

PALAWAN through a

Diplomatic relations between France and the Philippines were

officially established on June 26, 1947 with the signing of a Treaty

of Friendship. To celebrate this historical event, an exceptional

concert will be organized at the Cultural Center of the Philippines,

bringing together on stage the internationally-renowned French

pianist François Chaplin and the prestigious Philippine Philharmonic

Orchestra for a unique evening of French music, featuring the works

of Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy. The concert will be a fund-

raising event for the benefit of the France-Philippines United Action

Foundation.

Photographs taken over several decades by French ethno-

photographer Pierre de Vallombreuse will give a unique glimpse

into the origin of man through the life of the indigenous people of

Palawan in an exhibit at the National Museum, in cooperation with

the Alliance Française de Manille.

RAVEL UnraveledJune 22, 2017

August 2017

FRENCH EYE

July 2017

March 21, 2017

November 2017

2017 EXTRÉMITÉS: A CIRCUS Show by the Cirque Inextremiste

Soirée BEAUJOLAIS

TOUR de Manille

Goût de France/GOOD FRANCE

February 13 to 17, 2017 Franco-Philippine FASHION Week

“Art de Vivre” is the art of living in a style that is

distinctly French. It is a unique way to immerse

oneself in the pleasures of gastronomy, fashion,

culture, and sports, with family and friends. “Art

de Vivre” is a tradition the French share with the

Filipinos.

ART DE VIVRE

September 22 to 24, 2017 BON APPÉTIT !

FASHION Week

GOOD FRANCE

Franco-Philippine

Goût de France/

A very special exhibition of creations from French fashion icons,

accompanied by a fashion show by French designer Clivia Nobili,

and in collaboration with Filipino designers, will make Manila the

next fashion capital. Workshops will also be hosted by the School

of Design and Arts of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, with

the support of fashion designers and consultants, Daniel Henry and

Frédéric Delhove.

On March 21, French and Filipino chefs will join Goût de France

(literally translated as the “Taste of France”) in celebrating French

gastronomy, the only cuisine in the world registered on UNESCO’s

Intangible Cultural Heritage list since 2010. On September 22 to

24, 2017, the first edition of Bon appétit ! a food market featuring

French and Filipino fine cuisine and agro-products, will be organized

in Metro Manila.

Website: Goût de France/Good France - http://us.france.fr/en/goodfrance2017

February 13 to 17, 2017

Goût de France - March 21, 2017 | Bon appétit ! - September 22 to 24, 2017

Cycling, one of the most popular sports in France, is also appealing

to many Filipinos. To coincide with the Tour de France, the most

famous cycling competition in the world, a criterion race will bring

together cycling professionals, amateurs and enthusiasts in Manila

just before the French National Day celebration on July 14.

One of the most-awaited French events in Manila is celebrated

with bottomless wine and cheese and charcuterie all-you-want!

The Soirée Beaujolais Nouveau is the biggest networking night

organized by the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in

the Philippines, which brings together French businesses and their

local partners and clients to welcome the arrival of the new harvest

of the Beaujolais Nouveau wine.

Extrémités is a circus show created in 2007 by a group of French

artists. Through a physical performance, the idea is to tell a story of

humanity and the interdependence of persons, and where the only

solution for the group to survive is solidarity.

TOUR de Manille

Soirée BEAUJOLAIS

EXTRÉMITÉS: A CIRCUS Show by the Cirque Inextremiste

July 2017

November 2017

2017

April 2017

2017

2017 TARA: a schooner for the planet, soon in the Philippines to promote MARITIME ECOSYSTEMS

French-Philippine Seminar of SOCIAL SCIENCES and ARCHEOLOGICAL breakthrough

PhilFrance SCHOLARSHIPS

ARCHITECTURE week

March 18 to 26, 2017 FRANCOPHONIE Week

YOUTH AND KNOWLEDGE

Access to higher education is one of the top

priorities of the cooperation between France

and the Philippines, bringing us to an occasion to

focus on the youth and develop new intellectual

and scientific partnerships.

FRANCOPHONIE Week

Like every year, the French Embassy, together with the Alliance

Française de Manille, the Alliance Française de Cebu, the Lycée

Français de Manille (the French International School located at

the Eurocampus in Parañaque), and all the member-countries

of the International Organization of French Speaking Countries

represented in Manila, organizes the Francophonie Festival, a week-

long celebration of the French language. Several events such as

concerts, a poetry contest, a spelling contest, and nnovel readings

will be organized in different schools and universities throughout

the Philippines from March 18 to 26.

To build on the success of the Franco-Philippine Architecture Forum

and of the exhibition of French architect Jacques Ferrier at the

National Museum in 2016, the French Embassy will organize in April

a new Architecture Conference, along with workshops hosted by

the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, with the support of the

Heritage Society and other academic institutions. The focus will be

on heritage preservation, urban development and the evolution of

cities in the 21st century.

ARCHITECTURE Week

March 18 to 26, 2017

April 2017

This highly selective academic program promoted since 2016 is

directed to the next generation of Filipino leaders who have shown

strong academic, leadership and professional ability, and who wish

to study in France for a graduate degree or as part of a student

exchange program. Recent awardees have pursued Master’s

degrees in France in the fields of public policy and management,

business, public health and the arts. Our objective is to increase

the number of awardees and to enlarge the scope of cooperation

to engineering degrees. This year, in a joint effort to develop the

capabilities of Filipino higher education system, the French Embassy

and the Commission on Higher Education of the Philippines (CHED)

will offer, for the first time, a minimum of ten CHED-PhilFrance

Scholarships for Filipino faculty members to pursue their post-

graduate degrees in France.

Website: PhilFrance Scholarships - http://philfrance-scholarships.com/

SCHOLARSHIPSPhilFrance

French-Philippine Seminar on SOCIAL SCIENCES & ARCHEOLOGICAL breakthrough French scientists have been working for decades in the Philippines in fields such as archeology, anthropology, sociology, and linguistics, during which they have developed close relations with their Filipino colleagues. A special seminar on social sciences will be organized in 2017 to highlight the interaction between our scholars. The long standing cooperation between our two countries in the field of archeology will be celebrated at the Museum of Natural History in Manila with the unveiling of the bones of a rhinoceros discovered in the Cagayan Valley.

TARA: A schooner for the planet, soon in the Philippines to promote MARITIME ECOSYSTEMS

Website: TARA Pacific - http://oceans.taraexpeditions.org/en/

In line with 2015 Paris Climate Conference and the cooperation between France and the Philippines on sustainable development and climate change, the French oceanographic schooner TARA will come to the Philippines in 2017. The TARA Expeditions Foundation conducts scientific marine expeditions throughout the planet to understand the impacts of climate change on the ocean, particularly on coral reef resilience. The port calls of TARA are also an opportunity to raise awareness among the local population, especially the youth, regarding the protection of the environment and the ecosystems.

HIGH TECH ANDENTREPRENEURSHIP

2017

2017

November 2017 Focusing on AGRICULTURE and FOOD SECURITY

Taking the “French Ticket” with the “FRENCH TECH”

Networking with CCI FRANCE-PHILIPPINES

France is not only the nation of wine, cheese

and luxury products. It is also the home of

Airbus (the European aircraft manufacturer), of

TGV (the fastest commercially exploited bullet

train in the world), and of some of the most

significant innovations of recent times such as

the SIM card. Creative France is the new way of

featuring French innovation and attractiveness.

Sharing expertise and developing new trade and

economic partnerships are the top priorities of

PhilFrance: Feel French.

CCI FRANCE-PHILIPPINESNetworking with

Website: French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Philippines - http://www.ccifrance-philippines.org/

Established in 1988 and with more than 140 active members, the

French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) in the Philippines

is a non-profit and self-sustaining organization dedicated to the

enhancement of business relations between France and the

Philippines. In addition to an extensive portfolio of business services

to support the growth of French companies in the Philippines,

CCI France-Philippines also follows a long tradition of social and

networking events under the signature of Le Club, monthly cocktail

events, and sports tournaments, as well as the now famous Soirée

Beaujolais that takes place every November.

In 2017, CCI France-Philippines will partner with the French

Embassy to promote the visibility of a high-level French business

delegation which will visit the Philippines upon the initiative of

MEDEF International, the French Business Confederation, and the

SME Forum, and which will be organized by both Business France

- the Trade Office of the French Embassy in the Philippines - and

Futurallia, a French organization specialized in International B2B

networking events, across all sectors and around the world.

In the context of the 50th anniversary of the ASEAN, under the chairmanship of the Philippines, the French Embassy will collaborate with the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), both located in Los Baños, Laguna, to organize a regional forum on agriculture and food security issues.

Website: La French Tech - http://frenchtech-philippines.comFrench Ticket : www.frenchticket.com Email address: thierry.tea@wecube.ph

Born from a government-backed program designed in 2013 to support the growth of techno-entrepreneurship and to promote the development of French start-ups, the French Tech is the collective name for all those working in the French start-up market in France and around the world. For some years now, the French Tech has shown incredible dynamism, driven by a new generation of entrepreneurs, investors, engineers, designers, and other talented people. Following the development of French-Philippine economic and trade relations, the French Tech was established in the Philippines in 2016 with a comprehensive network of start-ups joining the 50 existing ecosystems around the world. In 2017, the French Tech will promote the French Ticket, a supportive program for start-ups in the Philippines.

with the “FRENCH TECH” Taking the “French Ticket”

Focusing on AGRICULTURE and FOOD SECURITY November 2017

December 2017

March 2017

October 2017

2017 France-Philippines UNITED ACTION

French VOLUNTEERISM Day

WOMEN’S Forum

Honoring WOMEN

September 2017

May 2017

JOB FAIR and EMPLOYABILITY Forum

THEATER-Forum Workshop

SHARING VALUESThe celebration of the Franco-Philippine

friendship would not be complete without the

promotion of human rights and democracy.

Always sharing and never lecturing is the key to

strengthening those universal values. In 2017, the

French Embassy, together with French-Philippine

NGOs, will put a special emphasis on the rights

of children, women empowerment, and solidarity

among communities, three priorities which

illustrate the French national motto: “Liberty,

Equality, and Fraternity.”

A Theater-Forum Workshop will be organized in May 2017, under

the supervision of two French artists invited for the occasion with

the support of the French Embassy and the participation of the

French International School and various French-Philippine NGOs.

The aim is to raise awareness on difficult social issues chosen by

the youth.

Young and motivated Filipinos from underprivileged backgrounds

will be able to network with managers from French and Filipino

companies in September 2017 during a forum organized in

partnership with various universities and the Department of Labor

and Employment. The main objective will be to enable the youth to

acquire the necessary capabilities for a smooth integration into the

professional world.

Workshop

JOB FAIR & EMPLOYABILITY Forum

THEATER-Forum

September 2017

LIBERTY

May 2017

2017 will be the occasion to further promote gender equality, a top

priority of French foreign policy. During the International Women’s

Day on March 8, women from the fields of politics, culture and the

arts, education, economy and science, as well as those from the

underprivileged sectors of society, will be honored during a special

function at the French residence.

Following the organization of the Global Women’s Forum in

Deauville, France in November 2016, during which the Philippines

was the guest of honor, a Women’s Forum to be held in Manila

is under consideration to highlight the role of women in various

sectors of the economy and society.

Honoring WOMEN

WOMEN’S Forum

EQUALITY

March 2017

December 2017

Website: France Volontaires - https://www.france-volontaires.org

This international event is organized every year by the French Embassy and France Volontaires, a worldwide platform created in 2009, to promote and develop different forms of involvement relevant to the International Exchange and Solidarity Volunteering Program and to contribute to their implementation. Today, the Philippines is the country with the largest number of French volunteers in Asia, and the third largest in the world. French volunteers, NGOs and the general public will come together for a day full of entertainment in order to promote volunteerism and the spirit of solidarity and sharing.

In 2017, the FPUA Foundation will further develop its engagement with local governments and private sponsors to support reconstruction projects in typhoon-affected areas and provide relief to local communities in partnership with the French Embassy, NGOs and a wide range of local partners.

French VOLUNTEERISM Day

France-PhilippinesUNITED ACTION

FRATERNITY

October 2017

Website : France-Philippines United Action - http://frenchunitedaction.ph/

Institutional Partners

Corporate Partners

O�cial Airline and Hotel Partners

FrenchEmbassyManila FrenchEmbassyPH www.ambafrance-ph.org presse.ambafrance.manille@gmail.com #PhilFrance70

PHILFRANCE is organized by