French ambassador visits Dundalk IT for Francophonie Day and cultural exchange

Dundalk Institute of Technology recently welcomed H.E. Ms. Céline Place, the French Ambassador to Ireland to the DkIT campus. The visit coincided with both the U.N. French Language Day and the International Francephonie Day. The Ambassador was welcomed by representatives from the Registrar’s office, the School of Business and Humanities, International Office and DkIT’s Library service.

Following a special lunch, prepared by DkIT’s Culinary Arts students, the Ambassador was given a presentation about the DkIT Erasmus Programme and International recruitment in the college. Members of the DkIT team also shared updates on the Institute’s strategic partnership with Queen’s University Belfast and the research activity taking place on campus.

During her visit, the Ambassador also met with the Louth French Club organisation.This non-profit organisation is part of the FLAM associations (Français Langue Maternelle). The parent-led initiative offers extracurricular French language and cultural activities for francophone/French-speaking children living abroad who attend local, non-French schools. It is supported by the French government through the embassy.

FLAM associations are established in 35 countries and form a network of more than 150 associations worldwide, with 7 in the Republic of Ireland and 1 in Northern Ireland.  Every two weeks in Dundalk, around 30 children (aged 0-18) attend the club to partake in extracurricular activities through the French language. The club has also been accommodated by the School of Business and Humanities at DkIT to host these activities for many years.

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Dr. Sheila Flanagan, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Registrar at DkIT said: “It was fantastic to welcome H.E. Ms. Céline Place and representatives of the French Embassy to DkIT. The Ambassador’s visit provided a fitting opportunity for us at DkIT to recognise the strong cultural ties between Ireland and France. We were delighted to share details of our Erasmus programme which is a core part of many of our courses where students can experience different cultures and approaches to their areas of study. It was also wonderful to welcome the Louth French Club organisation to share information about their activities in the area.”