French envoy expresses happiness at opening of Francophone office in Kuwait

In the presence of French-speaking citizens, residents, and heads of missions of Francophonie member states, Ambassador Claire Le Flecher expressed joy at the inauguration of Kuwait’s fifth Francophone office. This initiative, previously hosted in Kuwaiti embassies and offices, aims to provide a dedicated space for French speakers to engage in open dialogue and exchange ideas.

She conveyed to reporters, during the inauguration of the fifth Francophone Diwaniyah at her residence, that the selection of Diwaniyah as a venue for regular gatherings among French speakers stems from its revered and distinct place in Kuwaiti heritage.

She revealed that the French language is considered the second language in Kuwait after English, and she believes that about a third of the Kuwaiti people understand the basics of the French language, with many of them speaking it fluently. She expressed her happiness at the growing number of French speakers in Kuwait and the increased demand for French culture.

For his part, Benoit Catala, the advisor for cooperation and cultural work and director of the French Institute in Kuwait, explained that the reasons for launching the French Diwaniyah are the presence of about 500,000 French-speaking people in Kuwait, including 200,000 Kuwaitis. They need a place to meet from time to time to exchange conversations in French to maintain the dialogue of civilizations.

He added, “We have about 40 Francophone embassies in Kuwait and about 1,400 French teachers.” He revealed that the next Diwaniyah will be held at the Lebanese embassy.

He pointed out that the best place to learn French is the French Institute, which offers courses for all levels throughout the year with specialized language teachers, and its certificates are accredited for teaching in France.