For the first time in 33 years, the Francophonie Summit - a meeting of the 88 heads of state and government of countries to have the French language in common - is being hosted by France, at the Cité internationale de la langue française in Villers-Cotterêts on 4 October, and in Paris on 5 October. To mark the occasion, a multidisciplinary programme has been rolled out under the aegis of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs. What motivated this initiative? Can you go back over the genesis of the project? 

The Francophonie Summit is the highest authority of the Organisation internationale pour la Francophonie (OIF), the successor to the ACCT (Agence de coopération culturelle et technique), which was initially a tool for development and exchanges between French-speaking countries, particularly in the cultural and technical fields. At the same time as this major institutional event, the French authorities proposed to create a space for meetings, dialogue and exchanges of experience between and with civil societies in French-speaking countries. 

The creation of this Festival, which is aimed at the general public and particularly at young Francophones under the age of 40, is a real opportunity to showcase the diversity of the French-speaking world in the artistic, cultural, entrepreneurial, economic and academic spheres.

The challenge for our fellow citizens is also to arouse their curiosity and even develop a sense of belonging to this French-speaking community. The challenge is to change people's perception of what the Francophonie really is. 

The Festival's guiding principle is an invitation to "repair, reinvent and reenchant" the world. Can you tell us more about it ? 

The triptych repairing, reinventing and re-enchanting the world is a way of looking at the French language to show its role, usefulness and power. 

Repair the world invites us to consider French as a language of doing, of action, of experimentation, in a fractured world facing global challenges. Reinventing the world is about French as a conceptual tool, enabling the development of critical thought and the expression of debate. Renchant the world approaches the French language as a language for constructing new imaginations and new aesthetics. French is celebrated here in all its diversity of expression, accents and rhythms on a global scale. 

This entire Francophone event is entitled "Refaire le monde", as a way of celebrating the French-speaking world as a way to change the world. It is an exhortation to act. It's both a call to the imagination and a concrete challenge that we want to issue to Francophone artists, creators, entrepreneurs, researchers and intellectuals. During the six months of the Festival, they are invited to come together to act, think and create tomorrow's world together. 

With the call for projects "Résonances internationales du Festival de la francophonie", the Institut français is supporting 34 projects by establishments in the French cultural network abroad. How were they chosen and what do the themes and countries selected say about today's French-speaking world? 

34 projects and more countries, because one of the key selection criteria was regional cooperation! In fact, we have three regional projects, some of which involve ten or so countries. 

Another major selection criterion was the link between the French language and major social issues. Many of the projects focus on climate issues. I'm thinking in particular of the "Plastic Odyssey" regional project, led by Malaysia, and the "Innovative solutions to climate change in West Africa" project, which gives a voice to young people in Senegal and the Gambia. Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam have joined forces to enable learners of French to co-construct initiatives aimed at strengthening environmental protection. We also find projects that deal with more societal issues: gender equality and the question of feminism are central here. I'm thinking in particular of the fifth meeting of the Parlement des écrivaines francophones (PEF), which will be held in Quebec next April. There are also projects looking at new forms of housing. This is the case in Romania and Costa Rica. As for Slovenia and Ireland, they have taken up the relationship between language and Artificial Intelligence. 

The selection committee was also particularly interested in initiatives that would have a lasting impact on their beneficiaries. The Refaire le monde Festival is there to act as a sounding board. Its vocation is to support and accelerate initiatives that are intended to extend it. 

The international resonances will be combined with other local initiatives, culminating in the "Journées d'octobre", which will take place partly at the Cité internationale de la langue française in Villers-Cotterêts, and at various venues in Paris. Why have you chosen to combine the local, regional and international levels in your programme? 

The Festival will be structured around an initial sequence that we call the national and international resonances of the Festival, with other calls for projects launched in France in schools, higher education establishments, cultural players and cooperation players. The issue of cooperation between actors and continents of the French-speaking world is a major focus of this festival, bringing together local and international structures that are not necessarily used to working together. It's also a way of celebrating the sometimes little-known French-speaking territories. 

The "Journées d'octobre" will be an opportunity to present projects that have been developed internationally over the previous six months, and so to facilitate the circulation of ideas, works and project leaders. 

The role of the younger generations of French speakers and Francophiles is central to the actions taking place between March and October 2024. How will they be involved? 

Involving young Francophones is a key element in our programme. We want to involve them not just as spectators or receivers, but as actors and stakeholders in the construction of the projects.This is the case for the Festival's international resonances. Very often, secondary school students and young professionals are directly involved in designing the events. We want the same to happen during the October days, and we are working with operators such as France Volontaires and Campus France to achieve this. From 2 to 6 October, young French speakers will be invited to share their experiences. This generation will be responsible for keeping the French-speaking world alive in the future.