Francophonie Month 2025

A series of festivities and events organized by the global Francophonie community in the Philippines was held during the Francophonie Month 2025 in March. These celebrations highlighted linguistic diversity and cultural exchange, embodying the spirit of the Francophone family.

A celebration of language and culture

The Francophonie represents a unique international community bound together by the French language and a shared commitment to fostering cultural diversity. With over 300 million speakers spanning 106 countries and territories and 132 million learners worldwide, French is one of the most widely spoken languages globally. It is used daily by 235 million people and serves as an official language in 29 countries within the 93-member International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF). Established on March 20, 1970, the OIF promotes not only the French language but also political, educational, economic and cultural collaboration among its members.

The 19th Francophonie Summit was held at the Château de Villers-Cotterêts in France on Oct. 4, 2024. This château, renowned for being the site where French was declared the official language for legal documents in 1539, now houses the Cité Internationale de la Langue Française, inaugurated by President Emmanuel Macron in 2023.

For the first time in over three decades, France hosted this gathering of OIF heads of states and governments, facilitating discussions on political, economic, digital and cultural collaboration. Under the theme “Create, innovate and do business in French,” discussions explored the dynamic opportunities that the French language presents to young people.

Following the Villers-Cotterêts Summit, five new states and governments have joined the OIF. These additions bring the total number of states and governments within the OIF to 93, divided as follows: 56 members, five associate members and 32 observers. This expansion reflects the global influence of the French language and the values it promotes. In 2026, the 20th Francophonie Summit will be hosted in the Southeast Asian region, by Cambodia.

Organizations like Alliance Française and France Education international (FEI) contribute significantly to the promotion of French language worldwide through initiatives such as French language courses, teacher training, student exchange programs, the development of French language certification exams (like DELF and DALF) and cultural programs.

Expanding French language and professional opportunities in the Philippines

Like the OIF’s commitment to cultural diversity, the Philippines is home to an impressive linguistic mosaic, with over 170 regional and local languages spoken across its islands. While not an OIF member, the country presents promising prospects for French language expansion, particularly in industries such as business prospect outsourcing (BPO), services and education.

Institutions like the Alliance française in Manila and Cebu, alongside esteemed universities such as the University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila and De La Salle University, contribute significantly to French language education. Each year, approximately 4,000 Filipinos take up French, supported by the Association des Professeurs de Français aux Philippines (APFP), and various cultural initiatives.

France remains committed to strengthening French language education in the Philippines. In 2024, the country joined the French language assistant program, becoming its 74th participant. Selected Filipino students now have the opportunity to teach English in France for seven months, immersing themselves in the language and culture while gaining valuable international experience. The first selected students will depart for France in September 2025.

Highlights of Francophonie Month 2025 in the Philippines

Francophonie Month 2025 brought an array of activities celebrating the richness of the French language.

To kick off, the Association des Professeurs de Français aux Philippines (APFP), the Department of European Languages of UP Diliman and the DepEd, organized a French Camp at UP Diliman. This event gathered 50 students from five science high schools in the National Capital Region (NCR) participating in DepEd’s Special Program on Foreign Languages. Through games, presentations and workshops, students experienced what it means to be part of a community of French learners in the Philippines and broadened their perspective of the global Francophonie community.

Another key highlight of Francophonie Month 2025 was the second edition of the Grand Karaoké de la Francophonie, which brought together the diplomatic corps, representatives of the Department of Foreign Affairs, students, teachers and the French community to sing along to some of the greatest French and Filipino songs. The three winners of the online singing contest #SingInFrenchPH / #ChanteEnFrançaisPH were invited to perform during the event.

The Alliance française de Manille and Alliance française de Cebu also opened their doors to the public to offer trial French classes and film screenings organized by members countries of the OIF.

To conclude, the Franco-Spanish singer Manu Chao hosted a special concert in Samsung Hall, SM Aura, in Manila and another one in El Nido to perform his most renowned Spanish and French hits for the Filipino and international audiences.

Interested in learning French? Join the Francophonie community by enrolling in courses at Alliance française de Manille and Alliance française de Cebu today!

Vive la francophonie, Mabuhay!

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Marie Fontanel is the Ambassador of France to the Philippines and Micronesia.