The French Embassy in Rwanda on Wednesday announced that the French Cultural Centre will be reopened in October this year. The Centre will be located near Kigali Convention Center, Kimihurura Sector, Gasabo District. This was said in a press conference during the official inauguration of the Francophonie month, which is celebrated globally every year by the member states of the 50-year-old organisation. Among the key activities to be held through this month include festivals, concerts, and French-speaking competitions among others. Rwanda is a member of La Francophonie since 1970 and the organisation is currently headed by Former Minister of Foreign Affairs Louise Mushikiwabo. At the presser, France’s Chargé d’affaires in Rwanda, Jérémie Blin noted that this year will see the revival of Rwanda and France relations, cultural wise. He said: “The 2020 edition of the month of the Francophonie is part of the revival of cooperation between France and Rwanda, especially in the cultural field,” adding that: “The revival will be among others marked by the opening of the French Cultural Center at the end of this year.” Blin further said that: “In addition to the desire to bring cultural diversity and the Francophonie to life in Rwanda, the cultural center also symbolizes the rapprochement of Rwanda and France around the French language.” The center will among others have entertainment facilities and a library. Background of the center The former French Cultural Center building used to be called ‘Centre D’Echanges Culturels Franco-Rwandais’ and was located in Kiyovu, a city suburb. It was closed in 2014 by Kigali City Officials because the structure was not in line with the new City Master Plan. The centre had a library and other activities including French language teaching; Culture-based training and concerts among others. Since 2014 up to now, the cultural center office was in Frances Embassy in Rwanda, where as its activities like entertainment and book reading were held in Kigali Public Library and the Goethe Institut in Nyarugenge District, respectively.
