What, When, Where, Who and How?
Alliance Baza{a}r March-April 2010
The Week of the Women Francophonie 2010
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{Editorial} Namaste! Chers Amis/Dear Friends, In March, as warm days come back, we celebrate two important events at AFK. On the occasion of the International Women’s day, March 8, we have the pleasure to present you the first “Week of the Women” our institution is organizing. A whole week dedicated to the women, in partnership with VOW, the magazine “Voice of Women”. Conferences, concerts, painting exhibitions, and short movies, will be proposed to you at AFK, from March 8 to 12, to raise awareness on the women’s condition and Women’s Human Rights. On the first day, March 8, we’ll talk about the evolution of the women’s human rights in Nepal, from 1924 (legal abolition of the sati’s practice) until today. We’ll introduce to you, on March 10, five women having a life not very common. And on Friday 12, eight rocking ladies from Bhaktapur will perform on stage their beautiful music. And at last, but not the least, Ashmina Ranjit, renowned Contemporary Artist will go on with raising awareness. Le Bistrot will participate by exhibiting paintings on women by the French Artist Seni. And to end the week, do not forget the second Video and Audio Installation of Emma Ponsart at the Kathmandu Contemporary Arts Center. This young French Artist is so achieving her five months residency in Kathmandu, in partnership with AFK. But AFK doesn’t stop here and goes further on. From March 22, be prepared for the Francophonie Week! Each year, every Alliance Française around the world, celebrate this week dedicated to the French Language with contests, workshops, special activities, movie screenings, and the famous pétanque Tournament! This year, we have the privilege to welcome Héléna Burglohner, Slam Artist, from the “Association Slamlakour” based in La Reunion Island. As the Slam is at the honour of the Francophonie in 2010, we are glad to propose workshops to our students and everyone interested in playing with French words. If you like French movies and music, you’ll love “Tous les matins du monde”, a French movie by Director Alain Corneau that will be presented at AFK by the famous movie producer, Bernard Marescot. He will be glad to speak with you and answer your questions. And, to close the week, we’ll have our famous Grande Soirée de la Francophonie, March 26 from 7pm, with dramas, songs, and painting exhibition from our students, team, the French International School and the British School. As usual, our lottery (don’t’ be jealous maybe this time you’ll win a prize) and… music of course! I take the advantage of this edito to share with you all the pleasure we have to welcome our new students in Bansbari. So, see you soon and stay tuned. Truly yours, Elise Tassin , Director
Opening Hours Institution - general.afk@gmail.com Monday to Friday 7 am - 7 pm Library Mon/Tue/Wed/Fri 8 am - 6.30 pm Sunday : 12 noon - 4 pm Closed on Thursday
Alliance Française in Kathmandu Tripureshwor, Teku road (next to Xerox showroom) P.O. Box 452, Kathmandu, Nepal Phone : + 977 (1) 4241163 / 4242832 Fax : + 977 (1) 4242621 E-mail : general.afk@gmail.com Website : www.alliancefrancaise.org.np
Campus France Desk - katmandou@campusfrance.org Mon/Tue/Wed/Fri 11.30 am - 6.30 pm Sunday : 12 noon - 4 pm or by appointment Translation Desk - traduction.afk@gmail.com Mon/Tue/Fri 9.30 am - 12.30 pm Bistrot Monday to Friday
7 am - 6.30 pm Alliance Baza{a}r | Mar-Apr 2010 | 3
Alliance Française in Kathman
weekof T Monday, March 8 10.30 AM | Alliance Française in Kathmandu Evolution of Womens' Rights, 1924 till today. Speakers: • Meera Dhungana & Jeevan Sharma from Forum for Women, Law and Development (FWLD) • Maiju Gurung « Grandmother »
Wednesday, March 10 10.30 AM | Alliance Française in Kathmandu "They did it!" Women leading an unconvential life. Speakers: • Balika Chaudhary, Activist • Poonam Pathak, Coodinator of Food Processing, Single Women Entrepreneurs' Group • Subina Shrestha, Filmmaker • Jeena Lindgren, Pilot
{Event}
mandu in collaboration with VOW present
THE WOMEN 8-14 March 2010 Friday, March 12 7 PM| Alliance Française in Kathmandu Women’s artistic Performances. Speakers & artists: • Shalini Wadhwa, Editor, VOW • Ashmina Ranjit, renowned contemporary artist • Dattatraya Cultural Group (All women musical ensemble from Bhaktapur)
Sunday, March 14 4 PM | Kathmandu Contemporary Arts Center REMANENCE “Worlds in essence” Sound & video Installation by Emma Ponsart
weekof THE
{Event}
WOMEN
On March 8, the world will celebrate the 23rd official International Women’s Day. Great would you say? Let’s see. For some men, the coming Monday will be another occasion to show women around them their love and affection. But for many women around the globe, the day will act as a reminder on how backward they are in their society on account of their subordination to men; all of Meera them women carrying the burden of patriarchal societies on their shoulders. In her 2006 book “The female brain”, Neuropsychiatrist Louann Brizendine maintains that women behavior is radically different from that of men due to hormonal differences. To what Lily Thapa, Founder of Women for Human Rights, says she doesn’t believe this at all because if that was so, how come the late Lhamu Sherpa climbed Everest when her male counterpart couldn’t? According Balika to Lily Thapa, it is the environment a girl is brought up in that shapes her character. Let’s land back in Nepal to take stock on the Nepalese women’s condition. Where do women stand in comparison to men? Are their rights truly implemented? Are they just acting the expected way or entitled to decide upon their life? Little Meera from Hetauda became the young advocate who Maiju championed the recognition of women and unmarried daughters as legal and equal heirs of their parents, and had the bill passed in 2002. Maiju, from Ghorka, had to deal with her polygamous husband who wouldn’t send their daughter to school. Balika, from Bardiya, would be beaten by her father for studying at home, arrested during the conflict on the account that wearing a pair of trousers meant she was a Subina
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{Event} rebel, but finally, did manage her studies and to work as Associate Program Coordinator for a NGO. Subina, from Kathmandu, thought about doing some social work before shifting to journalism. She now makes films for Al Jazeera and won the Rory Peck Awards in 2008. Jeena, from Hong Kong and Phiddim, backward at school for the level was different from a school to another, finally managed Jeena to be one of the very few pilot in Nepal. Poonam, from Butwal, started her life as a fairy tale until her husband died in Kuwait three weeks after her child was born. Thanks to some supportive people, especially WHR, she now is the Coordinator of Food Processing for the Single Women Entrepreneurs' Group, and delivers about 150 meals a day in all Kathmandu and Lalitpur. Indira, from Bhaktapur, has Poonam been trained on traditional Newari rhythmic instruments by her father and grandfather. She performed with men musicians in Nepal and abroad before forming her own lad ies band, Dattaraya Cultural group. After started the Boss Magazine, Shalini realized many readers were women. She then created a club called “Voice of Women Club”, where the idea of starting a magazine for women came from. Today, “Voice of women” is a platform to share stories and gain something from Indira the shared experience. Ashmina, worldly contemporary renowned artist, always works on increasing awareness about crucial ongoing social and political issues of marginalized communities. But is women’s condition only a matter of women? Jeevan Sharma says no. He always felt discriminations against women were unacceptable and that women and men should be equal. Therefore Ashmina he decided to put his talent at the service of Forum for Women, Law and Development (FWLD), in order to put forward women’s rights, and to have them implemented. To take stock of the women’s condition here in Nepal, let’s listen to all these inspiring people from different backgrounds, their stories, their fights, their works and their achievements. Perhaps we’ll have the beginning of an answer to the interrogation raised by Louann Brizendine and Lily Thapa. And since we are the Alliance Shalini Française in Kathmandu, let’s share a thought of Simone de Beauvoir “One is not born a woman, one becomes one”. To every woman, and to every man, have a wonderful International Women’s Day! Alliance AllianceBaza{a}r Baza{a}r||Mar-Apr Jan-Feb 2010 | 7
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{Francophonie} La semaine de la Francophonie 22-26 March
The 10 words : "Dix mots dans tous les sens": crescendo, remue-méninges, mobile, variante, galère, baladeur, cheval de Troie, mentor, escagasser, zapper About Francophonie : Francophonie is an international organization of polities and governments having French as the mother or customary language, wherein a significant proportion of people are francophones (French speakers), or where there is a notable affiliation with the French language or culture. Started as a small club of northern French-speaking countries, the Francophonie has since evolved into a global organization whose numerous branches cooperate with its member states in the field of culture, science, economy, justice, and peace. Each year we celebrate La semaine de la Francophonie, the language, the culture. And the Motto of the Organization of the Francophonie is : Equality, Complementarity, Solidarity.
• • •
Le programme de la Francophonie From March 22 to 26 Writing contests, open to everybody; Quizz for the AFK students; test your knowledge in French ! French Film screenings (everyday at 2pm);
Special screening - Thursday March 25th 7pm "Tous les matins du monde" by director Alain Corneau, 1991 With Jean-Pierre Marielle, Gérard Depardieu, Anne Brochet The movie will be screened in the exceptional presence of its producer, Bernard Marescot, famous French movie producer. New ! Slam sessions and workshops open to all, animated by Héléna Burglohner, French Slam Artist from La Réunion Island. Our traditional pétanque tournament, and its bottle of Pastis, for the winners!
• •
Friday, March 26, at 7pm La Grande Soirée de la Francophonie Don't miss The Francophonie Party with an exhibition proposed by Anne Lelong and the children of The French International School, display of artworks and songs from the French class of The British School and Rupy's International School , dramas and songs by the students, teachers and staff of AFK, music, lottery... and of course, dance, food and wine!
Alliance Baza{a}r | Mar-Apr 2010 | 9
Opening Hours Monday to Friday 7am - 6:30pm Le Bistrot, much more than French food! In the Gardens of Alliance Franรงaise in Kathmandu, Tripureshwor, Teku Road (next to Xerox Showroom) To book a table : 4241163
eek of of The W eni n io s a c c S In the o ch Artist en, Fren ange" m h o c t W e e s e th "Femm t n e Bistrot s e e r L will p ion at it ib h x e g a paintin to 13th. rch 8th a M m o fr 10 | Alliance Baza{a}r | Mar-Apr 2010
{Courses} Le comptoir des petites perles Le professeur : «Qu’est-ce que tu fais le week-end comme activités ? » L’étudiant : «Je vais aux toilettes. » ( niveau 1) Un étudiant au professeur : « Monsieur, vous aviez quel âge pendant la Révolution Française ? » ( niveau 7 )
« Je ne connais pas ton père, et toi ? » « Moi non plus » ( niveau 2 ) « Papa je te présente ta copine. » ( niveau 1 ) « Je me suis levé, je suis allé dans la salle de bains et j’ai pris une averse » (niveau 5) « L’américain ruminait un chewing-gum »
( niveau 4 )
AFK Levels At the Alliance Française in Kathmandu, we have chosen a rhythm of 50 hours per session, in order to settle a step by step learning pace of the required skills and knowledge. There are 14 levels, following the program of the three Connexions French books. We also use the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages to describe the level and progress of our students in accordance with a largely used and recognized scale of language proficiencies. According to the six levels of proficiency defined by the Council of Europe, students are then able to reach level A1 (Breakthrough level) after three sessions, A2 (Survival level) after 6 or 7 sessions, and B1 (the first stage of Independent User) after 12 sessions. You can start the classes from any point: if you are not a beginner, you will just have to take a test before admission to check which level matches your proficiency.
AFK levels
Hours
Connexions book
Beginner 1
50
Connexion 1
2
100
3
150
Elementary 1
200
2
250
3
300
Intermediate 1
350
2
400
3
450
Advanced 1
500
2
550
3
600
4
650
5
700
DELF levels
A1
Connexions 2
A2
Connexions 3 B1
Alliance Baza{a}r | Mar-Apr 2010 | 11
{CampusFrance}
National agency for promoting French higher education abroad. Thousands of possibilities and options are available in France for your higher studies.
Check out: www.campusfrance.org The official website of French Government for the promotion of higher education in France
DISCOVER FRANCE FOR YOUR FUTURE. What is new in Campusfrance’s website? - CHOOSE FRANCE: International Student Guide Book, New Edition 2010, - Grant Search Engine, - More than 360 000 courses offered by French Academic Institutions adding new subject areas information.
FRANCE HOSTS THE THIRD HIGHEST NUMBER OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN THE WORLD AT PRESENT. Free counseling at: CampusFrance Nepal ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE IN KATHMANDU Tripureshwor, Teku Road (next to Xerox showroom) Tel: 4241163 Fax: 4242621 E-mail: katmandou@campusfrance.org Web: www.campusfrance.org / www.alliancefrancaise.org.np
think high, study in france 12 | Alliance Baza{a}r | Mar-Apr 2010
{Interview} MAHEN SHRESTHA
Every two months AFK gives the opportunity to someone to talk about his relation with France and French langage. This time meet Mahen Shrestha, member of AFK Director's board, and for whom learning French really changed things. When and why did you decide to learn French? I always knew that languages are powerful tools of communication that improves cross-cultural understanding. So I started off with German in 1976 for years, after which I got a job in Universal Travel & Tours, the GSA of Korean Airlines, as an assistant to the ticketing officer. As Universal was dealing as well with Delta Voyage - a leading French travel agency - I started encountering many French tourists who came in with their travel issues but we had no one who spoke French. That is when I decided to learn French, but I did not know how, when or where. One day, on my way back to my apartment, I stopped by Ratna Pustak Bhandar, a bookstore in Bhotaiti, in search of a book to learn French. The shop keeper handed me - French in Three Months". So I learned French by myself for about six months, which enabled me to communicate with the French tourists who came by with their problems. Thanks to the representatives of Delta Voyage and the French tourists, I got to practice the language, which helped me improve tremendously. In which way speaking French helped you in your career? Back then, my newly acquired skill gave me immense job satisfaction and encouragement, promotions and greater economic benefits. Within three months, I was promoted to the position of a Tour Officer and an assistant to the manager of Korean Airlines after six months period. Knowing French helped me foster closer relationships and work better with Delta Voyage representatives. This opened up many opportunities to learn more skills in the travel and tour business. By learning French and ticketing skills, I added value to myself that allowed me to start my career with Air France. What do you do now? As I have retired from Air France, I concentrate on my social work that I have been doing since the past 30 years, focusing on community development and heritage preservation. I work in three villages in the outskirts of Kathmandu - Harisiddhi, Siddhipur and Sunakothi - as well as in my birthplace Bhimphedi, situated in Makawanpur district. Thanks to my knowledge of French, I have been able to garner support from the French people who are willing to support and volunteer. You went to France several times, what is your best souvenir? My French friends are the best souvenirs from France for me! There is no doubt that France is the capital of arts and culture of the world, and language is the best tool to access what she has to offer. What do you want to tell to AFK students? There is nothing impossible to achieve if one is committed while it is extremely hard to achieve success without dedication and deep interest. Language is one of the best ways to add value in one's life. French is one of the most beautiful and melodic languages in the world. While it is true that French grammar is complex and there are tons of exceptions to the rule, memorizing, practicing and reading is the best way to improve your language skill. In March we celebrate The week of the Francophonie, what are your favourite words in French? MĂŠlange, Fromage, Lune, Pamplemousse Vive la relation culturelle Franco - NĂŠpalaise !! Alliance Baza{a}r | Mar-Apr 2010 | 13
{Supporters & Sponsors} Alliance Franรงaise in Kathmandu is grateful to its sponsors for their valuable support.
Nepal Tourism Board
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