France in Laos #33

The magazine of the Francophones in Laos

FRANCE IN LAOS Free Copy

N. 33 - April-June 2014

Laos

in tune with FRANCOPHONIE

The country celebrated its commitment to the French language in many events throughout the month of March

LAO COFFEE at the Paris Agricultural Show

FOCUS ON

BokEo province

The Maeying Huamjai Phattana association

Young pupils perform songs in French on stage at the Francophone festival on March 22 in Vientiane.

A word from the Ambassador Dear compatriots, Dear friends, Many activities during the 1st quarter of 2014 testified to the strong presence of France in Laos, including, of course, the Month of Francophonie and the inauguration of new French companies.

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Numerous events took place throughout the Month of Francophonie, details of which can be found inside this issue. I participated in or attended many of them and I went away with the encouraging feeling that beyond the generations previously trained in French, the next generation is getting prepared. Of course, English is dominant and will remain so while other languages, including Asian languages, compete, but many understand French and it will remain the second major language of global communication and a mark of excellence, indeed an asset to any career. So let’s all make a commitment to supporting this ambition, as so many of our readers do voluntarily – and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them!

We also paid tribute to French language and culture on April 2 during the inauguration of two major French establishments in the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) of Savan-Seno in Savannakhet, in the presence of HE Somsavad Lengsavad, Deputy Prime Minister in charge of economic affairs. The Essilor plant, the first built in 1997, is equipped with the latest technology and we see Laotian employees in lab coats busy monitoring high-performance machines, half of which are imported from the company’s main French site, and most of all carrying out quality assurance. All of them were trained locally and in Thailand by the company; they entered enthusiastically into the industrial era, foreshadowing what could eventually become a French economic «hub» in the heart of a very international SEZ. «Savan logistics» and «JP investments», created by our fellow countryman, Jean Pierre Grzelczyk, long established in Savannakhet, were inaugurated on the same day and will facilitate the opening of new businesses in Laos. In both cases, as with other foreign installations, the proximity of Thailand is a key factor of appeal.

In addition, on May 25 an important election was held in Vientiane and around the world: that of consular advisers. They will serve in consular meetings under the chairmanship of the consul general, participate in the implementation of policies conducted for French nationals abroad and the election of Senators of French people abroad. In Laos, four lists were in competition to solicit the votes of French residents.

I am delighted that the campaign and the voting took place very peacefully. I thank all our countrymen who devoted their time to being assessors in the polling stations or who participated in counting the votes, a sign of their democratic maturity.

Last but not least, as you can see, «France in Laos» has changed by adopting a new format that I hope is more enjoyable to read. The journal also aims to be more open to its readers. From now on, writing will be co-managed with the Vientiane Accueil association, whom I would like to take this opportunity to thank for also ensuring its financial management. I would also like to thank the new sponsors who have chosen to support the magazine in its new format: a big thank you to the Muanson company, Ansara Hotel, Riverside Boutique Resort and L’Eléphant restaurant as well as its historic partner, Banque FrancoLao. Yves Carmona

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CONTENTS

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Agenda Quarterly news

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Event European Food Festival, May 10

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Picture of the month

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World Water Day The AFD/NPNL partnership

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7 Lao coffee at the Paris Agricultural Show!

Example of family farming, a model promoted by the AFD, coffee from the Bolaven Plateau was presented in Paris Special Feature 8-9 Laos celebrated its commitment to French language and culture throughout the month of March

10 Cooperation The Maeying Huamjai association seeks to improve the quality of life of rural ethnic communities in the Bokeo Province Vientiane Accueil Latest news from the association

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Lycée Français 12 A pupil represented the school at the world finals of the “Budding Ambassadors” competition at UNESCO’s headquarters Address Book Stéphanie 888

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General Information 14 Associations, Departures-Arrival, Good to know

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APRIL

2 “Faces of Rimbaud” lecture (E. Peposi) at the French Institute 10

“D’Arts”, play at French school Lycée Josué Hoffet

14-16 Pimai (Lao New Year)

AGENDA MAY

JUNE

7 “Living with Montaigne”

4 “A Story of Water”: Cinema-debate at the French Institute for the 20th anniversary of the AFD in Laos

lecture (E. Peposi) at the French Institute

8 Celebration of May 8, 1945 in Vientiane French Military Cemetery

6-7-10 “Le gros n’avion”,

9 Europe Day

13 French karaoke at Lycée de

10 European Food Festival

14 Music Festival at the Insti-

14 “A.lter S.essio”, dance

performance at the National Circus

25 European Elections and consular adviser elections

EUROPEAN FOOD FESTIVAL 2014

play at the Institute

Vientiane

tute and Budo Center

21 “The colonial novel in

Cambodia and Laos”, EFEO lecture at the Institute

EVENT

May 10, in the continuation of Europe Day, a European Food Festival was Saturday, organized on the banks of the Mekong.

Now well-established in the Vientiane events calendar (this was its third festival), the «European Food Festival» once again attracted a large audience, won over by the variety of dishes offered by the twenty restaurants participating in the event. In particular, French, Italian, Spanish as well as German and Belgian cuisine was represented.

In a relaxed atmosphere, carrying on into the night, the various stands were constantly full all day despite the hot early May weather.

This year the festival was co-organized by the Delegation of the European Union in Laos, the French, German and UK embassies in Vientiane, the European Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Laos and Annam Fine Foods company.

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Several French restaurateurs grouped together for the event in a pavilion in the colors of the French flag.

FRANCE IN LAOS

PICTURE OF THE MONTH

BRIGITTE CONCERT AT THE INSTITUTE

n March 28 the songs of French duo Brigitte impassioned the audience of the O French Institute, who arrived in great numbers to celebrate the French language and culture.

Photo: Jean-Christophe Olry

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WORLD WATER DAY: THE NPNL-AFD PARTNERSHIP ven today, many Laotians do not have E access to safe drinking water. World Water Day, on March 22, was an opportunity

to take stock of the progress made by the Water Authority of Vientiane in terms of access to drinking water, with the financial support of the French Development Agency (AFD).

Water is one of the main resources of Laos. In 1996, the Lao government made a commitment to reforming the water sector in order to improve its management. The Water Act and the texts that resulted from it profoundly restructured the organization of national institutions.

The former national water company, the Nam Papa Lao, was then divided into 18 provincial companies, including that of the prefecture of Vientiane, the Nam Papa Nakhone Luang (the Water Authority of Vientiane, NPNL). Each company is responsible for the operation and management of drinking water systems in urban areas under the authority of the government in their respective provinces.

thus aimed at increasing the production of drinking water to nearly 40,000 m3 per day to meet the demands of the population.

The second phase enabled improving the financial viability of the public company and installing a monitoring device of its performance, making the NPNL more efficient and autonomous over the long term.

In parallel to this a training center for water professions was funded to develop the skills of staff in the various water authorities spread around the country (production and distribution of drinking water, sanitation).

This training should help increase the productivity of water companies and other key players (notably private companies) of the sector, strengthen the management of urban and rural wastewater (for greater respect of the environment) and improve the amount of access to drinking water (in particular for disadvantaged people).

The rapid development of the capital of Laos poses a speOn May 7 2014, the NPNL presented an award to the AFD cific problem with (represented here by A. Pouillès-Duplaix) in recognition of regard to drinking the various projects carried out over 14 years to improve access to water for the population. water supplies in the face of a growing demand. In Vientiane, only 70% of the population has access to it. Since 2000, the The culmination of 14 years of working together AFD has been supporting the NPNL in order to improve the public drinking water services of the city by Since the beginning of the collaboration between offering sustainable solutions on a social, economic the AFD and the Water Authority, more than and environmental level.

250,000 people have benefited directly from projects that have been implemented by improvTwo successive sources of funding have been estabing the living conditions of populations and reduclished to support the public company’s capital, which ing health risks associated with the consumption also received a contribution from the Japan Interof poor quality water. national Cooperation Agency (JICA). The objective was to respond to the difficult operational situation 2014 marks the end of these 14 years of collabfaced by the Water Authority: saturation of producoration for better access to drinking water within tion units, discontinuity of service in some areas, sigthe urban area of the capital. The Water Authorinificant technical and commercial losses and so on. ty of Vientiane may soon be able to obtain direct Help from the AFD and JICA was split into two parts: unsecured loans from the Lao government, which development of the infrastructure of drinking water should enable it to continue its development, facsupplies in the urban area and the implementation ing the challenges of expansion and modernizaof a restructuring plan for the NPNL. tion of the capital, along the lines already underway in Cambodia with the Water Authority of In Laos, water consumption is estimated at 170 litPhnom Penh. ers per person per day. The first phase of the project

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FRANCE IN LAOS

BOLAVEN PLATEAU COFFEE AT THE AGRICULTURAL SHOW! t the International Agricultural Show held in Paris from February 22 to March 2, 2014, A the French Development Agency (AFD) and the Center for International Cooperation in Agronomic Research for Development (CIRAD) teamed up to defend family farming worldwide. Produced according this model of agriculture, the coffee of the Bolaven Plateau Coffee Producers Group Association (AGPC) was presented in Paris.

In Laos, coffee is the first agricultural export in value.

Nicknamed «Source of Lao coffee», the Bolaven Plateau is known for its high altitude cultures (600 to 1,400 m) on volcanic land enjoying a special climate (highest rainfall of Laos). Over 95% of the national production of coffee is cultivated there.

The Bolaven Plateau Coffee Producers Group Association (AGPC) is an organization of coffee farmers bringing together 55 groups, which is to say, 1,796 families of coffee farmers (about 12% of producers). The AGPC was founded on August 7, 2007 with the aim of helping its members to produce and market high-quality coffee, benefiting from fair trade labels and organic farming. The AGPC established a partnership with the Malongo company for its exports to Europe.

The AFD began to support the Lao coffee industry in 1996, developing a support program for the AGPC and the National Coffee Board of Laos. The aim was to enhance trade capacity and the autonomy of the association, but also to structure the entire sector.

© AGPC/Micka Perier

The Agency also supports the key players of the sector in the definition of a Protected Geographical Indication label (PGI), which enables them to defend the name of their production, develop its image in terms of quality and, ultimately, improve the retail price.

For seven days at the International Agricultural Show, both the general public and journalists were able to taste the Bolaven Plateau coffee produced by the AGPC in the presence of an expert coffee taster and a sensory analysis specialist from the CIRAD. Other local or certified products from coun-

FRANCE IN LAOS

On the AFD-CIRAD stand at the Agricultural Show ©Marie Adell, Cirad

tries where the AFD operates were represented: Kampot pepper and Kampong Speu palm sugar (Cambodia), Penja pepper and Oku honey (Cameroon), Ziama Macenta coffee (Guinea), Palestinian olive oil, Deglet Nour dates and Teboursouk olive oil (Tunisia).

This year the United Nations decided to celebrate family farming, a form of organization of agricultural production characterized by organic links between the family and the production unit. The family makes the decisions and provides most of the factors of production, in particular, that of labor.

Faced with increasingly industrialized agriculture and the development challenges of countries in the South, family farming provides an alternative, perhaps the only one, to ensure decent living conditions for small producers. It should also enable sustainable development of the agricultural sector and better protection of those involved in family farming.

That is why the AFD and CIRAD chose to honor products from this production channel, such as Bolaven Plateau coffee from the AGPC, at the Agricultural Show.

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SPECIAL FEATURE

CELEBRATING FRANCOPHONIE T

hroughout the month of March, Laos paid tribute to the French language and culture. Focus on five key events.

On Saturday, March 22, a walk was organized on the banks of the Mekong, in the presence of many Laotian officials

A Francophone festival in Vientiane The first Francophone Festival held in Laos gathered together hundreds of people on Saturday, March 22 on Sokpaluang Campus for a day of celebrations in a warm family atmosphere. The Festival was aimed at enabling the general public to discover young talent in the field of theater, dance and even poetry.

While Campus France gave information to students wishing to pursue their studies in France, many workshops to discover reading, dancing or flower arranging were also offered to the public, with the kind cooperation and support of Fanglao, Lovelife, Monument Books and Chanmaly.

Big tournaments of Kator and petanque were also organized. After fierce encounters, the winners agreed to meet the vanquished in 2015 for a rematch that everyone was already talking about by the end of the tournament.

In addition to the finals of the Francophonie Games (see opposite), a tasting competition and live video conferences with Lao expatriates in France also took place throughout the afternoon before, what promised to be, a very lively evening.

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A f t e r a hip hop dance performance by the Fanglao association, a “flash mob” (a group of people who assembled suddenly, performed a dance rehearsed beforehand, then quickly dispersed) organized by the Pôle d’Activités Francophones set the pace with the music and lyrics of Belgian singer Stromae, a symbol of modern Francophonie. Several concerts finally finished off the evening, getting the ever large crowd dancing at this late hour of the day.

This special day was organized thanks to the combined efforts of Laos Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Education and Sport, the French Embassy in Laos, the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) and the Centre régional francophone d’Asie-Pacifique (CREFAP). It also received valuable support from Beerlao, Beeline, Café Sinouk and Laoartmedia.

FRANCE IN LAOS

The Francophonie Games Organized by the Pôle d’Activités Francophones, the Laos Francophonie Games for adults delivered their verdict on March 22, 2014 at the Sokpaluang Campus during the Francophone Festival. On March 26, as every year in the junior class, pupils from French school Lycée Hoffe competed against pupils from Vientiane school.

on subjects taken from a draw on the general theme of “The Internet, other people and me”. This subject, particularly sensitive in a country like Laos, which has experienced sudden and massive access to the Internet, inspired the candidates to such an extent that their discussion jumped from one subject to another, supervised by the moderators. The two winners won prizes that included a trip to France.

The 16 finalists of the adult Games, students from Savannakhet, Luang Prabang and Pakse, found themselves competing in Vientiane on March 22 to battle it out and designate the overall winner. The finals took the form of an eloquent debate

Every year the competition for the Junior Games, organized with the technical assistance of the French Embassy, celebrates the complementarity of the two schools in promoting and developing French in Laos in a very friendly atmosphere.

Educamp@DongDok 2014 Still relatively unknown, distance learning courses will perhaps revolutionize teaching and are an asset in a landlocked country like Laos. The AUF and the Pôle d’Activités Francophones (PAF) have organized several actions on this topic.

LHybrid training courses are based on a combination of traditional classroom training sessions and following course sessions online. The formula is new but growing rapidly.

People in Laos are also starting to become interested in this educational innovation.

The great innovation is the new format of distance education courses that appeared 3 years ago: the MOOC. The length of these courses is 4 to 6 weeks with a total volume of work required of the student of thirty hours.

This is the digital equivalent of a classroom Teaching Unit (EU).

However, these courses must be associated with tutorials and theoretical supplements through direct interaction with teachers or professionals. Some courses are very close to the concerns of Laos; for example, the course «Controlling an outbreak of emerging infectious diseases». It is run by a leading European center for research and training For Lao students, hybrid training solutions can be designed where they would follow this training online and participate in tutorials on the fight against dengue fever in Laos.

Once again, this year, pupils had the opportunity to use their ingenuity and enthusiasm when competing in the two contests. The first was to create a futuristic object destined to become essential and the second gave a series of challenges to the participants within the framework of a race in the grounds of Vientiane school.

There were no losers! All the pupils who took part demonstrated both intelligence and athleticism, and the two institutions shared the victories.

Teachers should familiarize themselves with the process to find the best balance in the curriculum for which they are responsible. To assist them in this line of thought, the AUF and PAF have launched several actions.

The first is to to present the principle to teachers. Several information sessions have thus been organized at the AUF branch on the Sokpaluang Campus. Meanwhile the PAF has provided two training sessions on the principle of hybrid courses in the field of teaching French.

The second action carried out was to encourage teachers to register themselves on MOOC and, in particular, on a course to train for collaborative work and the use of digital resources (more information at www.france-universite-numerique.fr). Last but not least, on 13 and 14 March, all teachers and final year students took part in a participatory workshop, Educamp@DongDok 2014, which was held at the PAF.

A « flash mob » at Dong Dok!

On March 5, 80 students participated in this dance called for by the Pôle d’Activités Francophones.

Don’t miss the video! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ums-tOkdXaU

The obstacle to distributing this innovation in Laos is the need for a solid Internet connection, these courses being based on videos. The situation is however changing: it is hoped that within 2 or 3 years it will be possible to connect to the Internet at the same speed as European universities.

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FRANCE IN THE BOKEO PROVINCE

COOPERATION

rom 4 to 8 March 2014, the head of the Social Development Fund of the French Embassy visited Bokeo Province to carry out the final assessment F of the project on improving the quality of life of rural ethnic communities,

implemented by the Maeying Huamjai Phattana association (MHP) between May 2011 and February 2014.

This project is co-financed by Misereor and Oxfam Novib, who also took part in this field trip. The Social Development Fund of the French Embassy helped finance this project to the tune of 70,000 euros.

FSD funding was allocated to particular activities implemented in 15 villages of the Paktha district, one of the poorest and most remote parts of Laos.

The mission enabled assessing the positive results of the project in terms of improving the quality of life of rural ethnic communities, especially women, in the Paktha District. Indeed, the various activities implemented have helped organize communities around village groups and women’s groups, while educating villagers on equality and on issues relating to nutrition and environmental protection.

This local development approach, combined with raising awareness of the specific issues relating to the needs of the villagers – especially women – has enabled both diversifying the sources of income of these communities to ensure their basic needs while encouraging the economic empowerment of women, their leadership, and their equal rights.

Project results are encouraging.

Indeed there has been a gradual awareness of the necessary changes in gender relations to improve the livelihoods of the households.

In addition, income from cottage industries and small stores has increased, allowing for alternative sources of income and increasing the economic autonomy of women.

Promoting organic vegetables Increasing local demand for these products enables improving the incomes of producer groups.

Training on natural tea processing to create a company Eight young women hope to open a store to participate in the development of their village.

Finally, the different ethnic and village communities have become more aware of the connection between good nutrition and better health and beyond to the issues of climate change and the protection of the environment.

MHP works with several key players, including Lao Women’s Union, the Camkid association, and local authorities. This cooperation enables pooling the skills of these technical partners and capitalizing on the results of activities carried out in the province.

Bokeo Province Capital : Houayxay Districts : Houayxay, Tonpheung, Meunk, Pha Oudom, Paktha Surface area : 6,200 km² Population : approx. 165 000

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On the borders of Burma and Thailand (“Golden Triangle”), Bokeo Province is the smallest and one of the poorest in the country, despite its subsoil rich in precious and semi-precious stones (Bokeo literally means “gemstone mine”). It has more than 30 different ethnic groups.

Training on the production of bamboo furniture (village of Houaythong). Its sales provide a significant alternative income for villagers, boosted by increasing tourism and the growing economic activity in the region.

FRANCE IN LAOS

VIENTIANE ACCUEIL 2014 GRAND RALLY

Vientiane Accueil

n April 6, the Vientiane Accueil O association organized a grand rally, a treasure hunt around the capital, full of surprises. On the program: sports, a photo contest, and lots of fun.

For Francophone newcomers to Laos who do not yet know anyone there, Vientiane Accueil always finds ways to create bonds and enable newcomers to find out more about the country.

This year, the association succeeded in mixing diversity and originality in organizing a grand rally that took place on on April 6. 15 teams competed on the banks of the Mekong River between 9:30 am and 4 pm.

Fierce competition in a friendly and family atmosphere.

The organizers striking a pose

An awards ceremony was then held to hand out prizes, with the many gifts from sponsors, to the best performers.

Wate r spor ts

“Ora nge Pict ure”

Competitions included “sports from the South of France” (petanque), “fun sports” (sack race), “water sports”, an “elephant sculpture” challenge and a photo competition (attractive picture, romantic picture, and group photo and orange picture) and enabled competitors to show off their talents.

A picnic was organized to en“Romantic able them to get their energy back, and candy treats were distributed to the youngest children. At the end of this

Sack race (“fun sport”)

FRANCE IN LAOS

iz-

exciting day, the organers awarded marks for the pictures and carried out the total scoring to rank the teams.

Picture”

The day itself was, in the words of the participants, ideal for exploring the Laos countryside around Vientiane while having fun.

Hence, a real success for the organizers who are really going to have to work hard on next year’s competition!

Photos: Vientiane Accueil

Awards ceremony

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THE “BUDDING AMBASSADORS” COMPETITION

Lycée français

young student from the French school represented his A school and his country at the world finals of the «Budding Ambassadors» competition at UNESCO’s headquarters.

Under the sponsorship of UNESCO, the «Budding Ambassadors» program involves oral debates on major international issues, promoting multilingualism, the art of public speaking and openness to others.

True “oratorical contests” offered to the 485 institutions of the AEFE network (Agency for French Teaching Abroad), the project was already a great success last year with nearly 10,000 students involved. French school Lycée Hoffet distinguished itself at that time with its victory in the Paris finals with schoolgirl Vissa Chanthaphassouk.

This year, a primary school pupil represented Laos and the school in May in Paris. After qualifying brilliantly during the national finals on January 31 at the French Institute, Vongprachanh Virathavone then went on to the finals of the Asia-Pacific re-

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gion, along with four of his comrades, on March 21 in the French Lycée of Hong Kong.

During the oratorical contests, which were in French and the language of the host country, with summarized interpreting in English, the champions of the institution and/or country defended their position and illustrated it with reference to true facts about the host country in which they are «ambassadors». Encouraged to think and express themselves on the topic of sustainable development during these Asian finals, the team from Laos did a good job. But only Vongprachanh, the primary speaker of the team, was selected for the grand final.

The young boy thus joined the Asia-Pacific team and represented his school and his country at the World Final at UNESCO’s headquarters in May. While he did not win this time around, Vongprachanh was warmly applauded and rewarded in person by the Director of the EFMA, Hélène Farnaud-Defromont. Congratulations to him!

FRANCE IN LAOS

ADDRESS BOOK

STéPHANIE 888

ocated on avenue Kunbulom, for the past three years the Stéphanie888 Lencounter store has been offering its customers a wide range of wines. An with a passionate French entrepreneur.

It has become a staple in Vientiane for all wine lovers.

Saint-Emilion Grand-Cru, Lussac, Pomerol, Graves, etc. the Stéphanie888 store (avenue Kunbulom, but also present at the Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge of Vientiane at Wattay International Airport) for three years now, has been offering a variety of products, subtly selected by its manageress.

«In 1992, I was the first to bring wine to Laos,» says Stéphanie, who knows the country well, having lived and worked there for the United Nations. She now divides her time between Vientiane and France but she actually developed a passion for wine after her marriage.

By becoming a member of the Rivière family, a famous wine producer and merchant based in Saint-Emilion since 1875, how could it be otherwise?

A very French passion that she made a point of sharing with her Lao friends upon returning to Laos.

Moreover, Stephanie is delighted to acknowledge that Lao customers are becoming increasingly interested in wine and, more generally, in French culinary culture. One project also counts towards her success: distributing her own French brand of vodka, «Vodka Gaulois (Gallic Vodka)». Enthusiasts take note!

But why «888»? Because 8 is a lucky number in Asia! And judging by the success of the shop, it certainly seems to be working.

On March 5, at the Résidence de France

Stéphanie (fourth from left) allowed the guests to taste several of her wines during the inauguration evening of the first Lao Fashion Week.

Clos des Menuts Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, a red wine typically made from merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc, available from Stephanie 888.

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INFORMATIONS Générales France in Laos Issue N. 33 April-June 2014

Text contributions Yves Carmona William Charrier Xavier Bouziges Aurélie Bellon Cassandre Van der Have Bruno Michelin Gaylord Giordanino Graphic Design & Layout William Charrier

An association for French-speaking people in Laos, we organize various activities for children and adults, such as drawing, music, football, aquagym, swimming, archery, tai chi, lacquer, mah-jong, theater, etc.

Our watchword is friendliness!

For the program of our activities and taking part in meetings and cultural events organized by our association, please contact us: vientianeaccueil@yahoo.fr

Page Layout Service de presse de l'Ambassade infopresse.vientiane-amba @diplomatie.gouv.fr Photographs Jean-Christophe Olry Micka Perier / AGPC Marie Adell / CIRAD Pôle d’Activités francophones Lycée Josué-Hoffet Vientiane Accueil Aurélie Bellon Xavier Bouziges William Charrier Printed by Printing-X Station

Numéros UTILES French Embassy Emergencies only Police Emergencies Vientiane Police Station Fire Department

French Medical Center Emergencies only Mahosot Hospital Friendship Hospital (emergencies) Vientiane Ambulance Station Thai hospitals - Wattana Nong Khai

International contact: Mr Paul

Contact in Laos : Mr Assanai - Wattana Udon Thani - AEK Clinic (Udon) Alarm Center in Bangkok Friendship Bridge Immigration Service ADFE Local Office: UFE Local Office:

France in Laos is published every three months in French and English.

The archives of back issues can be downloaded in PDF format on the Embassy’s website. www.ambafrance-laos.org/484

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(+856) 021 26 74 00 (+856) 020 555 14 751 241162/241163/241164/212703 (+856) 021 21 27 06 241162/241163/241164/212703 (+856) 021 21 41 50 (+856) 020 56 55 47 94 (+856) 021 21 40 18/19 (+856) 021 41 33 00 195 ou (+856) 021 26 11 (+66) 42 46 52 01 (+66) 8 18 33 42 62 (+856) 021 24 00 97 (+66) 42 24 19 56 (+66) 42 34 25 55 (+66) 22 56 71 46 (+856) 021 81 20 40 (+856) 021 81 20 37 adfe.fdm.laos@gmail.com ufelaos@gmail.com

Useful numbers and other practical information can be obtained at any time on the webite of the French Embassy to Laos: www.ambafrance-laos.org Regurlaly updated, the section “Service aux Français” covers all information concerning consular activities, as well as health and safety recommendations.

DEPARTURES/NEWCOMERS - Mrs Thongdy Soulichack succeeds Mr Sengchanh Soukhasem in the post of interpreter-translator of the Embassy.

- Mr Xavier Bouziges replaces Ms Marie Pluche in the intern position in the Embassy’s Press Office.

- Ms Cassandra Van der Have is undertaking a six month internship in the French Development Agency.

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