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At the Summit of Francophonie countries

Mauriitius joins others in reflecting on the relevance of the french language

Last month's Summit of Francophonie countries held in Quebec City, Canada, offered an unusual opportunity for Mauritius - and more than 50 other French-speaking countries - to reflect on the importance of the French language and culture in their countries.

Is it still relevant, many wondered, to be so closely aligned with a language and a country that has been losing influence in a world that is increasingly dominated by English - and more recently by languages like Mandarin?

Weekend Correspondent Pamela de St. Antoine, accompanied by photographer Peggy Lampotang, a Mauritian-born resident of Toronto, attended the Summit in Quebec with the hope of finding answers to these questions.

All the countries gathered for the "XXIIe Sommet de la Francophonie" were indeed very proud of their linguistic ties to France. And the choice of Quebec City as the host was not by chance. At a time when Quebec is celebrating its 400th anniversary as the first French settlement in North America, the city symbolizes a broader effort to defend the French culture and language against the dominance of English and other emerging languages.

Several red flags of concern were raised about the future of the French language.

"The French voice has weakened on the world stage," Quebec Premier Jean Charest said at the Summit. The promotion of French is " a battle that we must wage."

"Notre langue est en danger," a dit Abdou Diouf, Secrétaire Général de la Francophonie.

"Même s'il y a beaucoup de genes qui apprennent le français dans le monde, même s'il y a une forte demande pour le français, nous constatons dans les organisations internationales qu'on a tendance à favoriser l'unilinguisme," selon l'ancien président Sénégalais.

And Diouf should know, as experts say the future of the French language could very well be on the African continent. Teaching French to African children, many of whom do not now go to school, could produce several more million French-speakers over the next 20 years. But in order for this to happen, the richer Francophone countries must invest more in education - a difficult task during the current global financial crisis.

It may be too late in at least one formerly Francophone country, however. During the summit, which was held from Oct. 17-19, news broke that Rwanda, a former Belgian colony and long-standing member of the Francophonie, would no longer teach French in its schools. This was partly due to the anger that the now ruling Tutsi leaders have toward France, which trained and armed the Hutu militia that carried out the 1994 genocide. The French embassy and cultural center closed in 2006. But it's also a practical move. English is the predominant language of business, research and IT, Rwandan leaders said, and the decision follows other steps already taken to move the country toward English.

The language of Molière now ranks 9th in the world

Much has been made about the decline of the French culture and language, with many articles, studies and books examining the trend.

Statistics show that the language of Molière, once the predominant language of literature and diplomacy, now ranks 9th in the world in terms of the number of speakers. Topping the list: Mandarin with 850 million speakers, English with 600 million, Hindi and Urdu with 480 million and Spanish with 375 million. More people speak Arab, Russian, Indonesian and Bengali than they do French.

In 2007, Time Magazine caused an outrage in France when it ran a cover story on "The Death of French Culture," The article was roundly criticized in France but nonetheless it forced the French to re-examine the status of their culture.

In addition, French is no longer the foreign language of choice of many of the world's students. In the United States, where teaching Spanish is overtaking French, the College Board, the national testing company that produces examinations taken by high school students, will drop its advanced French literature course beginning next year due to low enrollment.

The French language also faces competition from several other fronts.

Mandarin is now the dominant language of the world in terms of the number of speakers, and China is taking advantage of its emerging economic influence to also promote its culture and language. Mandarin is the first language in Asia, and is taught in Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea and Mongolia. As part of its expansionist agenda, China has established a network of 149 "Confucius Centers" - similar to the French cultural centers - in some 50 countries around the world, according to Le Soleil newspaper in Quebec. China is also making economic and social inroads in Africa, investing heavily in infrastructure projects in many African countries.

India, another emerging economy with enormous potential and a large population, is also on a campaign of cultural expansion. Its diaspora has already settled into 136 countries, including of course Mauritius, and India connects with these expatriates through a specially created government ministry. There are as many as 30 million Indians living around the world.

And since the breakup of the Soviet Union, Russia is stepping up initiatives to promote its language around the world.

Un pacte linguistique

France and the Francophone world are fighting back - but not with very big guns. With a diminished power and a small budget small compared to the competition, the initiatives they can support are limited. And even at the Quebec summit, where the decline of French was already a well-known concern among participants, other topics like the world financial crisis and global warming dominated the discussions. Some critics complained that the Francophonie organization is not very Francophone any more, as half of the 55 members don't even use French as their official language.

Nonetheless, French remains the second most important language, after English, that is used in politics and that is taught in the world, and it is the only language - along with English - that is spoken on the five continents.

France continues to subsidize its culture - its filmmaking, theatre and arts, for example - and it continues to finance a well-placed network of French schools and Alliances Francaises around the world. In addition, French products - ranging from wine to haute couture to fine cuisine - still set the standard for the rest of the world to emulate.

The province of Quebec continues to be fiercely loyal to its mother tongue, and keeps the language alive through its schools, literature, media, culture and politics. Although talk of breaking off into a separate French-speaking state has softened, there are some who still think it's the best way to preserve French-speaking Canada's heritage.

After discussions on more lofty economic and environmental issues, the Francophonie summit managed to briefly turn to the French language and pass a resolution sought by Diouf, the secretary general, to create a "un pacte linguistique." This agreement challenges Francophonie countries to develop local initiatives to promote the use of French in their countries and identify how l'Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) can help.

French President Nicholas Sarkozy has also made restoring the standing of France and its language a priority. His efforts were given a boost recently when Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio was named winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature.

"A child in Mauritius and Nigeria, a teenager in Nice, a nomad of the American and African deserts, Jean-Marie Le Clézio is a citizen of the world, the son of all continents and cultures," Sarkozy said. "A great traveler, he embodies the influence of France, its culture and its values in a globalized world."

But not all Francophone countries have to be exclusively French-speaking in order to be considered loyal francophones. Mauritius is a prime example of a country that has successfully navigated both sides of the linguistic divide between French and English.

As a former British and French colony, the island is a member of the British Commonwealth and also the Francophonie. Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam lead a small delegation to the Quebec summit, in confirmation that French still plays an important role in the country's social and political life.

The only country in the world where French is in competition with English

Despite the Anglo influences on the island since the British ousted the French in 1810, Mauritius has held onto its French cultural and linguistic heritage and has even seen an increase in the use of French.

Although English is used in government and the courts, due to the British legacy of a parliamentary system of government, French is more widely spoken. It is also the language of television and the majority of the newspapers.

This bilingualism has helped Mauritius weather its many economic hardships because dual languages make the island an attractive place for foreign businesses and tourists.

Ties to France remain strong, however, due to patterns of immigration to France, opportunities for university education, and to the extent of French business investments and trade. France provides Mauritius with its largest source of financial aid, and over the years has given funds to computerize the government ministries, expand roads and build electric power stations, among other projects.

"Mauritius is the only country in the world where French is in competition with English, and French beats English," said Alain Gordon-Gentil, the Mauritian novelist and journalist who writes in French, has had many of his books published in France, and speaks fluent English. "We are often used as an example among the Francophonie.

"When you see the uniformity, and how the English language is imposing itself on the world, you want to hold on to your roots and to your language, because diversity is very important," he explained in an interview. "It's not just a language, it's a way of thinking, a way of living."

Gordon-Gentil, who was a member of the Mauritian delegation to the Summit, said that Mauritius has "a lot more to gain economically with France, as 60 percent of the tourists are Francophone, and with trade being so important with France."

But beyond economics, there's an historical and cultural reason as well. "Just like our other cultural backgrounds, you must hold onto it (the French heritage)," he said. "It is part of who we are."

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C'est quoi la "Francophonie" ?

It all started on March 20, 1970 with the creation of L'Agence de Cooperation Culturelle et Technique, which included 21 countires where French was the principle language spoken. The group later evolved into L'Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, which today comprises 55 Francophone countries. Included among them are some surprises, where French has a small but strong presence in the local culture: Romania (28% speak French); Sao Tomé-et-Principe (65%), a former Portuguese colony; Bulgaria (12%); Moldavia (25 percent) and Albania (10%). Since 1986, the leaders of these 55 countries meet every two years to discuss issues of mutual concern. The next summit will be held in Madagascar in 2010. Mauritius was host in 1993.

(for more information: www.francophonie.org)

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Quebec City: A bit British, a lot French

The first time you walk into le Vieux-Québec, you think you're in the wrong place. Not chilly, windy Canada, but chilly, windy Normandy?

Or perhaps rainy London?

The old quarter of the city has a split personality. Here you can see what the French started as the first colonizers in the early 1600s, and what the British continued after they ousted the French in a nasty battle in 1759. Battlefields and monuments give a sense of history, as does a look down the St. Lawrence River from high above, along the Terrace Dufferin, a boardwalk that offers a stunning vista of the river and the countryside beyond. You can imagine the French and British ships vying for the best river positions from which to shoot their canons.

Even the houses reflect the Anglo-French influence. On the same street are found tan stoned houses with bay windows, just like in London, next to white painted stone houses with small windows that look like farmhouses in Normandy.

The city is divided into two sections: Lower Town, once the bustling port and trading center, now home to chic boutiques, restaurants and nightclubs around an area called Petit Champlain, and Upper Town, once a windswept cape, now home to handsome houses, the famous Chateau Frontenac hotel and majestic views of the river.

The easiest way to visit is on foot, and the most practical is to take a walking tour, as we did. In two hours, you get an excellent perspective and a comprehensive history lesson of the city.

Many times during the guide's narrative we thought of the parallels to the colonial history of Mauritius: the British battling the French and taking over the colony; the British erecting the Martello towers; the early influence of the Catholic Church, which is much more predominant today in Canada than Mauritius; the mix of the French and English languages in everyday living; and the city being left with a strong French influence, despite the long British colonial period - just like happened in Mauritius.

A few blocks outside the walled fortifications, there was another side of the city unfolding. We were visiting during the time of the Francophonie summit, so the streets were blocked, helicopters hovered above and soldiers in Army fatigues and policemen from all over Canada were positioned around a three-block perimeter of the conference center. Their job was to protect the heads of state from 55 Francophone countries that were attending the summit, including Prime Minister Ramgoolam. Every so often, the chop of the hovering helicopter would be drowned out by the siren of a passing limousine, official flags flapping, the windows darkened. Security was tight.

Coming to Canada from Mauritius is definitely a long haul trip, but many Mauritians make the journey on family business - to visit relatives. Seeing the sights is often a secondary occupation, but visiting Quebec city is a must if you are nearby, especially if you are in Montreal, which is just a 3 hour bus or train ride north.

Just one warning: don't come in December, January, February or March, or you'll be surprised with freezing temperatures, huge snowfalls and wind whipping off the St. Lawrence. Best times to visit are May-October.

Quebec Facts:

*second largest city in Quebec Province after Montreal

*capital of Quebec Province

*the city's fortifications are the only remaining fortified city walls in North America and were named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO

*one of the oldest European settlements in North America

*95 percent of the population is French-speaking

*On several occasions in the 1980s and 1990s, referendums were held to separate Quebec from the rest of Canada. These were voted down, but some Quebecois still think that separation would be preferable, as they remember the time years ago when they were treated like second-class citizens and forbidden to speak French in public places

a m e r i c a n   s c e n e

WEEK-END --- dimanche 16 novembre 2008