International Francophonie Day in the National Library of the Republic of Tatarstan

From March 14 to 16, 2017 the officials of the Department of Literature in Foreign Languages of the National Library of the Republic of Tatarstan organized meetings with the lecturers and students of Kazan Federal University.

On March 14, the presentation of French traditions and celebrations was made. Holidays in France is a unique phenomenon as it comprises the diversity and combination of regional cultures, which originate from antiquity and Middle ages. Each region has its own holidays, some of which are known to be peculiar:  Snail Festival in Cluis (Fête de l'escargot), Lemon Festival in Menton (Fête du Citron), Scheibenschlagen in Alsace (Schieweschlawe), and Festival of the Parrot in Haute-Garonne (Fêtes du Papogay).

On March 16, an illustrated lecture named “French painting in the 19th century” was delivered, from which the visitors learnt about famous painters and their creativity. Most of the painters tried to solve social problems and find the connection between art and modern life. At the end of the century, the tendency of artistic expression prevailed over the content. The spirit of the time was reflected in the works of Jean-François Pierre Peyron. 

Both lecturers and students enjoyed the cultural program. The exposition called “Historical and cultural values of France” as an essential part of the program also attracted many visitors.

International Francophonie Day, which is celebrated on March 20, is a great festival for all who adores the French language and French culture. French is an official language in 29 countries and is spoken by 274 mln. of people all over the world.