La Francophonie is an international community of countries where either a large proportion of the people who live there speak French, or where French culture and language have a big impact on the national identity of the people.
French is a world language and is spoken across the globe. In fact, worldwide there are more than 150 million Francophones (or French-speakers).
Two of every three Francophones live outside of France, and in more than 40 countries on five continents.
Members of La Francophonie
The International Organisation of La Francophonie (IOF) was created in 1970.
It has 75 member states and governments (56 members and 19 observers), which together represent more than one third of the United Nations' member states and account for a population of over 890 million people.
It has four major missions in its strategic plan for 2005-2014:
- to promote the French language and cultural and lingusitic diversity
- to promote peace, democracy and human rights
- to support education, training, higher education and research
- to develop co-operation in the service of sustainable development.
French global influence
For centuries people from France have settled in different places across the world.
Sometimes, settlers followed explorers to find new lands where they could start a new life. At other times, France invaded other countries and took over control of them, claiming them as French territories and colonies.
Now the member countries of the Francophonie work together as equal partners and co-operate in the fields of culture, science, economy, justice, and peace.
The motto of La Francophonie is égalité, complémentarité, solidarité.
Photo credit: Ecole street sign. Copyright keepps. Published on Flickr with a Creative Commons licence.
