The French Consulate in Atlanta, the State of Georgia, and the City of Atlanta are preparing to reinforce ties between France and the American Southeast through a series of events and lectures in the fields of science, economics, the arts, and humanitarian aid to take place in Atlanta from November 29 to December 12, 2010.

The partnership called “France-Atlanta: Together Towards Innovation” builds on a relationship that already exists between Atlanta and the Lorraine region and Atlanta and the City of Toulouse. Georgia Tech has had a campus in the city of Metz, capital of Lorraine, for the past 20 years, while Atlanta and Toulouse have been sister cities since 1974. Large delegations from Lorraine and from Toulouse are expected to attend.

For more on the “France-Atlanta” partnership and the events of Nov. 29-Dec. 12 see http://www.france-atlanta.org/.

For more information about the relationship between Toulouse and Atlanta click here or here.

For information about Georgia Tech – Lorraine see www.georgiatech-metz.fr/.

News from the Consulate General of France in Atlanta

The French and German cultural centers in Atlanta, the Alliance Française and the Goethe Zentrum, now work at the same location to promote Francophone and Germanic cultures. Language classes and events will take place in a completely renovated facility at Colony Square, 1197 Peachtree Street, NE, in Atlanta.

An official grand opening ceremony will take place on January 28, 2010, at 6:00 pm to present this new synergy, the first of its kind in the United States, to the Atlantan community. This initiative is a modern symbol of the Franco-German friendship.

Since the January, 22 1963 Treaty on Franco-German cooperation (also known as the treaty of the Elysée), signed by General de Gaulle and Chancellor Adenauer, France and Germany have been involved in an unprecedented economic, political and cultural cooperation at the European level and worldwide.

The Franco-German friendship was particularly on display last November when the President of the French Republic, Nicolas Sarkozy, attended the 20th anniversary celebration of the fall of the Berlin wall. German chancellor Angela Merkel represented Germany November, 11 at the 91st anniversary’s celebration of 1918 Armistice in France.

Who: Alliance française d’Atlanta and Goethe Zentrum

What: Official Grand Opening Ceremony with the presence of the Ambassadors of France and Germany to the United States, H.E. Mr. Pierre Vimont, and H.E. Mr. Klaus Scharioth respectively.

Where: Colony Colony Square Plaza level 1197 Peachtree St. N.E. Atlanta GA 30361

When: January 28, 2010, at 6:00 pm Event will begin with the flag raising ceremony in front of the colony square building thereafter, the ambassadors will make speeches inside the building’s lobby level followed by a ribbon cutting ceremony. This event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

For further Information, please contact: Obse Ababiya
Phone: 404 898 1223 Email : Obse@afatl.com
Websites: http://www.afatl.com/
http://www.goethe.de/INS/us/atl/enindex.htm