France in India - cultural and artistic organisations which supports its embassies

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France has always had a foreign policy in the field of cultural affairs.

The network of educational, cultural and artistic organisations which supports its embassies and cultural representatives throughout the world provides important human and material infrastructure necessary for the development of bilateral exchanges and cultural co-operation in all disciplines of the arts.

In addition to the activities of the government at the national and local levels, many private organisations, societies and foundations contribute, alongwith the artists themselves, to making France's cultural richness known throughout the world, as well as to improving their own knowlege of other civilizations.

The Ministry of External Affairs and the AFAA (French Association of Artistic Action) are important collaborators. Other important partners in this endeavour are the Alliances Françaises, the cultural centres and institutes which can be found throughout the world.

In the French foreign missions, cultural policy basically concerns three principal domains :

cooperation in the performing and plastic arts;
books and publications;
the audiovisual sector, mainly cinema, radio and television.

These domains come under the responsibility of the Cultural Attaché, who works under the authority of the Cultural and Scientific Counsellor and the Ambassador.

The principal objectives of the Cultural Service in India are to :

facilitate cultural co-operation between the two countries.
evolve and support bilateral projects such as exhibitions, editorial projects and co-productions.
contribute to the establishment of direct and good quality contacts between likeminded institutions of the two countries.
develop relations between public sector and private partners in order to create an evolving Indo-French cultural policy.
support the network of Alliances Françaises in India in all its cultural activities.

The French Information Resource Centres in India

France is not just a land of wine, elegance and a wealth of writings, as it was believed for long. Today, it is on the cutting edge of many fields like space, aeronautics, nuclear energy, optics, telecommunications, life sciences, etc.

However, information on these contemporary aspects of France has till now been very limited. It is precisely to cater to this need that the French Information Resource Centres are being established in the french Embassy in New Delhi and also in the libraries of the Alliances françaises in India.

The main function of our Information Resource Centres is to inform our public about France as it is today.

With highly efficient modern tools such as audio-visual supports, CD-ROMs and Internet as also a treasurehouse of documentation, we can provide information on any aspect related to contemporary France : studies, society, government, law, scientific research, technology, economy, business and much more.

All you need to do is contact us. You can write, call or send an e-mail.

We can help you.

Delhi	Main centre 2, Aurangzeb Road New Delhi - 110 011 Tel : 301 56 31 Fax : 379 38 92 E-mail : France@del2.vsnl.net.in
All over India	Please contact the nearest ALLIANCE FRANCAISE

About France

CoricoFrance

Is the Largest country in Western Europe with 550 000 sq. km.
It is the 1/5 the size of the European Union and 1/6 that of India.
Has a population of 60.9 million.
Has a GDP of $1 540 billion
UK - $1 145 billion, India - $354 billion
Is the Fourth largest economic
power in the world
Key sectors : telecomunications, agro-foods, pharmaceuticals, automobiles, railways,
aeronautics, metallurgy and metal processing,
nuclear power, garments and wine.
Is the Fourth largest exporter of goods (especially durables) and second largest exporter of services.

Exports : 1 886 billion francs ($343 billion) (1996)
Imports : 1 682 billion francs ($306 billion) (1996)
Exports to India : 5.5 billion francs ($1 billion) (1996)
Imports from India : 5.8 billion francs ($1.1 billion) (1996)
Sectors : Food products and other consumer goods, semi-finished products, capital goods
Is a Member of the European Union, UN security council and NATO.
Boasts of 48 Nobel laureates in literature and sciences
Produces more than 150 films every year. Ranks third in the world after India (683) and USA (550). 4,800 cinemas.
Has 463 000 sq. km. covered by farms and forests. It ranks third in Europe in terms of forest area.
Possesses 6 national parks and 29 regional nature parks, 122 nature reserves, 430 areas reserved for protected species and 299 protected coastal areas.
Certain images of France the world over....
Asterix and the Gauls, Eiffel Tower, Perfumes, Wines, Cuisine, Napoleon, Versailles, Monet, Manet, Renoir, Camus, Sartre, de Gaulle, Marie Curie, Pasteur, TGV, Airbus, Ariane rocket, Smart cards, 1998 Soccer World ....

In short, 2000 years of steady evolution : history, culture, art and innovation !