Event report • Exceptional event
French Week 2018 | Le French Marché
The Franco-Jordanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry –CAFRAJ- organized, for the fourth consecutive year, the French Week in Jordan in collaboration with the French Embassy in Jordan and the French Institute, which was launched on September 30th taking place through October 6th at The Boulevard, in Al Abdali.
The French Week aims at highlighting and promoting the strong French presence in the kingdom. During a whole week, French expertise, culture and “art de vivre” were showcased and celebrated through various activities.
France being the first non-Arab investor in Jordan, with a volume of investments amounting 1.5 billion euros and economy and trade representing an “extremely important pillar” of the Franco-Jordanian relations. The French Week highlights this strong bond between the two countries by turning the Boulevard into a French Market called “Le French Marche”, where French companies that are present in Jordan have exhibited their products to the Jordanian audience.
The diversity of exhibiting companies on the Boulevard certainly reflects the multi-sectorial presence of France in Jordan, ranging from telecommunications to energy, automobile, cement, aircrafts, shipping, banking, real estate, gastronomy, beauty as well as the internationally renowned French cosmetics and perfumes.
Since culture is one of the main highlights of the French Week, the Boulevard has embraced a totally French atmosphere allowing Jordanian people to experience a glimpse of Paris, with some iconic monuments of the French capital rising up across the avenue; The Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe and the Pyramide du Louvre.
Furthermore, artists and bands coming all the way from France, Lebanon and Palestine, alongside local Jordanian artists performing every evening at the boulevard.
The success brought by last year’s first Hip-Hop festival incited the French Institute to bring a different
taste this year to the French Week and a new range of spectacular shows.
A one of its kind Augmented Magic Show performed by Moulla, also known as “The French David Copperfield”, in which he combined the virtual world with reality.
The French week has also impressed the audience with one of the world’s most leading contemporary circus companies; the French acrobatic troupe “Compagnie XY”, who presented their astonishing show called “it’s not midnight yet”. 22 acrobats were effortlessly catapultingeach other through the air, performing jaw dropping circus stunts, including the rarely seen four-level high human tower.
Meanwhile, the week was filled by amazing live concerts all over the week; the Desert Rocks, Guitanai, Laila Sabbagh, Samah & Watar Soul, Omar Shukri, Christina Kairouz and Jeena Haddadin.
Many other activities were on the schedule as well; free screenings of French movies for adults and young audiences subtitled in Arabic and English at Taj Cinemas.
Besides Hip-Hop and Zumba workshops, a Fencing demonstration and workshop also took place on the Boulevard; one of the very known sports in France known as Escrime.
Art lovers were also satisfied as a photo exhibition “My French Summers” was held by French photographer Amel Pain and a book fair was showcased across the Boulevard.
The French Week has become a regular “rendez-vous” to celebrate French culture in all its forms. It is above all a moment of sharing between Jordanians and French and an occasion to celebrate the friendship between the two countries.
The 4th edition of the French Week had a special touch this year as the Franco Jordanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry –CAFRAJ- is celebrating its 20th anniversary, which has worked two decades to develop commercial and economic relations between Jordan and France.
We are also very grateful and thankful to all our sponsors including our platinum sponsor, Orange Jordan, without whom the proud say that the event was met with roaring success based on the footfall for the week as whole; as it reached 112,000 without children who were not counted since they do not pass through security gates.
All the events were free of charge, as we strongly believe that access to art and culture should be for all without any exceptions.
Lastly, CAFRAJ organized its yearly Gala Dinner under the patronage of the Minister of Tourism, H.E. Mrs. Lina Ennab, alongside other important personalities such as the former Prime Minister of Jordan, H.E. Mr. Fayez Tarawneh.
Christina Kairouz; a trilingual Lebanese singer, Moulla; the great magician and Roberto Dance Academy have joined to keep our guests entertained throughout the night.
