A two-week festival across seven cities showcased French language and culture, reflecting growing interest in Francophone education and exchange in Kazakhstan.
English and Spanish language songs may be dominating the pop music charts but France is still flying its flag to signal its strength.
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Kazakhstan has been the latest destination for all things Gallic as this month its hosted the 16th edition of the Francophonie Spring, a wide-ranging programme of cultural events held across seven cities to highlighting the global reach of French.
The annual festival, dedicated to the diversity of French-speaking cultures, was organised by the embassies of Belgium, Canada, France, Lithuania, Morocco, Romania, Armenia and Switzerland. Its footprint has expanded steadily over the years, reflecting increasing local engagement.
“Here in Astana, the goal is to show that the French language is not only about France, but about many countries in which French is spoken. It’s spoken on all five continents, so it gives access to culture, to studying abroad, to tourism and to business,” said Sylvain Guiaugue, said French Ambassador to Kazakhstan.
Cinema, music and cultural exchange
The programme featured a mix of film screenings, exhibitions, concerts and public discussions. It opened with a night of short films, followed by a week of French cinema showcasing works such as When Fall Is Coming by François Ozon, The Art of Nothing by Stefan Liberski, and the animated film Little Amélie or the Character of Rain by Liane-Cho Han and Maïlys Vallade.
Other highlights included an exhibition on the reconstruction of Notre-Dame de Paris, as well as concerts by French singer Voyou and pianist Christine Fonlupt.
“I defend, also in France, the fact of singing in French and trying to write the best lyrics possible. So, coming here and singing in French, it means a lot,” Voyou said.
Growing interest in French language
Interest in French language and culture is steadily increasing in Kazakhstan. Around 11,000 people are currently studying French in the country, with an estimated 25,000 fluent speakers.
In 2024, Kazakhstan signed an agreement with the Agency for French Education Abroad to build two French schools in Astana and Almaty, a move seen as a response to rising demand.
“It shows that there is an interest in discovering French-speaking culture and modernity, whether in cinema, music or exhibitions,” Guiaugue said.
Voyou also noted the strong engagement from local audiences. “I was so happy to see that people were learning this language in this part of the world,” he said.
A global linguistic network
French remains one of the most widely used languages worldwide, with more than 390 million speakers across five continents. It is an official language in 29 countries and plays a key role in international institutions such as the United Nations, NATO and the European Union.
Some 90 countries are members of the International Organisation of La Francophonie, underlining the scale of the global Francophone community.
As the Francophonie Spring continues to expand in Kazakhstan, organisers say it is becoming an increasingly important platform for cultural exchange and a reflection of the country’s growing openness to multilingual education and international collaboration.
