La France aux Émirats arabes unis

French formal gardens: a timeless model.

Attaché de presse — 2013-04-29T11:36:44Z

The celebrations to mark the 400th anniversary of the birth of André Le Nôtre, King Louis XIV's principal gardener, show just how influential a figure he was. Today, French formal gardens are major tourist attractions the world over and continue to inspire.

Born in 1613, André Le Nôtre was King Louis XIV's gardener from 1645 until his death in 1700. A landscape architect and master of design and composition, he created the gardens at the Château de Versailles, as well as those at the French châteaus of Vaux-le-Vicomte, Chantilly, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Sceaux, Compiègne, Saint-Cloud and Malmaison. He also worked on numerous public spaces, especially in Paris, where he designed the Luxembourg and Tuileries Gardens.

These sites are major visitor attractions, with formal gardens a particular favourite in a country with over one million hectares of gardens. Le Nôtre's gardens have transcended borders, becoming a benchmark from which all of Europe has drawn inspiration. Striking examples include the parks at the Royal Palaces in Caserta, Italy and La Granja, Spain and the châteaux of Schönbrunn in Austria and Belœil in Belgium. The Summer Garden in Saint Petersburg, Russia, is also a remarkable achievement. And Le Nôtre's influence can still be felt today.

Le Nôtre's technical feats brought together engineers and artists, as well as all professions relating to the layout of green spaces. This interdisciplinary cooperation continues today in the training of landscape architects. The modernity of Le Nôtre's work can mainly be seen in the manner in which it blends into the surrounding landscape, such as the horizon, forests, paths and cities. Each location's natural features are also analyzed and utilized to perfection, including the relief, views, orientation, water, etc. The way in which he created links and continuities, made transitions and connected territories remains a source of inspiration to this day. Riem Park in Munich, for example, offers true scenography between mountains, lakes and hills. In Normandy, garden designer Jacques Garcia used all these concepts to recreate the gardens at the Château du Champ de Bataille.

Visitors do not always notice the avant-garde design, but the sense of harmony which emanates from French formal gardens is felt by all. They are struck by the uniform, often linear aesthetics, where the water surfaces, built into the planted areas and the symmetrical parterres, play a major role. French formal gardens also introduced innovations such as hydraulic engineering, orange groves and pavilions. Le Nôtre made use of the latest developments at the time in the areas of optics, hydraulics and topography, such as using measuring instruments which provided him with complex geometric compositions. The raised terrace, the trimmed elevated plants and the size of the walls which correct the perspectives place the observer in a specific location, creating illusions and optical effects. The groves, with their deep recesses, hold many surprises, including secluded hideaways and new perspectives to be discovered. Thus, beneath the classicism and apparent austerity lies genuine scenography and an unquestionable taste for entertainment, which can be seen in all its glory in the Grandes Eaux in Versailles, an enchanting water show with all the fountains running in full play set against a musical backdrop, which can be enjoyed while strolling in the gardens of the Château.

From the outset of his career, Le Nôtre wanted to master nature in order to make it the symbol of the monarch's omnipotence. This anniversary provides an opportunity to revive the 17th century (known as the Grand Siècle [Great Century]), especially in Versailles, and many events have been planned. In the gardens of the Château, the Latona Basin and parterre, undoubtedly Le Nôtre's most famous work, has been restored. For the first time, millions of visitors will be able to see the different stages of this restoration project via a panoramic viewpoint. The Water Theatre Grove has been reinterpreted and the Gilded Children Basin has recovered its golden lustre. Casts of Pierre Puget's monumental sculptures, Perseus and Andromeda and Milo of Croton, will return to the gardens. A Gardens of Versailles mobile app will be available to visitors, offering personalized tours. The highlight of the festivities will be in June and July, with fireworks, water shows, ballets, theatre and more. And for true aficionados, the conference series organized by the Versailles National School of Landscape Architecture on Le Nôtre's influence on contemporary landscape architects is not to be missed.

Sylvie Thomas

http://www.ecole-paysage.fr (French only) http://en.chateauversailles.fr

Statement of the Minister of Foreign affairs, M. Laurent Fabius regarding the attack against the Embassy of France in Tripoli.

Attaché de presse — 2013-04-23T09:43:21Z

Statement of the Minister of Foreign affairs, M. Laurent Fabius regarding the attack against the Embassy of France in Tripoli:

I condemn in the strongest terms the attack against the Embassy of France in Tripoli, Libya, in which two French agents were wounded.

In connection with the Libyan authorities, the state departments will make every effort to ensure that all light be shed on the circumstances of this heinous act and that its perpetrators are quickly identified.

I expressed to the French officers injured my wishes for recovery, my solidarity and my deepest sympathy.

France candidate to the Human Rights Council (2014-2016)

Attaché de presse — 2013-04-04T08:58:44Z

Human rights are among the founding values of the French Republic and lie at the heart of its foreign policy. France is presenting its candidacy to the Human Rights Council with a view to promoting the highest standards of human rights protection.

For more information, please check the link below:

FrancOfilms 2013

Attaché de presse — 2013-03-13T11:14:04Z

Synopsis of the films

France Premiere Asterix & Obelix : God Save Britannia ( 109 min) – 2012 Asterix & Obelix au service de sa majesté Directed by Laurent Tirard With Gerard Depardieu, Catherine Deneuve and Edouard Baer The year is 50 AD and Julius Caesar is hungry for new conquests. At the helm of his triumphant legions, he decides to invade a small island at the very edge of the known world, a mysterious land named Britain. Victory is swift and total... almost. A small village manages to resist, but it can't hold out for long, so the Briton Queen Cordelia sends her most faithful officer Anticlimax to seek aid in Gaul, in a small village known for its stubborn resistance to the Romans. In this Gaul village, Asterix and Obelix already have their hands full, since their chief has entrusted them with the task of making a man of his good-for-nothing nephew Justforkix, freshly arrived from Lutetia - a task that is proving all but easy. When Anticlimax arrives to ask for help, Asterix and Obelix are tasked with escorting him back to Britain with a barrel of their famous magic potion, with Justforkix in tow as the journey seems an excellent opportunity to educate the boy. However, nothing quite turns out as planned...

Lebanon The Lebanese Rocket Society (100min) – 2013 ( DOCU-FICTION) Directed by Joana Hadjithomas, Khalil Joreige, When filmmakers Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige inadvertently discovered that their native Lebanon launched the first rocket in the Middle East in the 60s, and that the nation was immensely proud of its involvement in the international race to conquer the last frontier, they were surprised and intrigued. Why had such a significant episode in Lebanon's history been altogether erased from the collective memory? Interviewing scientists, professors and army authorities involved in the development of the rocket project, the directors uncover a dream of future glory that was halted and silenced by international pressure following the Arab-Israeli military conflict of 1967. In bringing this exciting chapter of Lebanese history to light, Hadjithomas and Joreige's film reflects the reawakening of the hopes and dreams of the peoples of the Middle East in the wake of the Arab Spring.

France The Illusionist/ L'illusionniste (80 min) – 2010 (ANIMATION) Directed by Sylvain Chomet The illusionist is a dying breed of stage performer. Ever since rock and pop stars have taken away slightly more than his bread and butter, his worsening economic situation has forced him to accept questionable engagements in dubious basement venues, at garden parties or in bars and cafés. In one of these obscure establishments, he meets an innocent young girl named Alice. Alice is just as delighted by his magical tricks. The performance has been arranged in order to celebrate the advent of electricity on their remote island. But, unlike the others, Alice is completely captivated by our hero and is convinced that his tricks are truly the result of magic. She follows the illusionist to Edinburgh and keeps house for him while he performs at a small local theatre. Unable to imagine anything worse than disappointing Alice, the illusionist can't admit that he cannot really perform magic instead allowing himself to be bankrupted by the constant present-giving. (Based on a screenplay by Jacques Tati).

Canada Mister Lazhar/ Monsieur Lazhar (94 min) - 2011 Directed by Philippe Falardeau With Mohamed Fellag, Sophie Nélisse and Émilien Néron At a Montréal public grade school, an Algerian immigrant is hired to replace a popular teacher who committed suicide in her classroom. While helping his students deal with their grief, his own recent loss is revealed.

Egypt The Hunger/ La Faim (115 min) – 1986 Directed by Aly Barakhan With Souad Hosny, Mahmoud Abdel Aziz, Yousra The movie, based upon the novel of the same name by Naguib Mahfouz, examines the social conditions of Cairenes during the first decade of the twentieth century. In doing so, both the movie and novel deal extensively with the themes of poverty and death. In this adaptation of episodes from Mahfouz's 1977 novel The Harafish, a weak-willed man accidentally kills one of the gangsters to whom local merchants pay protection money. The resulting adulation goes to his head, as he profits during a famine and takes a second wife from a higher class.

Morroco The Wind Horse/ Le Cheval de vent (88 min) – 2002 Directed by Daoud Aoulad Syad “The Wind Horse” is a story about the friendship that develops between a man in his sixties and a man in his thirties. It's a road movie – seen from a sidecar – in which poetry and fantasy spring from a background of dull, everyday routine. Tahar, once a blacksmith, leaves his son's house in the little town of Salé, where he feels he becomes nothing but a burden and a nuisance. Driss, the younger man, leaves hospital without knowing whether he is cured or has little time left to live. He concentrates all his energy on a letter he has received, informing him that his mother wishes to see her children one last time after growing up with an older brother, convinced that his mother had died when he was three years old. What brings Tahar and Driss together is the nature of their quest: each has set his sights on a fantasy horizon, and prefers to keep yearning for it than actually facing up to reality.

Belgium The Giants/ Les géants (84min) - 2011 Directed by Bouli Lanners 2012, It's summertime; Zak and Seth find themselves dead broke and ditched by their absentee mother in the family's cottage. Just like every holiday, they've resigned themselves to another shitty summer. But things change this year, when they meet Danny, a local teenager. Together, with life at their fingertips, they begin the great perilous journey of their lives.

Switzerland The Little Room/ La Petite Chambre (87 min) - 2012 Directed by Stéphanie Chuat, Véronique Reymond This is a story of the heart. Edmond's is no longer strong. But it still beats with an independence which fights against the very idea of entering a retirement home, while at the same time refusing help from Rose, his home carer. Nonetheless she stands up to him. She knows the tumult that a heart undergoes when it is forced to accept the unacceptable. Hers hasn't yet healed. One day however, a bad fall forces Edmond to accept Rose's support.

For more informations, check the flyer below:

The French Embassy launches an open tender procedure for the provision of security services.

Attaché de presse — 2013-03-13T07:51:09Z

The French Embassy launches an open tender procedure for the provision of security services.

The technical specifications are to be obtained from Ms Paul from 8h30 am to 16 pm (mob:056 688 61 04).

The closing date for receipt of tenders is the 31th of March.

Sale of French embassy car.

Attaché de presse — 2013-02-27T10:55:01Z

I) Characteristics:

Brand : PEUGEOT
Model 407
Type : Saloon
Energy : petrol
color : grey
Spécifications : with air con
Date of registration: 2008/08/24
Mileage : 103 000 km
Chassis number: VF36d3FYF8L003146
Engine number: 10LJ441663813

II) General sale terms and conditions:

Seller: French Embassy. Method of sale: Bidders will communicate the amount of their bid, their name and phone number in a close envelope before March 2013, the 18th, 1pm; this envelope will be hand over to Alain Le Guyader, French Embassy, Street 26, corner Delma Street and Al Nahyan Street The envelope will mention: “vente du véhicule 407” Who is awarded the vehicule : the vehicule will be sold to the highest bidder.

Minimum price: 28 000 AED Periode of time for the validity of bid: the bidder is agree that his/her bid will not be withdrawn within 30 calendar days following the depositit of bids and that during this period his/her bid will remain firm and irrevocable. Payment: full cash payment is required on the day of removal of the car, by cheque or in cash (an identity card will be requested.) Removal : the purchaser shall remove the car within 48 h after he has been declaired the succesful bidder and on appointment. In case of failure to remove, the purchaser will lose all right and title on the car.

Divers :
the bidder is invited, urged to inspect the car prior to submitting a bid. You may start the vehicle but driving is not allowed.
the car is saled in condition without any warranty.
It is the bidder's responsability to ascertain and comply with all applicable laws and regulations regarding the transfer of property for the car.
the bidder must pay, in addition to the sale price, a tax of 6% according to the article 114 of the French domain code.
the French embassy reserves the right to make withdrawal for car offered for sale at any time prior to removal . Day of visit: every working day from 9 am to 15 pm; make an appointment with Alain Le Guyader, ph: 02 813 1097 Date of the present notice: 27 th February.

Speach of the Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian at the Gulf Defence Conference 2013 in Abu Dhabi (GDC)

Attaché de presse — 2013-02-17T12:21:11Z

Speach of the Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian at the Gulf Defence Conference 2013 in Abu Dhabi:

Minister, Generals, Ladies and gentlemen,

Dear friends,

Let me first thank our host, the President of INEGMA, for his warm welcome this morning. I highly appreciate it, as well as I am glad to inaugurate this new conference on the occasion of IDEX show 2013.

It is, indeed, a great pleasure for me to be in Abu Dhabi again, in orderto, next to our proceedings, go further in the strategic partnership that the Federation of the United Arab Emirates and France initiated together. In this respect, let me commend His Highness Sheikh Muhammad Bin Zayed, crown prince of Abu Dhabi, who has been playing a key role in the high quality of our relation. I want to reiterate here our friendship and our confidence.

o-O-o-

History has conferred France strong links with the Arab world, that find expression today in privileged relations (security interests, major strategic interests), and also in responsibilities and duties. Over 40 years, France has become one of the major partners of the Gulf Cooperation Centre in terms of defence, and this role has steadily risen, due to the increasing regional crises, as highlighted by the reinforcement of our numerous defence agreements.

Setting up a joint military base in Abu Dhabi has therefore been an illustration of the responsibilities that France, as a global power, is intending to take on, alongside her privileged partners, in anarea that is highly sensitive to the whole world.

This is a contribution by France to the global sound footing. It is France's calling, and it is a calling that expresses itself in the region through a strong commitment, in terms of naval presence to counter piracy within EU-led operation Atalanta, as well as through refusing terrorism unfailingly and countering nuclear proliferation.

This base, which is the latest base created by France, is a special instrument of presence and cooperation. Its activities are mainly focused on benefitting our hosts and our common vision of security. As a key-element in our global relation, its purpose is to deepen an already long-standing cooperation, reinforced by military exercises as years went by, not to mention our close operational cooperation in more recent conflicts, and also due to the fact that our armed forces are equipped with common systems.

As you understand, this military presence is here the expression of a long-lasting commitment - a commitment to our partners and friends, like the outstanding one with the Emirates. I think that history of the last years has shown that the idea of commitment is neither an empty word nor wishful thinking for France. When a friend State needs France, France always answers “present”.

I am very pleased about the model defence relation existing between our two countries, and I grab the opportunity of my being here for this IDEX Show to remind everyone that, beyond her military cooperation, France is naturally willing to deepen the numerous partnerships already existing between her and the Emirates, especially on the bases of the advanced technology tested on all recent subjects.

o-O-o-

Three major crises are a good illustration of the threats we are confronted to in a global world, and where we have to adapt our defence and national security strategies: nuclear proliferation, international terrorism, chemical threats and potential destabilisation of whole areas. Here are the stakes and the three big crisis turning around Iran, Syria, and Mali.

IRAN Month after month, the evolution of the Iranian programme only reinforces our concerns, when the perspective of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons is more than inacceptable.

There are major stakes in the Middle-East: to put an end to Iran's violations of their own international commitments and to give guarantees to the world that their programme is exclusively pacific; to prevent them from acquiring the tools for blackmailing their close or remote neighbours in the future; to prevent a series of proliferation that would threaten the Middle-East and consequently the world's safety.

Our responsibility is to foil this effort and to guarantee the viability of the international non-proliferation regime, for the safety of all. This responsibility justifies France's strong commitment to foster an approach that combines both necessary firmness and opening to serious dialogue.

The increasingly strong sanctions that we have imposed are only a way to bring Iran back to serious negotiations. The Iranians know that they will only regain the international community's trust if they tread the path to negotiating, in good faith and without preconditions. France's choice to enforce diplomacy goes hand in hand with our firmness on principles. Let me repeat this here: France's commitment to foster the security and stability of this region cannot be questioned.

SYRIA

About Syria, nothing can be added to how tragic and appalling the tragedy is, which is occurring next to us, because of the relentlessness of a man and his clan who are trying to cling on power and exertviolent acts and slaughters repeatedly. Let me please remind a few permanent features of our action as France never stopped being committed to the Syrian issue. Along with the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, we were the first who recognized the Syrian National Coalition as sole legitimate representative of the people of Syria. Along with the countries of the Gulf, we were the first to provide humanitarian aid. Since then, we have constantly been mobilised to bring direct support to the local populations, both inside the country and also in the neighbouring countries, for example to the cities that wish so, or in the Zaatai camp, in Jordan, where we deployed a military field hospital. The emergency of this action is threefold: a humanitarian emergency, a political emergency, a material emergency. From the start, we encouraged the political opposition to get unified; it is also necessary to provide them with the possibility to help their population: money, equipment, political assets, in order to strengthen the foundation of tomorrow's Syria. In the face of the enormous toll the Syrian people has already paid and is still paying, it is more than ever necessary to act and to get over our discrepancies, to foster a political transition that matches the expectations of the Syrian people, which means a transition where President Assad will no longer have a place. In this respect, let me please commend again the Joint Special Representative of the UN and the League of Arab States on the Syrian crisis LakhdarBrahimi. His job is very important, and we must strive for a political solution relentlessly. In all these efforts, France will continue with her close coordination with the Gulf States, which is more necessary than ever to put an end to this crisis that threatens all of us and is an illustration of the security challenges we are faced with together.

MALI

As you know, France is fully aware of the nature of the threats we are confronted to, whether possible conventional conflicts, or the proliferation, or asymmetric actions, or terrorism. In our globalised world, terrorism has changed. As you know, the French armed forces have deployed to Mali since last 11th of January. And it's because terrorism feeds on the weakness of States, The President has replied to a call for helping the Malian President M. Traoré to halt an unprecedented aggression by terrorist elements.

President Hollande constantly reminded the threatening creation of a terrorist state reach of Europe and the whole world after all. Therefore, the situation had been under scrutiny for months.

The threat consisted ofa terrorist State being set up of within Europe's reach, taken over by groups whose brutality and fanaticism are world widely well-known: who can ignore the terror exerted over Malian population, the images of amputations, of the destruction of the Timbuktu mausoleums and of the heritage of Malian Islam, which lead up to the murders in In Amenas?

However, the military operation is only an emergency tool, which cannot, on its own, solve the problems that lead to this serious international security crisis. Within the country, a reliable reconciliation process must be initiated.

In this matter, the Malian authorities will have to incorporate the various interests of all the Northern populations, with no exception. Our enemies are not the Arab or Tuareg populations of the North, who have been ruled by terrorist groups.

o-O-o-

That is what I wanted to tell you and I would like to draw three conclusions here.

First, all of us here must have a clear and lucid vision of the surrounding threats, which endanger the foundation of our societies. The terrorism we are fighting is one of these threats. There is no possible compromise with it.

Then, we must have a political will to commit ourselves when necessary, in full compliance with international law, to defend our friends, our allies, our partners, our convictions, our word. And France will not shy away.

Lastly, we have to maintain our ability to organise military deployments far away from our borders: stand-off action, in-flight refuelling, Special Forces,… these are the key capabilities that France has devised, has built and has tested in action.

France's commitment in the Middle-East is durable, sturdy and close. Its purpose is not to establish strictly commercial relations, but real strategic partnerships, underpinned by a common analysis of threats and of the best ways to face them, strategic partnerships on confidence and on coproduction plans, which will cement our armament and defence relations for the future.

In this environment, marked by uncertainty and complexity, where threats and strategic stakes are more important than ever, a set of sturdy partnerships, based on friendship, cooperation and confidence will help us accept tomorrow's big challenges. This partnership, which has been binding the Arab Emirates and France, the Gulf and France for over twenty years, is indeed one of the best examples of that, and this is why I am so glad to be here with you today.

Thank you for your attention!

MyFrenchFilmFestival.com is back for its third year

Attaché de presse — 2013-01-31T11:09:42Z

From January 17 to February 17, 2013, you will be able to watch and vote for your favorite film among the 10 feature films and 10 short films selected in competition. In addition to these films, the festival will also showcase two Canadian films (a short film and a feature) and a French cinema classic, Crooks in Clover. MyFrenchFilmFestival has expanded this year to include a fourth award: the Jury Prize. Led by Michel Hazanavicius, this jury composed of directors from the four corners of the globe will honor one of the feature films in competition. The famed American journalist and blogger Nikki Finke from the website Deadline.com will also do us the honor of presiding over the jury of the Social Networks Prize. Available in twelve languages, films presented at the festival will be accessible free of charge on the MyFrenchfilmFestival.com platform in Poland (as well as on Orange Polska), China (exclusively on Youku and Tudou), Russia, Turkey, and Latin America!

iTunes has joined forces with MyFrenchFilmFestival for this third event, offering the selection of feature films in seven languages in a host of countries around the world. Numerous Web platforms have also joined us this year to present the festival: Dailymotion (worldwide), Curzon on Demand (UK), Eurocinema (USA), Filmin (Spain), Flimmit (Austria), GoodMovies (Germany), Illico (Quebec), LeKino (Switzerland), Numericable (France), UniversCiné (France and Belgium), Volta (Ireland), Vudu (USA), and Yomvi de Canal + (Spain). You can access a detailed presentation of the festival, its line-up, program, juries, and photos by downloading the catalogue below. Sit back and enjoy the interviews with actors and directors from the films selected, film trailers and the festival trailer!

http://www.myfrenchfilmfestival.com/en/

Call for application 2013 for medical specialization in France.

Attaché de presse — 2013-01-10T08:03:33Z

Dear doctors and applicants to the French Residency Program in France, please find below the new text for the call for application, as well as the registration form:

The registration form:

Call for application:

Large participation of France in the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week from 13 to 17 January 2013.

Attaché de presse — 2013-01-03T11:31:19Z

The Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week takes place from 13 to 17 January 2013 and will include the 3rd Assembly of IRENA, the 6th Edition of the World Summit for the Future Energy (WFES), the first International Summit on Water (IWS) and the 5th Zayed Prize of the Future Energy and the Renewable Energy World Conference (ADIREC) REN21. France participates extensively in these events, with several renowned speakers in the plenary sessions, and a large number of businesses, academic institutions and research agencies present on the French pavilions of UBIFRANCE at WFES and IWS. The French Embassy took this opportunity to organize, in partnership with Masdar and IRENA, a series of side events on key issues concerning clean energy and water.

For more information, click on this link:

http://frog4webservices.com/french-...