French ambassador Ramis calls Anna de Noailles High School cornerstone of French education in Romania

French Ambassador to Romania Michele Ramis has called the Anna de Noailles French High School of Bucharest a cornerstone of French education development in Romania.

According to a press statement from the French Embassy in Romania, Ramis made the statements on Tuesday at an event that marked the 100th anniversary of the French School in Romania.

Ramis highlighted the excellent co-operation that exists between France and Romania at educational level.

"This centennial attests to France's lasting and strong relationship with Romania. (...) This educational co-operation is currently a major objective of our policy in Romania. Currently, 18 Romanian bilingual organisations are 'FrancEducation' certified, one of the highest numbers of such certificates in the world. Romanian bilingual high schools are co-operating with the Anna de Noailles French high school under joint projects, and also through exchanges of experience between teachers of non-linguistic subject matters in the Romanian schools and the faculty of the Anna de Noailles High School," said Ramis.

Part of the event was the signing of a convention between the Agency for French Education Abroad (AEFE) and the Anna de Noailles High School Foundation. Signing the document were Ramis and Virginie Vatin, chair of the foundation.

At the centennial event an original letter from Countess Anna de Noailles was on display that was presented to the school by former President of France Francois Hollande on a visit to Romania in 2016.

To celebrate the centennial of the Anna de Noailles French High School the French Residence in Bucharest played host to a reception party extended by ambassador Ramis. The reception was attended by Frederic Petit, MP for the French people abroad, Olivier Cadic, senator for the French people abroad, representatives of Romania's Foreign Ministry, including Cornel Feruta, senior official for global affairs and diplomatic strategies, leaders of the International Organisation of La Francophonie, of the Anna de Noailles French High School, directors of bilingual high schools from Romania, representatives of Romanian associations of French teachers, consular staff and French elected officials.

Established in 1920 in Romania, the French School was affiliated with the French Public High School created in 1940. It was closed by the communist regime in power in 1948 and reopened in 1960 for the children of the employees of the French Embassy. In 1990, after the fall of communism, the French School in Bucharest was able to receive Romanian school children again. Today, about half of the students are Romanian, with other 22 of various nationalities.