French Foreign Minister Le Drian: Romania - a Francophonie pillar in Europe, deeply marked French thinking

French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Thursday evening that Romania is one of the pillars of Francophonie in Europe, emphasizing also that culture greats like Brancusi, Cioran, Ionescu or Eliade have left their mark on France. 

There is an intimate tie connecting France and Romania. Your country is, of course, one of the pillars of Francophonie in Europe. And, I think that I can say this, Romania is a bastion of Francophilia. French thinking owes you a lot thanks to Tzara, Brancusi, Celan, Ionescu, Cioran or Eliade, these are all heavy names who left their mark on France's thoughtscape and culture, Jean-Yves Le Drian said in the opening of the debate "Facing the Present, What Role do Archives Still Have", hosted by Cinema 'Elvire Popesco' of the French Institute in Bucharest. 

The French official stressed that these privileged cultural and educational exchanges continue, as proves the new French-language private educational institution the French group Odyssey has decided to set up in Bucharest with the support of the French authorities. 

As other proof of these exchanges, the French top diplomat mentioned the highly successful France - Romania Cultural Season that will open in Bucharest on April 18. 

Referring to the Night of Ideas / Nuit des idées event, which also included the debate hosted by the French Institute, Jean-Yves Le Drian said that the ambition of this nighttime session is to take the debate beyond the circle of specialists, because the challenges of the present engage us each and all. We have a crucial role to play in posing questions, but I think it is important that each of us gets closer to the essential stakes of our times: climate and technological change, the dangers, but also the opportunities of globalization, explained the French official. 

Attending the debate that was opened by French Ambassador to Romania Michele Ramis and moderated by TV journalist Mirela Nagat, were photojournalist Vadim Ghirda, Doru Liciu - from the diplomatic archives of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Silvia Marton - Professor of political science at the University of Bucharest, Professor emeritus Maurice Vaisse - Centre d'Histoire, Sciences Po - Paris, director Vanina Vignal - co-planner of the One World Romania festival. 

Jean-Yves Le Drian is in Bucharest to attend the informal meeting of EU foreign ministers (Gymnich meeting).