Vol. 13.05 News From France June 2013 A free monthly review of French news & trends

France and Germany Co-Host EU Open House; Part of “Franco-German Year” © SDG/RP/ST © SDG/RP/ST © SDG/RP/ST © SDG © SDG/RP/ST © SDG/RP/ST © SDG/RP/ST

The Embassy of France welcomed some 4,500 visitors to its grounds on May 11. As part of the EU Open House, nearly 30 embassies of member countries belong- ing to the European Union joined in sharing European culture and diplomacy in Washington. The French and German embassies co-hosted this year. Story, p. 2

From the Ambassador’s Desk: A Monthly Message From François Delattre

The past month has showcased an exceptionally centered on this year’s “Euro-American Celebration,” diverse set of French-American partnerships. In fields as part of the European Month of Culture all through May. broad as medicine, culture, and manufacturing, we’ve In the security arena, Jean-Yves Le Drian, France’s inside been proud to work with our American friends. Minister of Defense, made a successful visit to Washing- Leading medical organizations in France and the ton on May 17 for meetings with, among many others, Current Events 2 U.S. joined together on May 7 to sign with me a Memo- U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. The trip allowed May as European Month of Culture randum of Intent aimed at deepening for very close dialogue on global security Interview with the Expert 3 research on addiction. France’s National challenges, including Mali, Syria, Iran, and Amb. Pierre-Henri Guignard, OAS Institute for Health and Medical Research North Korea. (INSERM) and the U.S. National Institute on On May 29, I had the pleasure of at- Special Report: History 4 Drug Abuse (NIDA) agreed to launch joint tending the expansion of a factory in The Mystery of the Oiseau Blanc research and exchanges, in particular in Little Rock, Ark., which produces air- Business & Research 6 the fields of neurology and psychiatry. planes for the French company Dassault. Innovation at the Concours Lépine On May 11, the Embassy of France The $60 million addition makes the site opened its doors to the visiting public the largest Dassault factory in the world. Culture & Society 7 as part of the EU Open House, an annual The event, attended by the Governor of French Hip-Hop Dance in D.C. event that lets visitors explore diplomatic Arkansas, the Mayor of Little Rock, and France & America 8 life in the nation’s capital. 2013 is the “Fran- several of the state’s Members of U.S. French Week in Jacksonville, Fl. co-German Year,” and France co-hosted its Congress, provided a beautiful example event with the Embassy of Germany. It is © SDG of French-American economic partner- this Franco-German friendship that has helped secure ship in cross-investment and high-tech industry. peace in Europe since World War II, for which the Euro- As is often the case between France and the U.S., his- pean Union was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2012. tory was cause for celebration this month, too. May 8 News From France We’re proud of our modern relationship with Germany, marked the anniversary of V-E Day. On that day in 1945, A free monthly review of French news & trends our neighbor, ally, and European partner. World War II was declared over in Europe. To the Ameri- While the EU Open House served as the largest in- can soldiers who fought for France at D-Day, on the Med- stance of European-American relations this month, other iterranean coast, or in the Battle of Paris, I wish to thank NFF is also available online at: www.ambafrance-us.org examples featured on cultural calendars throughout the the United States for helping liberate my country and for www.facebook.com/FranceInTheUS country. Chapters of the Alliance Française in Louisiana, restoring the peace our two nations hold dear. France @franceintheus Michigan, and Minnesota hosted a variety of events will never forget. NFF current events en bref

Defense Minister in EU Open House Shares French, German Worlds with D.C. D.C. for Top-Level Meetings On May 11, the Embassy of France opened its World War II. Peace and prosperity ensued in broad In a 24-hour whirlwind of activity, doors to roughly 4,500 visitors as part of the EU Open measures across the European continent. France Jean-Yves Le Drian, France’s Minister House, an annual event in which all embassies of the would coin a special term for the period, les Trente of Defense, conducted meetings in Member States of the European Union (EU) welcome Glorieuses, or the “Thirty Glorious Years,” when from Washington on May 17 with several visitors who want to know more. 1945 to 1975 the country enjoyed dramatic econom- top-level government officials and The Embassy of France co-hosted the event with ic growth. organizations, including U.S. Secre- the Embassy of Germany at La Maison Française, the The Franco-German “couple,” as they have become tary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Washington-based cultural center of the Embassy of known in EU circles, fueled the trend of European in- Sessions took place at the Penta- France. Offerings included interactive photo booths, tegration that would evolve into the European Union gon and the U.S. Senate. Mr. Le Drian face-painting and games for children, French and the world knows today. also gave a speech during a public German food and drink, music, and a wide selection In 2012, the European Union was awarded the No- event at the Carnegie Endowment of handouts. A special “diplomatic lunch” with tradi- bel Peace Prize. The Nobel committee cited the EU’s for International Peace, in partner- tional cuisine was also available. work as having “for over six decades contributed to ship with the Center for Strategic and France and Germany have several reasons to cel- the advancement of peace and reconciliation, de- International Studies (CSIS). Press ebrate their roles in the European Union, notably that mocracy and human rights in Europe.” conferences and interviews took 2013 marks the 50th anniversary of the signing of The EU Open House event marks the second time place in Washington. the Elysée Treaty. Completed in 1963, the watershed France and Germany have conducted their public oc- The Minister addressed global se- text formalized peaceful Franco-German relations casions jointly, following a successful first event in curity issues in Mali, Syria, Iran, and that would stabilize Europe for decades following 2012. Asia. Special focus was devoted to security challenges shared with the United States, as addressed among senior French and U.S. defense offi- cials who met as part of Mr. Le Drian’s visit. European defense, as well as the recently published French White Paper on Defense and National Secu- rity, was also discussed among par- ticipants.

Floridian French Caucus to Boost French-American Ties

A Floridian French Caucus modeled after the French Caucus of the United © SDG/RP/ST © SDG/ST States Congress was inaugurated in © SDG/RP/ST late April, in an effort to make strong At the Open House photo booth, visitors could have their picture taken at the Eiffel Tower (well, almost). L-R: a French relations even stronger between embassy staffer thinks of home, two German women go on virtual vacation, and a mother and daughter share a smile. France and the Sunshine State. The caucus was launched at the Florida Historic Capital Museum in Tallahassee, Fl., in a ceremony that In U.S. & at Home, France Fêtes European Month of Culture was attended by François Delattre, Ambassador of France to the United May is a month full of anniversaries for the Euro- the United States on topics from business develop- States, Consul General of France Gaël pean Union, and for France’s role within it. Through- ment to gastronomy to academic conferences. de Maisonneuve, Florida Secretary out the month, Americans could enjoy the European In France, Thierry Repentin, France’s Minister Del- of State Ken Detzner, and Executive Month of Culture, celebrated throughout the United egate for European Affairs, met with members of Director of Florida Veterans’ Affairs States. The series focused on a multitude of contem- the European Youth Parliament on May 9 as well as Mike Prendergast. Also present at porary EU debates, and Alliance Française chapters in participants in Eurolycées, an initiative run by the the event were State Representative Louisiana, Michigan, and Minnesota hosted various Citizenship and Democracy Association, which en- Lake Ray and State Senator Anitere goings-on. courages high-school students to think about EU Flores, who will serve as the group’s In New Orleans and Lafayette, La., the “Euro-Amer- energy and environmental policy. Students also took first co-chairs. ican Celebration” ran from May 9 through 12 with part in a simulation of an EU electoral campaign. In their speeches, each dignitary cultural, social, and educational events honoring the Mr. Repentin also met with civic associations to recognized the extensive historic Euro-American relationship. discuss the 2013 European Year of Citizens program. and cultural ties connecting France The Alliance Française of Detroit ran an extended He joined groups for a visit to the “European Village” and Florida, which date back to the slate of activities from May 4 through 31, with special set up at the foot of Paris’s City Hall. The events are 1564 founding of Fort Caroline by emphasis placed on friendship between the EU and part of the Faites l’Europe (“Do Europe”) project or- French explorer Jean Ribault. At the the United States. ganized by the House of Europe, based in the French end of the ceremony, Amb. Delat- In the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, Europe-themed capital. tre paid tribute to more recent con- offerings included business conferences, a soccer May 9 marked the anniversary of the Schuman nections, awarding France’s highest tournament, and a talk on the European Capitals of Declaration, a landmark speech given in 1950 that award, the Legion of Honor, to six Culture program. would help establish the European Union. It bears the U.S. veterans who served in France Related events took place elsewhere in the U.S. and name of its orator, the French statesman and one of during World War II. Europe. The week of May 5 through 11 was Europe the founding fathers of the European project, Robert Week, a busy seven-day event series held throughout Schuman.

2 interview with the expert NFF en bref Pierre-Henri Guignard, Embassy Joins D.C.’s Permanent Observer of France to the OAS Bike to Work Day 2013

As part of a citywide effort to think green about daily transportation, the Embassy of France hopped on to Bike to Work Day organized in the nation’s capital on May 17. A clutch of enthusiastic embassy staff rolled to work that morning on two wheels instead of four. As a reward for their efforts, riders were greeted with a collation, or healthy snack of granola and other foodstuffs appropriate for the health-conscious activity. Some 70 other “pit stops” were in place throughout the Washington area. An annual event, Bike to Work © SDG © SDG © SDG Day 2013 was organized among the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia Depart- Most people think of the Organization of American OAS, France has an enduring relationship—not to ments of Transportation. States (OAS) as a kind of United Nations for the Western mention several French territories—in the expanse The event is among the activities hemisphere. Why, then, has France been an observer from Canada to Cape Horn. News From France caught up related to the “Green Embassy” proj- since 1972? As explained by Ambassador Pierre Henri with the diplomat for a closer look at his career and cur- ect, a comprehensive effort to es- Guignard, the Permanent Observer of France to the rent work at the Washington-based organization. tablish sustainable, environmentally friendly practices at the French em- bassy and in Washington, in partner- What is your role as Ambassador of France to the cross the Atlantic toward Africa, where sometimes it fi- ship with local organizations. Organization of American States? nances terrorism, and then goes to Europe. Therefore, it’s For photos of the embassy’s Bike to I’m the Ambassador-Observer to the Organization very important that we work with all American states to Work event and participants, please of American States. France is an observer state. We are enhance security. visit facebook.com/franceintheus. not one of the 35 members of the OAS, though France has territories in the Americas: Guadeloupe, Martinique, Can you tell us about your career and what led you to Two Wine Tastings at Guyane, and St. Pierre-et-Miquelon. It’s the longest-run- become Ambassador of France to the OAS? French Embassy Teach Tips ning regional organization in the world. I’d say I have an “All-American” career. I’ve been post- ed to Peru, to Mexico, to Canada, it’s the third time I’ve On May 1 and 29, budding wine con- How do you try to promote France’s views within the been posted in Washington. I’ve also been posted at the noisseurs from around the D.C. area OAS? United Nations in New York. I have multilateral and bilat- gathered for the first dégustations of Well, let’s step back for a minute. France is one of 62 ob- eral experiences. I was Ambassador to Panama prior to the spring season at the Maison Fran- servers. It is, with Spain and Italy, the only country to have my appointment here at the OAS. Prior to that, I was in çaise, the French embassy’s cultural a dedicated ambassador. What do the observers do? First charge of the Americas in the staff of the Foreign Minis- center in Washington. of all, they observe [laughs]. We try to understand what is ter, first with Dominique de Villepin and then with Michel The sessions, which featured a va- going on in the political bodies of the organization. And Barnier, as advisor for Latin American affairs. So, in a way, riety of sweet and dark wines from it helps us to understand what is happening, say, in Ven- this experience of the Americas has brought me to the such prestigious estates as Château ezuela, between Costa Rica and Nicaragua, how Brazil is OAS, and I’ve enjoyed it very much. Climens, Château Troplong-Mondot, growing. What I report to Paris and the French embassies and Maison Joseph Drouhin, were on the continent helps us to understand what is going on France is working for worldwide abolition of the led by Claire Morin-Gibourg, a French regionally. It’s political observation. death penalty. How are you pursuing this at the OAS? national and Washington-based jour- We also try and use the organization to strengthen It’s interesting because it’s a topic that had disap- nalist with wine expertise. democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean, in par- peared a bit from the agenda of the organization. You Throughout the sessions, audi- ticular through electoral observation. have nine out of 35 countries in the Hemisphere that still ences learned key tips about how to The third activity we have is to support human rights. have, in some way or another, the death penalty in their enhance their wine experience, in- It’s very important to France that the values that form law. This is not right. We think that the death penalty is cluding avoiding snacks and sweets the basis of our society are observed by all countries in inhuman, unfair, and too often people who might be in- prior to the tasting in order to have the same way. So, we are very supportive of the Inter- nocent risk the ultimate punishment without possibility a fresh palate. Participants were also American Human Rights System, which is embodied by of reversal. French diplomacy is very committed the abo- encouraged to avoid wearing fra- the Commission, which is part of the OAS, and the Inter- lition of the death penalty, and we wish it will become grances that might prevent them American Court of Human Rights, which is based in San universal as soon as possible. from appreciating the wines’ own José, Costa Rica. France finances some of their programs, Therefore, with the Inter-American Commission on subtle aromatics. in particular on freedom of speech and freedom of ex- Human Rights, we have started a process to bring back The third and final tasting of the pression. And we try, once again, to be a bridge between the issue to the OAS and try to convince a number of series will take place on Wednesday, the European system of human rights and the inter- countries in the OAS to go towards either a moratorium, June 26, and will feature sparkling American system of human rights. It’s key to us that the or abolition. And with some success at this point, be- wines from both Virginia and the same values are observed on either side of the Atlantic. cause some countries in the Caribbean have their gov- Champagne region of France. To find We consider it our responsibility. ernment interested, and we hope that one day the U.S. out more and register, please visit the The fourth issue is security. Fighting drug trafficking is will abolish the death penalty. We hope to address this website of the Maison Française at an important challenge for all of our countries. Everyone issue in the next OAS General Assembly in Guatemala www.la-maison-francaise.org. knows that some of the drugs produced in the Americas this June.

3 special report: history

French Embassy Remembers Story of the Oiseau Blanc Vanished Airplane Attempted Early Transatlantic Flight © Public Domain © Public

Charles Nungesser and François Coli attempted the first two-manned, Paris-to-New-York flight ever. Their reputations as flying aces in World War I were legend- ary, so it stunned observers when they disappeared in 1927. A recent event at the Embassy of France shed light on the mystery, and today’s search for answers.

On May 8, 1927, two French aviators took off tions as flying hotshots were already well-estab- Lindbergh lauded the courage of his fellow ad- from the Paris-Le Bourget airport with the ambi- lished. Both pilots had become famous as aces in venturers. tion to land in New York City. Their airplane, the World War I. Their exploits were celebrated inter- Oiseau Blanc, or the White Bird, was breathlessly nationally and each became immensely popular anticipated all over North America’s eastern sea- public figures during the 1920s. A Renewed Interest board. When the pair never arrived, an interna- The idea for their feat sprung to life in 1919 in Decades after the frenzy of speculation and press tional mystery ensued, with few substantive clues response to a $25,000 prize offered by an Ameri- coverage about the Oiseau Blanc’s disappearance, as to the fates of the pilots. can hotelier to any aviator who flew a successful research would begin again, and from an unlikely On May 8, the anniversary of the Oiseau Blanc’s non-stop journey from Paris to New York or vice source of inspiration. In 2006, French businessman departure, the Embassy of France joined leaders versa. No one met the challenge after its five-year and adventure sports enthusiast Bernard Decré from business and civil society to remember the time limit, and the award was extended in 1924. would first learn about the story in the Clive Cussler pioneering spirit that has connected France and When Mssrs. Nungesser and Coli later announced novel The Wreck Hunters. Intrigued, he looked into the United States since aviation’s earliest days. A their endeavor, the world turned to watch. The it, digging deeper and deeper. His research would presentation from the French civic organization A lead-up to their departure received frenzied me- lead him to found A La Recherche de l’Oiseau Blanc La Recherche de l’Oiseau Blanc shed new light on dia treatment, generating top coverage in radio two years later. the airplane’s disappearance, and how France and and newspapers on each side of the Atlantic. Mr. Decré’s findings led him to a pair of conclu- the U.S. are working together in an effort to solve On May 20, 1927, just 12 days after the French sions: one, that Mssrs. Nungesser and Coli made one of modern flight’s most compelling mysteries. pilots’ departure, American aviator Charles Lind- it to North America, and two, that their wreckage bergh would famously complete the first solo could be dredged from the original crash site. Fol- crossing less than two weeks later. He would land lowing reports of a white airplane from Saint- Two Pilots, One Mission at Le Bourget airfield, the same one from which Pierre-et-Miquelon, a French island territory off of When Charles Nungesser and François Coli de- Mssrs. Nungesser and Coli had taken off. Attend- Canada’s eastern coast, Mr. Decré conducted the cided to try for a transatlantic flight, their reputa- ed by a swarm of reporters upon his arrival, Mr. first of several searches with the help of six divers

4 NFF from the French Navy. Subsequent research would François Delattre, Ambassador of France to the “It was truly a go/no-go situation,” Mr. Lengyel involve American authorities, including the Nation- United States, provided opening remarks for the said, and in a critical moment of decision, the pi- al Archives Records Administration (NARA) and the occasion. He praised the “shared history of daring lots chose to attempt an enormous challenge. U.S. Coast Guard, as well as French research centers and innovation” between France and the United Speaking midway through the event, Mr. Decré in Aix-en-Provence and Paris. States. That both countries were at the forefront thanked the National Archives and the U.S. Coast In 2012, the association partnered with Safran, of flying technology and adventure speaks to the Guard for their sustained contributions to his who underwrote the rental of high-powered equip- driving spirit that characterizes them both, he ex- group’s efforts. ment to further explore the area where Mr. Decré plained. Whatever the outcome of the most recent believes remains of the airplane will be found. Rear Admiral Mark Butt, U.S. Coast Guard, also search at Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, Bernard Decré From May 15 through June 7 of this year, A La Re- lauded the character of each pilot. Their ambition will continue to glean clues from current and fu- cherche de l’Oiseau Blanc launched another search demonstrated “pure bravery,” he said, in remarks ture research. Given the project’s French-American campaign to finally establish the facts surrounding made during the event. aspect, the French embassy lends its support to the airplane’s disappearance. Results of the latest Peter Lengyel, President and CEO of Safran USA, all such endeavors. Partners in the search for the search were inconclusive at the time this article was paid tribute to what he called the “honor and dar- Oiseau Blanc, from French and American govern- printed. ing” of the two veteran aviators. Since their plan ment bodies and industrial groups like Safran, to was to make a water landing outside New York Mr. Decré’s foundation, all help to carry on a rich City, Mssrs. Nungesser and Coli jettisoned their tradition of common transatlantic causes. Stories Honoring Flight’s Pioneers wheels and other ground-landing gear before like the Oiseau Blanc demonstrate the connected- The embassy event served to commemorate the take-off, committing their mission and materials— ness of France and the United States in science, best elements of an otherwise tragic story. indeed, their very lives—to the endeavor. innovation, and progress writ large. © SDG © A la Recherche de L’Oiseau Blanc de L’Oiseau © A la Recherche © SDG © A la Recherche de L’Oiseau Blanc de L’Oiseau © A la Recherche

Clockwise from top left: Amb. François Delattre with Peter Lengyel, President and CEO of Safran USA. A map of the search area off of the Canadian coast, where airplane debris may still remain. Bernard Decré, founder and head of A La Recherche de l’Oiseau Blanc. A monument at Étretat, where the pilots were last seen.

5 NFF en bref business & research

Facebook France Names Inventors Join History, Innovation at the Concours Lépine Laurent Solly New CEO History and innovation don’t often go together. First held in 1901 as part of the Universal Exposition In a move announced in late April, But at the fabled Concours Lépine, held April 30 of Paris, the competition, a brainchild of Prefect of Po- French politician and businessman through May 12 in Paris, entrepreneurs and attendees lice Louis Lépine, urged all kinds of creative minds to Laurent Solly was named the head of converged to explore what inventions might shape invent new tools and toys for a rapidly industrializing Facebook France. With his appoint- tomorrow’s times. France. That spirit of striving has continued through ment, Mr. Solly becomes CEO of the the 21st century, and this year, over 2,000 exhibitors French operations of the world’s larg- showed their prototypes to 620,000 visitors. est social networking platform. The stands were organized along three broad cat- Facebook hopes that Mr. Solly’s egories: the home and the environment, leisure and experience will allow the company well-being, and global cultures. “We are also develop- to further boost its rapid growth ing family-geared activities,” said Carine Preterre, Di- in France. After graduating from rector of the Foire de Paris, the larger event in which France’s prestigious École nationale the Concours Lépine has traditionally taken part. The d’administration (ENA), which pre- first event was meant “to familiarize the general pub- pares students to enter the civil ser- lic with the latest innovations, trends, and curiosities,” vice, Mr. Solly worked as chief of staff Ms. Preterre said, a spirit that has only grown in its 113 under then Interior Minister Nicolas years of activity. Sarkozy. Though some inventions may be mere curiosities, In more recent years, Mr. Solly has others mean serious business. Ms. Preterre estimates begun to orient his career toward that $460 million in economic benefit are spun off business. Since 2007, he has worked from the deals the convention generates. The aver- for one of France’s leading television age visitor, she says, spends around $800 on the stations, TF1, where he was appointed experience, between hotel rooms, travel, and other to the position of managing director. expenditures. With a third of all exhibitors coming from abroad to build their business, that means an In French-U.S. Venture, inward flow of capital and innovation, with France in ZenKars Takes Off Quickly the middle of it all. Past successes from the Concours Lépine include When Jean-Mathieu Chabas and Ven- Moulinex, a French appliance brand with a global kat Jonnala entered their used-car busi- presence, as well as now-household items like the ness idea into competition, they could ballpoint pen. Inventors will compete for a group of hardly have known they would win the prizes, like the President of the Republic Prize, as well grand prize—and major start-up sup- as gold, silver, and bronze medals. port. Whether an invention takes home formal recogni- The two entrepreneurs met as stu- tion may be less important to the entrepreneurs hus- dents at the Wharton School at the tling to establish their business or product, who may University of Pennsylvania, one of the Maout © Christophe develop key contacts and financial support. country’s leading business programs. The original Moulinex appliance was shown at the 1931 Inspired by the Lépine tradition, the Concours Their win was announced in April at the Concours Lépine. The event spurs business and creativity. Lépine Européen, an inventor’s expo for all of Europe, conclusion of the annual Wharton Busi- is scheduled for this September in Strasbourg, France. ness Plan Competition. Their business, called ZenKars, is an online aftermarket car retailer that con- France, U.S. Sign Medical Agreement to Tackle Addiction nects wholesalers with individual buy- ers. The idea beat out 200 other con- Leading French and American health organiza- the occasion, where French and American officials testants for a $30,000 grand prize and tions aiming to advance research in the life sciences and counterparts were also well represented. other associated funds. signed a Memorandum of Intent (MOI) on May 7, in The agreement builds on momentum from previ- The entrepreneurs’ success hardly an aim to enhance medicine’s approach to addiction. ous French-American efforts. At a gathering in Oc- came overnight. After entering their Agreed on by France’s National Institute for Health tober 2012 of the International Society for Neurosci- school’s Venture Initiation Program and Medical Research (INSERM) and the U.S. National ence, held in New Orleans, INSERM and NIDA, along (VIP), the feedback they received from Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National with France’s Multi-Organization Thematic Institute organizers made them realize they had Institutes of Health, the document, signed at NIDA’s (ITMO), jointly hosted a workshop that would pave a lot more work to do. They reapplied facility in Rockville, Md., outlines a multi-part plan to the way toward the more formal agreement signed with a beefed-up version of their busi- strengthen cooperation in the fields of neuroscience this May. ness model that carried them through and psychiatry. Areas identified in the MOI as potential subjects of the four-part competition. Results from the partnership will be applied to the study included animal research, drug discovery and The spirit of risk-taking also fed their full range of addictive disorders. development, clinical research, and brain imaging success. “We eschewed a typical sum- The accord will advance efforts to establish a capabilities. mer internship,” they explained in a co- framework for sharing skills and knowledge in these The agreed-upon methods of collaboration in- authored blog post on Wharton’s web- research fields, while stimulating exchanges and cluded training and exchange programs, seminars, site. Instead, they “focused on using joint research, specifically at the post-doctoral level. supplemental research support, clinical trials, and a VIP resources and mentorship to build” Dr. André Syrota, Chairman and CEO of INSERM, common website for the INSERM-NIDA partnership. their brand. traveled from Paris for the ceremony. He was joined Conscious of the problems that addiction and re- The pair intend to continue devel- by Dr. Nora Volkow, Director of NIDA, and the Am- lated disorders can create in society, French research- oping the ZenKars concept into a full- bassador of France in the United States, Francois ers have long recognized the importance of effective fledged online business. Delattre. medical counter-measures. France is currently ranked Amb. Delattre provided the opening remarks at fifth worldwide in addiction research.

6 culture & society en bref NFF

Urban Corps Festival Brings French Hip-Hop Dance to D.C. PEN World Voices Festival Honors Courageous Writers French dancers and musicians made audiences and the inevitable passage into old age,” according to across Washington move to city beats in a series of per- the festival’s website. Now in its ninth year, the PEN World formances called “Urban Corps,” organized by the Wash- Beyond the live performances, attendees were invit- Voices Festival of International Litera- ington, D.C., branch of the Alliance Française. ed to join in a series of events aimed at further explor- ture brought over 100 of the world’s Billed as a “transatlantic hip-hop festival,” the pro- ing hip-hop culture on each side of the Atlantic. most renowned writers to New York gram, which ran from May 12 through 18, is now in its On May 14, the Busboys and Poets restaurant played City from April 29 through May 5 for a second year of celebrating the best of French urban and host to a conference titled “Comparing Dance Aesthet- week of panels, readings, reflections, dance culture. With shows by performers and troupes ics & Funding in France and the U.S.,” which examined and discussions. trained in a variety of styles, from street dance to ac- the ways in which the French and American public per- This year’s program focused on robatics and mime, the festival was a hit among audi- ceive urban artistic culture, as well as the government the theme of bravery in art, putting ences of all ages. support that such artistic endeavors receive. special emphasis on the experience On May 13, performances by Cie de Fakto, Danse 2xs The discussion was followed by a screening of Jean- of writers from politically precarious Mexico, and Cie Sébastien Perrault were featured at Pierre Thorn’s 2011 documentary 93: La Belle Rebelle, regions worldwide for whom writing Washington’s Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. which challenges negative views of urban art by point- serves as a means of resistance. Their goal was to act out “the journeys of love, the ex- ing to hip-hop’s ability to combine words, music, and Among those invited was France’s travagances of hate, the fight for professional success, dance with social and political commentary. Pierre Michon, whose 1984 novel Vies Minuscules (Small Lives) won the pres- tigious Prix France Culture and gar- nered him international praise in the process. Other authors featured at the week’s events included Salman Rush- die and Naomi Wolf. Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Sonia Sotomayor brought the festival to a close with the 2013 Ar- thur Miller Freedom to Write Lecture, in which she spoke about her cur- rent role in the judicial system as well as about the struggles and hopes of growing up in South Bronx, NY, as the daughter of Puerto Rican immigrants.

© Brahim Bouchelagim © Brahim Ambassador Supports Shows like “What Did You Say?,” a one-man dance production that transcends the hip-hop idiom, gave Washingtonians a Anti-Trafficking Function glimpse of France’s flourishing urban arts. Urban Corps events also included film screenings and a panel discussion. On May 1, Amb. François Delattre trav- eled to New York City to support a fun- draiser aimed at combating human traf- French Team Celebrates Victories in U.S. “Robogames” ficking worldwide. Organized by the S.T.O.P. organiza- A French robotics team celebrated its recent victory model from start to finish. At the end of the competition, tion, which stands for Stop Trafficking in style during a reception on May 29. The event was the team was rewarded for its designs with three total of People, the evening rolled out in the organized in recognition of the team’s winning perfor- medals, two gold and one bronze. They are the first med- upscale store of fashion designer Cath- mance at the “Robogames” international robotics com- als won in this competition by a French team. erine Malandrino. Hundreds of New petition in Palo Alto, Calif., on April 30. Considered the The Lycée Colbert, the high school the French stu- York’s movers and shakers attended and “Olympics of robotics,” the team beat out an internation- dents attend, is no newcomer to robotics excellence. bought $120,000 in store items. Part of al field counting over 40 countries and 200 machines. Previous teams have won major events, including the the proceeds went to S.T.O.P. The group of high school sophomores, who hail from UK-based RoboCup Junior competition in 2012, as well A non-governmental organization Lorient, on France’s Breton coast, entered robots in the as France’s RoboFesta in both 2011 and 2012. founded by human rights journalist junior-level Best in Show category. They designed each Besides enjoying their win in the technological hub of Célhia de Lavarène, S.T.O.P. seeks to Silicon Valley, the students limit human trafficking with a specific also enjoyed exchanges focus on the global sex trade. Ms. de with Lick-Wilmerding High Lavarène’s activism stems from her time School in San Francisco, directing the UN Special Trafficking where they met American Operations Program in Bosnia and Her- high schoolers, visited the zegovina between 2001 and 2003. Her city’s iconic landmarks and action resulted in the rescue of over 260 even took in an American women and girls. high-school football game. Ms. de Lavarène took on a similar role The participation of the at the head of the Trafficking In Persons Lycée Colbert at the Ro- Unit in Liberia from 2005 to 2006, during bogames 2013 was sup- which women from North Africa, East- ported, among others, ern Europe and even Asia were freed, © Lycée Colbert © Lycée by the Embassy of France sheltered, and repatriated. With robots like these “penguins” and “chameleons,” French high-schoolers won gold in Washington, D.C., and S.T.O.P. is active worldwide and is reg- in the “Robogames” competition in the Bay Area. The winners celebrated on May 29. the Consulate General of istered in France, the UK, and the U.S. France in San Francisco.

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