Financiarul

Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) on Wednesday congratulated the Romanian delegation for the exceptional participation in the 6th edition of the Jeux de la Francophonie (Francophone Games), that took place in Beirut over September 17 – October 6, with the representatives of Romania having obtained 24 medals, among which 10 gold, 4 silver and 10 bronze medals.

According to a MAE release, the Francophone Games (Lebanon playing host this year) were held under the symbols of solidarity, diversity and excellence, with Romania resulting 3rd in the final ranking by nations, after France and Morocco.

Romania participated in this year”s edition of the Francophone Games with a delegation made up of 37 athletes and 8 artists, winning medals in the athleticism, boxing, table tennis, basketball and judo events, as well as in the cultural – photography and painting – events.

On the same occasion, the Romanian Embassy in Beirut organized an exhibition of photography titled “Romania in Images” under “The Village of Partners of Francophonie” event.

The success of the Romanian participants came in a time of increased visibility of the country on the Francophone political scene, in the context in which the Francophonie Secretary General Abdou Diouf designated Romania “a guiding-state” of the Francophony in Central and Eastern Europe, MAE reminded.

“Romania pays a special attention to its presence in the Francophone world, while taking into account also the potential and geographic, economic, political and cultural diversity of the states member of the International Organization of the Francophonie and also the place held by the French language in the international life,” reads the release.

MAE also voiced its support to the strengthening of the French language in the public institutions and, more generally, for the linguistic diversity and plurality on the level of the entire society, both on the academic-scientific and on the cultural level, and also, last but not least, a better promotion on the European and global level of the national interests and policies.

Romania is a full member of the International Organization of the Francophonie since 1993. Since 1994, Romania has participated in all the editions of the Francophone Games, with Romanian athletes having obtained 101 medals so far