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Pix'ART Digital Art Festival 2018
PIX’ART FESTIVAL NOV 1 – DEC 1, 2018 Institut Français de Birmanie | Mahabandoola Park Motivated by last year’s success, the Institut français de Birmanie is organizing from 1st November to 1st December 2018 the second edition of the festival “Pix’Art / Innovation is Yours”. During this month of “Digital November”, various events dedicated to digital cultures will be proposed with the support and cooperation of different partners from France and Myanmar. From exhibitions, to virtual reality, workshops or live performances, “Pix’Art” festival is an invitation to discover new technologies, and explore uses and contents of the digital world. We wish you a good journey ! Facebook Event: THE PROGRAM Pix'Art Digital Art Festival 2018 ဒစ္ဂ်စ္တယ္ အႏုပညာနဲ႔ဆိုင္တ့ဲ အေတြ႔အၾကံဳအသစ္ေတြ လက္ေတြ႔ခံစားနိုင္ဖို႔ ဒုတိယအႀကိမ္ေျမာက္ Pix'Art ပြဲေတာ္အစီအစဥ္မ်ားကို ႏိုဝင္ဘာ ၁ တြင္ စတင္ပါေတာ့မယ္ မိတ္ေဆြမ်ား။#pixart #festival #digital #art #ifb #myanmarDiscover the unique program of the second edition of Pix'ART Digital Art Festival 2018, one month dedicated to digital art and experiences! Video edited by Ye Thwaye and MinnMusic:Tobu – Colors [ NCS Release] https://youtu.be/MEJCwccKWG0 http://www.youtube.com/tobuofficial Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/PQC7VaL7xlc Publiée par Institut Français de Birmanie sur Mercredi 31 octobre 2018 DIGITAL ART, WORKSHOPS | VR+AR & FABLAB A space aimed to designers, artists, students, DIYers (Do It Yourself) and showcase of VR+AR contents of local and international art firms. In partnership with 3XVIVR and Little Code Lab. NOV 1, 2 & 3 | 10:00 am – 5:30 pm at IFB | Free Entry ATLAS-V VIRTUAL REALITY | SHOWCASE Discover breathtaking and award-winning Virtual Reality movies produced by French company ATLAS-V. NOV 1 to 15 | 10:00 am – 5:30 pm (Closed on NOV 4, 10 and 11) at IFB | Free Entry LES MACHINES A LIRE | EXHIBITION “Les Machines a lire” is the exhibition presents innovative French literary work through new reading experiences. NOV 1 to DEC 1 | 10:00 am – 5:30 pm (Closed on Sundays, Mondays & Public Holidays) at IFB Library | Free Entry LES RENDEZ VOUS #3 MUSIC & DIGITAL ART | MUSIC French accordionist Pascal Contet will present “Other Worlds” an original creation fusing live music with the video artworks of Thierry Coduys. NOV 23 (Fri) | 8:00 pm – 11:30 pm at IFB | 5000 Ks per entry (Free entry for IFB Students) MOULLA: MIRACLES | MAGIC PERFORMANCE Between poetry, new technologies, performance and comedy, Moulla brings the public into the heart of the history of magic . DEC 1 (Sat) | 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm at the Mahabandula Park | Free Entry...
read more17th Francophonie Summit – Visit by Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs (Yerevan, 11-12 October 2018)
Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian will accompany President Emmanuel Macron at the 17th Francophonie Summit in Yerevan from October 11 to 12. In Yerevan, France will reaffirm its goals for La Francophonie, as outlined by President Macon in his speech at the Institut de France on March 20. This summit will provide an important opportunity to reaffirm the importance we attach to the mission of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie to help promote peace, democracy, human rights and gender equality. La Francophonie represents a unique community of experiences, values and views that will soon bring together more than 700 million women and men around the world. French is the world’s second most learned language, with more than 125 million students and around 900,000 French language teachers abroad. It is the second most popular language for international information in the media, the third most popular language for business and the fourth most popular language for the Internet. It is a working language of major importance in all international organizations and, along with English, the only language spoken on all five continents. The number of French-speakers should increase significantly in the years to come, and France wants to help strengthen the role of French as a major language for discussions and communication, and give it new momentum as a business language. As the President pointed out, French can be the language that creates tomorrow’s world and can embrace the world’s richness and variety without denying its diverse roots. In this regard La Francophonie must do justice to all the languages that are undermined or isolated by globalization and promote intercultural exchanges and multilingualism. As Africa is the continent where the international future of the French language will play out, France will ascribe particular importance to appointing the secretary-general of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, supporting the candidacy of Louise Mushikiwabo, who is endorsed by the African Union. At the summit, France will present a strategy for the Organization to promote gender equality and the rights and empowerment of women and children, which are priorities for the President and the Government. Hosted by Armenia, this summit will feature a tribute to Charles Aznavour, who embodied the bond between France, Armenia, and the French-speaking world....
read moreXVIIème Sommet de la Francophonie – vive la Francophonie en Birmanie !
XVII Francophonie Summit – Long live La Francophonie in Myanmar! The 17th Francophonie summit will be held on October 11 and 12 in Yerevan, Armenia. The Conference of Heads of State and government of French-speaking countries is gathering around the theme: “Living together in solidarity, sharing humanistic values and respect for diversity: a source of peace and prosperity for the Francophone world”. It will adopt a Francophonie strategy for the promotion of equality between women and men, rights and the empowerment of women and girls. Do you know the Francophonie in Myanmar?: 2,300 people taking French courses, half in international schools and universities, the other at the Institut Français de Birmanie in Yangon and the French Cultural Center in Mandalay. In addition, 1,200 guides, doctors, non-governmental and international organization staff and other Francophones use the French language every day. Nearly 1,000 French people, registered at the Consulate of the French Embassy in Yangon, live in Myanmar and at least as many French-speaking expatriates. With more than 150 students and a rapid growth of its international and Burmese staff, the Joseph Kessel International French High School in Yangon is a leading institution in the development of the Francophonie in Myanmar. Our actions in favor of the Francophonie in Myanmar aim to strengthen the place of French in the Myanmar education system, particularly in science and technology courses, to broaden the learning of French in international schools, to support the ongoing reform of the education system by promoting medium-term learning of French as a second foreign language at school. We support the development of relations of l’Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) with Myanmar universities that could integrate the AUF’s global network and benefit from the expertise and know-how of other members. As a meeting place for Francophonie in the country, the Institut Français de Birmanie organizes annual family friendly and quality events, on the occasion of the International Day of Francophonie (March 20). The Institut Français de Birmanie and the French Cultural Center in Mandalay offer modern pedagogical tools and offer an international certification of language skills (DELF / DALF). Joseph Kessel International French High School in Yangon is a partner institution of the French Teaching Agency Abroad and complies with French national education programs, adapted to promote plurilingualism. The lessons are taught in French and in English. Schooling is sanctioned by the French diploma of the baccalaureate, which is internationally recognized. It gives access to the university in France, in all Europe and in most countries of the world (including for example the United States, Great Britain or Singapore). Registrations are still possible for the current school year. For more information, follow us on Facebook. You will find the cultural offer and courses of the Institut Français de Birmanie, the news of the Embassy of France and the French International School of...
read moreTemporary Position Opening - Apply Now!
Job Title: Project Assistant of the Institut Français de Birmanie (6-month contract) Description of the Organization: The French Institute of Myanmar (IFB, formerly Alliance Française) was created in 1961. The IFB is the cultural section of the embassy of France in Myanmar, rendering services to the cultural diversity in Myanmar, and also serving as the center of excellence for teaching French and Myanmar languages. Located in an exceptional compound in the heart of Yangon, the IFB is a multipurpose place for culture and arts. Its ambition is to remain a place for creation and cross-cultural encounters for Myanmar and francophone artists. The IFB offers a steady artistic programme with cultural events all year long. Job Description: To assist the culture officer in organizing cultural activities, events and festivals To assist the communication officer in visibility campaigns and press relation of IFB To support the language courses related campaigns and activities through communication To support the development of contents for all communication tools (online and printing tools) To manage general inquiries, data entry, incoming/ outgoing phone calls regarding the cultural activities and courses To translate contents To coordinate with suppliers and service providers Period of Service: from the 15th October 2018 to the 14th April 2019 (6-month contract) Place of Work: Institut Français de Birmanie Working Hours: Monday to Friday from 9:30 to 17:30 including 1-hour lunch break (7 hours/ day). Depending upon the events and activities, it is, sometimes, required to work in the evening or at the weekend. Qualification and Skill Requirememt: Degree in French or English or Communication or equivalent qualifications (Fresh graduates are welcomed to apply) Excellent proficiency in written and spoken Myanmar and English languages Translation skills (for both formal and informal writing styles) Good communication and good knowledge on digital marketing Computer literate, especially in social media, e-mailing, Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint Dynamic, independent, responsive, open personality Additional Assets: Good knowledge of French language Good knowledge on taking photos and web-administration (WordPress) Interested candidates are invited to submit the CV, cover letter and certificates via email to by the 5th October 2018 (Friday), 5 pm. Short-listed candidates will be informed for the interview arrangement. Download pdf here: Fiche de poste assistant(e) projet...
read moreCall for consultancy
Summary of the evaluation 1. Purpose: The purpose of this evaluation is to examine the implementation of the French Embassy 2017-2018 program in support to civil society in Myanmar (PISCCA program), and to provide lessons learned and recommendations for future programming. This evaluation will focus on the PISCCA program as a whole and on five out of a total of fifteen micro-projects supported under the PISCCA program. 2. Duration: this evaluation is expected to take approximately 45 calendar days. 3. Estimated Dates: beginning of November to mid-January. 4. Geographical Location: this evaluation will be mainly carried out in Yangon, with one or two missions outside of Yangon (one mission to Central Rakhine State and possibly another one to Shan State or Mandalay Division). 5. Methodology: ToR can be found in annex I The proposed methodology will include document review and interviews with: key staff of the Embassy, key staff of the supported NGO to be evaluated and with beneficiaries of the five micro-projects to be evaluated. Deliverables: one inception note, one evaluation report for each of the five micro-projects to be evaluated, one evaluation report for the overall evaluation of the PISCCA program and one short document summarizing lessons learned and recommendations. The methodology described in the ToR is open to discussion. Applicants are invited to propose alternative methodologies. 6. Evaluation Management Team: This evaluation will be managed by the Cooperation and Cultural Action Service of the French Embassy in Yangon (SCAC). The selection of the evaluator(s) along with the validation of the inception plan and of the final reports will be approved by the steering committee of the PISCCA program (composed by personnel of the French Embassy and of the French Agency for Development). 7. How to apply: Applications should be sent before the 15th of October, 8 AM, to the following email address: Mrs Jeanne Berger () and Mr Philippe Devaud (). Download detailed information (PDF) at Annexe I – ToR Evaluation PISCCA French...
read moreMyanmar’s earliest Maritime Silk Road port-settlements revealed
Myanmar’s earliest Maritime Silk Road port-settlements revealed B. Bellina, Maung Sun Win, Kalayar Myat Myat Htwe, Htet Myat Thu, C. Castillo, C. Colonna, L. Dussubieux, A. Favereau, E. Miyama, B. Pradier, O. Pryce, S. Srikanlaya, E. Trivière In February – March 2018, the Franco-Myanmar project, “Thanintharyi and the Maritime Silk Roads” carried out its first season of excavations at Maliwan and Aw Gyi in Myanmar’s southernmost state, Thanintharyi. The project is a collaboration between the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the Myanmar Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture, and is supported by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. The project aims to define the economic and political role this region played in the first “trans-continental” maritime exchange network that came to link the Western World to China from the 4th-3rd century BC. The research wishes to determine to what extent and in which manner long distance exchange fashioned peninsular populations’ social, economic and political trajectories. The inception of this long-distance network took place during a period that witnessed the political unifications of Mauryan India and Han China. It inaugurated a trading boom and major social changes amongst the societies involved, such as the spread of Buddhism, Indic political concepts, etc. The Thai-Malay Peninsula, to which Thanintharyi belongs, acted as a central region in these exchanges, located between the Indian (Bay of Bengal) and Pacific (South China Sea) Oceans. From the late centuries BC, travellers and merchants sailing in these monsoon climes made stopovers in one of the riverine ports along the Peninsula coast, where they could replenish their boat, obtain local or imported goods stocked in local entrepôts and exchange ideas with other traders. Thus the Peninsula became a hub and a cradle for innovations that were then redistributed in both the Bay of Bengal and the South China Sea. Map Terra incognita from an archaeological point of view until 15 years ago, the Kra Isthmus turned out to be a core region during the genesis of the Maritime Silk Roads. Research lead by the French mission revealed that as early as the 4th c. BC, cosmopolitan and proto-urbanised polities developed there. These early city-states played a crucial role in trade and cultural exchanges, elaborating political and economic models later seen during the historical period from the 8th c. AD. Port-cities were linked to upstream/inland collecting sites that provided primary resources (minerals, resins, timber) for long-distance trade and also acted as relay stations for traders and other travellers who were crossing the Peninsula. The two port-settlements investigated by the Franco-Myanmar mission in 2018 were also part of this networks web. Maliwan is a large settlement established on a series of gently elevated hills located west of a tributary of the Kraburi River. It thus does not overlook the Bay of Bengal and is protected from the monsoon winds. The two radiocarbon dates so far obtained (Beta492589 and 492590) show an occupation from the 4th-3rd c. BC and is thus contemporary to the port-city of Khao Sam Kaeo (Bellina 2017) and its possible satellite, Khao Sek (ARA 2018), on the Gulf of Siam coast. Maliwan provided evidence of habitation and craft production. Stone such as carnelian, maybe imported from India, rock crystal and agate were produced there into beads, rings and seals. Preliminary archaeometallurgical assessment...
read moreThe 14th of July : Bastille Day
One of the revolutionary days in Paris and now a national holiday, the 14th of July (“Bastille Day”) is celebrated with a mixture of solemn military parades and easygoing dancing and fireworks. The storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789 has been commemorated in France for more than a century. Contents The Storming of the Bastille The National Holiday The 14th of July Today The Eiffel Tower is illuminated during the traditional Bastille Day fireworks display in Paris July 14, 2013. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes (FRANCE – Tags: SOCIETY TRAVEL CITYSCAPE ANNIVERSARY) The Storming of the Bastille Paris was in a state of high agitation in the early months of the French revolution. In Spring 1789, the Estates-General refused to dissolve, transforming itself instead into a constituent National Assembly. In July, King Louis XVI called in fresh troops and dismissed his popular Minister, Jacques Necker. On the morning of July 14, the people of Paris seized weapons from the armoury at the Invalides and marched in the direction of an ancient Royal fortress, the Bastille. After a bloody round of firing, the crowd broke into the Bastille and released the handful of prisoners held there. The storming of the Bastille signaled the first victory of the people of Paris against a symbol of the “Ancien Régime” (Old Regime). Indeed, the edifice was razed to the ground in the months that followed. The Fête de la Fédération (“Feast of the Federations”) held on July 14, 1790, celebrated with great pomp the first Anniversary of the insurrection. In Paris, Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord held Mass at the Altar of the Fatherland, on the Champ de Mars. The National Holiday The commemoration of July 14 was abandoned in subsequent years. Under the Third Republic, however, leaders (particularly Léon Gambetta) cast about for ways to celebrate the foundations of the regime. A Deputy for the Seine Department, Benjamin Raspail, moved that July 14 be named the national holiday of the Republic, and Parliament passed an act to that effect on July 6, 1880. From the outset, the emphasis was on the patriotic and military character of the event, expressing France’s recovery from the defeat of 1870. Every commune or locality in France held its own celebration, starting with a torchlight parade on the evening of the 13th. The next morning, church bells or gun salutes announced the military parade, which is followed by a luncheon, spectacles and games, with dancing and fireworks ending the day. Coming after the austerity of the 1914-18 war, the 14th of July 1919 was the occasion of a great victory celebration. Similarly, July 14, 1945 was preceded by three days of civic rejoicing. The traditional military parade on the Champs-Elysées The 14th of July Today Today, the festivities of July 14 are as popular as ever. In Paris, the traditional military parade on the Champs-Elysées is a meticulously planned spectacle, and dancing and fireworks displays or special illuminations are organized all over the country. The successive Presidents of the Fifth Republic have modified the day’s events slightly. For example, in order to restore the tradition of revolutionary Paris, President Giscard d’Estaing re-routed the military parade, marching the troops from the Place de la Bastille to the Place de la République. Starting in 1980, however, the parade returned to the...
read moreFranco-Myanmar archaeological project collaborates in first Southeast Asian ancient DNA study
Franco-Myanmar archaeological project collaborates in first Southeast Asian ancient DNA study 18 June 2018, Yangon The Franco-Myanmar archaeological cooperation project recently participated in the first ever whole-genome study of ancient Southeast Asian human DNA. Due to its diverse geography and ecology, Southeast Asia has a highly complex population history. These ground-breaking results, published online as Lipson et al. in the renowned journal Science on 17th May 2018, document at least three significant migration events over the last 50000 years. Ancient DNA is rarely preserved in tropical climates and only 18 individuals from Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam passed the rigorous screening process, of hundreds tested from recent excavations. The two Myanmar samples, a young adult female “S28” and an older adult female “S29”, were excavated by the Franco-Myanmar team in 2015 at the Late Neolithic-Early Bronze Age (c. 12th-8th c. BC) cemetery of Oakaie 1, in Sagaing Division, co-directed by U Aung Aung Kyaw of the Mandalay Department of Archaeology and Dr T. O. Pryce of the French National Centre for Scientific Research. S28 and S29 probably lived during the Late Neolithic, at the end of the 2nd millennium BC, just before the appearance of metallurgy. They were buried in a coffin or wrapped in a burial shroud and accompanied by one or two pots. The general model for the Mainland Southeast Asian Neolithic is that Austroasiatic language-speaking rice and millet farming populations from what is now southern China migrated south into Southeast Asia in the late 3rd to early 2nd millennium BC. There is good archaeological and linguistic evidence from Thailand and Vietnam that these farmers settled and intermixed with previous hunter-gather communities. The new aDNA data support this general model. However, the two Myanmar samples, which although likely to be Neolithic are dated about 1000 years after the initial Neolithicisation of Southeast Asia, do not have ancient DNA comparable to the studied individuals from Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. Instead their DNA more closely matches that of the current Sino-Tibetan speakers, including many present-day Myanmar people. Dr Pryce, said, “These are the first aDNA data available for Myanmar and sample numbers are very low, so we must be cautious in our interpretation of these results. Nevertheless, a preliminary reading of the data could be that upper-central Myanmar experienced a different Neolithic migration history to that of the rest of Mainland Southeast Asia. In this scenario farming populations may have travelled via what is now southwestern China, rather than the southeastern Chinese passage responsible for Thailand’s and Vietnam’s Neolithicisation.” Dr Pryce went on to state, “Seeking out these subtle yet important variations in Southeast Asia’s historical trajectory is a major aspect of the Franco-Myanmar archaeological team’s work, and Myanmar is an incredibly exciting place to be working. I am extremely grateful to my scientific collaborators around the world, the financial sponsors in France and most of all to the Myanmar authorities and local people who make archaeological research in Myanmar both possible and a pleasure.” The genetic study was led by researchers from Harvard University and the University of Vienna. The Franco-Myanmar project was founded in 2001 as a collaboration between the French National Centre of Scientific Research and the Department of Archaeology of the Myanmar Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture. The excavation of Oakaie 1 was financed...
read moreInvitation to Tender for Catering Concession
Invitation to Tender for Catering Concession The French Institute of Myanmar is searching for a catering company to run the catering contract for its cafeteria/restaurant. Situated inside the compound of the French Institute, the cafeteria/restaurant is an outdoor 88 square-meter covered space that can accommodate more than 50 customers at the same time. The café/restaurant shall be able to serve food (Western – French if possible – and Myanmar) and drinks in strict abidance by the security rules (diplomatic compound) and the operating hours of the French Institute, both for the students of the French Institute and the general public. This is a unique opportunity for dynamic, forward thinking and innovative catering companies who are suitably resourced to provide quality service at an affordable price. Expressions of interest are invited from suitably qualified, experienced companies who would like to be invited to tender for the catering contract. To register your interest, visit the facilities or receive some more information (rent, charges, facilities…), please email , or call Mrs Khaing Wai Wai Thwin, Tel: . The deadline for expressions of interest is 15th...
read moreLes rendez-vous #1
Les rendez-vous #1 FRIDAY 23 MARCH 7:30pm to 12am New series of concert at the IFB though cross cultural artistic disciplines to celebrate local creation (visual art, performance, contemporary art). This upcoming Friday 23 let’s open the night with the upbeat and energetic tunes of live bands THE REASONABILIST and THE VISION. Finally, the iconic female DJ Yu KT will make you dance till the end of the night with her exceptional blend of Deep House music with Pop and electronical mix and… upcoming surprises for the evening! Join us in the Facebook event FRIDAY 23 MARCH 7:30pm to 12am Ticket : 5000 Kyats IFB 340 Pyay road,...
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