Message from the Ambassador of France
It is a great honor for me and for the new cultural team of the French Embassy to present "La Fête 2008". Every June, this great moment of Franco-Thai friendship, launched by my predecessor and friend, M. Laurent Aublin, has since been the meeting opportunity awaited by friends of culture . From visual arts to gastronomy passing on to performing arts and cinema, "La Fête" explores all fields where cooperation and exchanging of new ideas among Thai and French artists may be initiated.
From early photographies of Siam and of France to the incredible images of "Earth from Above" taken by Yann Arthus-Bertrand; From "Face to Faces" between European and Thai photographs to the unprecedented encounter between French and Asian Hip-hop dancers; From the extraordinary achievement of our circus artists to culinary performance of our chef; From the better-known French opera to latest trend of electronic music;
Our foremost mission is to promote French culture in its great diversity, opened to dialogue and mixity while being creative and showing respect for the past. To this end, the support of "Culturesfrance" and "Unifrance" is precious to us, and the holding of network of the French festivals in South-East Asia lead "La Fête" to bring about or initiate projects of really great quality.
We also wish to encourage, support, and stress the value of cooperation between Thailand and France regarding different scenes of Bangkok such as museums, and also other sites favoring meetings between artful creation and public. In our ongoing process, we have benefited from the beginning of the festival from the holding of numerous Thai partnerships; Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), Office of the National Culture Commission (ONCC), or the foundation of Bangkok Symphony Orchestra. This year, new partners have joined us or have increased their support: ZEN Dpt Store, Aksra Theatre, Central World, SF World Cinema, Patravadi Theatre, Thailand Cultural Center, Bed Supperclub, Queens Gallery, Silom Galleria and Tang Gallery. To them, I extend my most heartfelt thanks.
Within this catalogue, many French, Thai and multi-national companies will be addressed. Our "Platinum sponsors" Glow/Suez; our "Golden sponsors" Total/ Sanofi Aventis and Sanofi Pasteur; our "Silver sponsors" Air France (exclusive Airline), Amadeus, Calyon, EADS (Eurocopter, MBDA, Astrium), EDF, Grand Mercure Fortune Hotel, Lions Club International, L’Occitane, L’Oréal, Pernod Ricard Thailand, Pullman Hotel, RCSC, Saint-Gobin, Sofitel Central Plaza, Sofitel Silom; our "Friends sponsors" Alstom, BNP Paribas, Bumrungrad Hospital, Carrefour, Co de fives Lilles, Destra Asia, Essilor, Evian, Kodak, Maison de la France, Michelin, STM Microélectronique, Thainox, Wine Connection and the Thai Graduants from School of Commerce and French universities. I would like to express my gratitude and thank to both French and Thai partners. Without their friendly support, and their citizenly approach, "La Fête" could not have realized the same achievement.
The media network is as well the heart of support to the existence of "La Fête" which includes Channel [V] the official media partner of "La Fête", as well as JC Decaux, Master AD, Thailand Outlook Chanel, True Vision, BTS, Matichon, Bangkok Post, Le Petit Journal, Gavroche, and Daily News to whom I am grateful for their support.
I wish that the menu of "La Fête" 2008 will meet your expectations, and contributes to strengthen the friendly relationships between Thailand and France. Shall "La Fête" continue between our two countries!
Laurent Bili
Ambassador of France to Thailand