Message from Mr. Gildas Le Lidec
Ambassador of France to Thailand
For the 8th time in 9 years, the French Embassy in Thailand is organizing the cultural festival, La Fête, in cooperation with Alliance française in Bangkok, and with Thai authorities.
The dreadful floods that have affected living conditions of millions of Thai citizens at the end of 2011 were a strong incentive for us to give you the best and most creative festival ever. Our Thai friends have endured the ordeal with dignity and certainly deserve these moments of fantasy and freedom, this space for creativity and diversity. With La Fête, France, in its own way and with its own sensitivity, wishes to contribute to what is the greatest strength of the Thai people, their capacity to bounce back.
Our partners, without whom nothing could have been accomplished, wished to show their solidarity and have supported the efforts of the French Embassy to offer the best possible show. I am referring to the artists, many of whom have offered to perform at a minimal cost. I am also referring to our numerous generous sponsors all directly affected by the economic consequences of the floods, yet determined to maintain their commitments:
Our Institutional partners: Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, Thai Ministry of Culture, Institut Français, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Bangkok Art and Culture Center, Museum Siam, Chulalongkorn University (Bangkok), Conseil Régional de Midi-Pyrénées, Universities Mae Fah Luang (Chiang Rai), Prince of Songkla (Phuket) and Khon Kaen
Our Top sponsors: ZEN, CentralWorld, JCDecaux
Our Media partners: Channel [V] Thailand, Mango TV, NBT, TPBS, BTS, Matichon, Bangkok Post, lepetitjournal.com, Gavroche, Asies, Daily News, Post Today
Our "Silver" sponsors: EDF, Saint Gobain, Sanofi Aventis, Sanofi Pasteur, Total Group, Bangkok Symphony Orchestra, Double A, Dextra, SF World Cinema, Pullman Bangkok King Power, Sofitel Bangkok Silom, Sofitel SO Bangkok, Novotel Bangkok Fenix Ploenchit, Air France
Our "Friends" sponsors: Polka Galerie (Paris), Technip, Avril Prod, Patravadi Theatre, Vic Hua Hin, Hermès, Xippas Galerie (Paris), MPO Group, Club Med, Bumrungrad International, Medico Services, Lobsters Films, Fondation Groupama Gan, Fondation Technicolor, Toot Young Gallery, les Alliances françaises de Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Phuket, l’Alliance Franco-Thai de Koh Samui, Ovation Studio, Cordon Bleu Dusit Culinary School, Food by Phone, Evian, Decathlon.
The 2012 edition of La Fête will celebrate the Centennial of Alliance française in Bangkok. Therefore, most of the events are themed around the concept ‘Past, Present, and Future’. The visual showcases this concept: it’s a nod to early 20th century France, when Alliance française in Bangkok was founded, but it’s also creatively tuned to the Future. To mark its renewal, as Alliance française in Bangkok enters into its second century, it will move to brand-new premises, entirely financed by the French government, near Lumpini Park. This new flagship of French presence in Thailand will be the best possible tool to enable it to carry out its mission, which is to promote French culture and language in Thailand, where they already have a vibrant tradition.
Last but not least, the time has come to make the changes that I would like, especially regarding La Fête 2013 which will mark the 10th anniversary of the festival. I am thinking in particular of a more significant presence in other cities or provinces in Thailand with a greater commitment of french regional authorities whose engagement has thus far been fairly discrete. Finally, more should be done regarding French/Thai cooperation: we need a greater participation of Thai authorities in the organization and programming of the festival; and more attention as well should be paid by French artists and cultural actors to the transmitting their know-how to their Thai counterparts.
I wish you all an excellent Fête 2012!
