The Swiss Ambassador in Kuwait, Tiziano Balmelli, expressed pride in Switzerland's membership in the Francophonie community and emphasized the importance of promoting the French language in Kuwait. He highlighted the necessity of preserving cultural and linguistic diversity in today's world, which is moving towards widespread use of a single language, during the screening of the Swiss film "Tamour Batan" held at his residence on the occasion of Francophonie Month.
Preserving Local Languages and Cultures
Balmelli stressed the need to protect local languages and cultures, particularly the Arabic language and Kuwaiti culture, stating that linguistic and cultural diversity is an essential part of human richness. This event was attended by the ambassadors of Canada and Belgium, representatives from the French embassy, the International Committee of the Red Cross delegation, and several Kuwaiti citizens.
Development of the French Language in Kuwait
The Swiss Ambassador pointed out that the French language holds an important place in Switzerland and has deep historical roots and established traditions within Swiss society. He stated, "We take pride in being part of the large Francophonie family around the world," considering cooperation with member countries of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) a natural part of the Swiss embassy's efforts to strengthen the presence of the French language in Kuwait and expand its use.
Balmelli described the presence of hundreds of French language teachers and thousands of citizens and residents who speak the language as a positive and distinctive cultural feature of Kuwait. He added that the Swiss embassy takes pride in promoting the French language and supporting its development, seeking to provide opportunities, events, and spaces for interaction and communication in French.
Balmelli further referred to the film "Tamour Batan" and explained that although this film is a relatively new Swiss production, its fictional story revolves around the competition between the residents of two Swiss mountain villages in the 1970s. The film examines relationships and everyday experiences that are familiar to people in various communities as a comedy.
Balmelli stated that this film was chosen to provide an entertaining cinematic experience for the audience, and given that the world is facing rapid geopolitical changes and significant pressures, this screening offers an opportunity to enjoy a light and cheerful film.
He concluded by noting that embassies and official institutions play a complementary role in cultural life and emphasized the importance of preserving cultural diversity and the necessity of passing it on to future generations. Balmelli expressed hope that this message would encourage people in Kuwait to take pride in their Arabic language and local culture and resist global trends towards cultural uniformity.
