Alliance Française de Kotte moves to new home

The Alliance Française de Kotte moved to its new home at 18, Coniston Place, off Torrington from Bauddhaloka Mawatha. This follows a significant increase of 52% in its student population since its launch nearly two years ago and thus the need for more spacious premises. AFKO’s new home is a charming and spacious building situated in the quiet Coniston Place and easily accessible to the Bauddhaloka Mawatha, a few minutes away.

Alliance Française de Kotte (AFKO) was established in May 2010 after the Paris-based Foundation Alliance Française severed ties with the organization called ‘Alliance Francaise de Colombo’ at 11, Barnes Place, on 31 December 2009. “With AFC no longer being a part of the international network, there was a demand for a new Alliance Francaise in the city of Colombo which offers authentic French language classes and whose certificates and diplomas are recognized internationally. Hence the birth of AFKO,” said Paris-based Foundation Alliance Française Délégué Général (General Delegate)  Bertrand Dufieux.

“The organization called ‘Alliance Francaise de Colombo’ at 11, Barnes Place no longer belongs to the international network of Alliance Francaises around the world. All certificates and diplomas thus issued by the ‘Alliance Francaise de Colombo’ are neither valid nor recognized by France, the European Union and other parts of the world,” he added.

President of the Board of Directors of the AF de Kotte, well-known entrepreneur in the Sri Lanka hospitality trade Chandra Wickremasinghe, affirmed that the Alliance Française de Kotte is the only official French language and cultural organization which caters to students in Colombo and greater Colombo areas. “It is affiliated to the Foundation Alliance Française in Paris and enjoys the full patronage of the Government of France and the Embassy of France in Sri Lanka.  The AF de Kotte joins the ranks of the other official Alliance Francaise Centres in Kandy, Matara/Galle and Jaffna, offering French language classes to all age groups.”

The AF de Kotte will also organize and supervise examinations for internationally recognized DELF/DALF Diplomas according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), a system of validation of language ability. The six reference levels, A1-A2, B1-B2, C1-C2, are accepted everywhere in the world as the European standard for grading language proficiency.

In the field of general language training, diplomas only issued by the AF de Kotte, AF de Kandy, AF de Matara/Galle and AF de Jaffna will be duly recognized by the Embassy of France in Sri Lanka for those wishing to pursue higher studies in France or interested in a migration project in a francophone country.

 “As part of our ongoing endeavour to offer the best language methods and skills to our students in Sri Lanka, our teachers will continue to receive training every year within the same framework. Under the auspices of the Embassy of France, teachers at the AF de Kotte, as well as teachers from the AF network in Sri Lanka are regularly trained by visiting French specialists in the teaching of French as a foreign language,” Wickremasinghe added.

Students of the AF de Kotte are able to take part in competitions and win trips to France, where they will be able to strengthen their skills in French while also getting a first-hand experience of French life, living and culture.

As part of its drive to promote French culture in Sri Lanka, the AF de Kotte cooperates extensively with the Embassy of France. For instance, it is now working with this Embassy and a number of Sri Lankan institutions in the making of a French Spring in Sri Lanka to take place next June and reuniting in a friendly spirit of cooperation Sri Lankan and French artists and specialists in the fields of music, dance, movies, literature, photography, architecture and street arts. As part of a wider European cultural framework, the AF de Kotte also may join forces in artistic events with the Embassies of other European Union countries based in Sri Lanka.