La Francophonie

1880

It's first used in 1880.

Onésime Reclus

It was Onésime Reclus (1837 – 1916), a French geographer and explorer of Europe, who used it for the first time in his book "France, Algérie et colonies".

​Paris

The first Francophonie Summit Took place in 1986 in Paris. Forty one governments and countries participated.

​Equality, complementarity, solidarity

Founded in 1970, l'Agence de la Francophonie's motto is : "Égalité, complémentarité, solidarité".

Every two years.

Since 1986, the Sommet de la Francophonie has taken place every two years.

​250 million

This is actually a tricky question. The world has 255 million daily speakers but 321 million Francophones (French speakers) who celebrate their common language on March 20, Francophonie Day.

Theses numbers are based on an estimate of OIF (Organisation internationale de la Francophonie) in 2022.

​He is elected to be part of the French academy

He was elected to l'Académie Française on June 2 1983, to the seat of the Duke of Lévis-Mirepoix (16th seat).

​54

The International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) actually brings together 88 states and governments that share French.

There is 54 active members, 7 associated members and 27 observers.

Léopold SéDar Senghor

It was in 1962, in an article by Senghor which is considered the founding text of La Francophonie, that Francophonie appeared in these terms.