A special thank you to everyone who celebrated France’s Bastille Day with us at the San Diego Diplomacy Council! It was a pleasure featuring all of our honorable guests to speak about France and share aspects of French culture.
We started the evening off with a few words from the Executive Director of Alliance Francaise de San Diego, Lindsay McNicol. McNicol spoke about the works of Alliance Francaise de San Diego and their continuation of French education during this time of uncertainty. The evening continued as the Honorary Consul of France and Vice President of House of France, Marion Lanier, discussed the importance of Bastille Day as a time for the French to acknowledge their ability to build experiences and connections outside of France without losing their own roots and culture. Ms. Lanier aims to unify all French organizations to create a dynamic community while honoring the bridge between France and the United States. She concluded her welcoming remarks by encouraging everyone to celebrate liberty, equality, and fraternity just as France does to enhance our own communities.
Julia Shelley, a personal French chef based in San Diego, continued the night through her live set-by-step cooking class instructing everyone on how to make Recette de Crepes. She reassured those who were cooking along with her that “it’s normal if your first [crepe] goes wrong”. However, her work was far from imperfect as she created the most delicious-looking crepes! We ended the celebration with a performance by talented singer/entertainer, Véronique Forget. As a tribute to one of her favorite singers, Edith Piaf and Charles Aznavour, she sang “Bal dans ma rue” which is an upbeat French song. It was a perfect way to conclude the event in celebration of French culture and language!
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