Events

L’Alliance Française de Washington DC est heureuse de s’associer chaque année au National Museum of African Art de la Smithsonian Institution afin d’organiser ces visites guidées en français dans le cadre du Festival de la Francophonie de Washington DC, qui se déroule tout au long du mois.

Les visites mettront en lumière les temps forts des expositions en cours du musée, avec une attention particulière portée aux artistes d’Afrique francophone. Les participants sont assurés de découvrir un ensemble d’œuvres variées couvrant différentes périodes historiques.

Ces visites sont gratuites, mais l’inscription est obligatoire. Les visites, d’une durée d’1 h 30, auront lieu tout au long du festival aux dates suivantes :

Dimanche : 1, 8, 15, 22 et 29 mars, de 13 h à 14 h 30

Jeudi : 5, 12 et 26 mars, de 13 h à 14 h 30

Samedi : 21 et 28 mars, de 13 h à 14 h 30

Votre guide vous retrouvera près du comptoir d’accueil, dans le Pavillon (niveau jardin), à côté du panneau indiquant les visites guidées en français.

Le National Museum of African Art est situé au 950 Independence Ave., SW.

Métro : Smithsonian, sortie Independence Avenue.

Pour plus d’informations sur le musée et ses expositions, veuillez consulter le site : https://africa.si.edu

Important : Ces visites s’adressent aux particuliers et aux familles. Si votre établissement scolaire ou votre organisation souhaite organiser une visite de groupe de 10 personnes ou plus, merci d’adresser votre demande à l’adresse suivante : DowdyE@si.edu

******************************************************************************************

The Alliance Française of Washington DC is pleased to partner each year with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art to organize these guided tours in French as part of the month-long DC Francophonie Festival (Francophonie-dc.org).

The tours will include highlights of the museum’s current exhibitions, with special attention to artists from Francophone Africa. Participants in the tour are assured a diverse group of works and historical time periods. These tours are free, but registration is mandatory. The 1 ½ hour tours will take place throughout the festival on the following dates:

Sunday: March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 1:00pm -2:30 pm

Thursday: March 5, 12, 26, 1pm -2:30pm

Saturday: March 21 & 28, 1:00pm - 2:30pm

Your docent will meet you near the Reception Desk in the Pavillion (Garden level) by the sign for the guided tours in French.

The National Museum of African Art is located at 950 Independence Ave., SW

Metro: Smithsonian, Exit Independence Avenue For additional information on the museum and its exhibitions please visit https://africa.si.edu

Important: These tours are intended for individuals or families. Should your school or organization wish to schedule a group of 10 or more persons, then please send a request to DowdyE@si.edu

About the Event:

This event will be in English and will take place at the Alliance Française of Washington, DC

This event is part of our "Francophonie" series

Did you know that Lebanon is part of the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF)? Many Lebanese speak French as a second language, including local artist Vian Shamounki Borchert. Having grown up in Beirut, the nearby sea created happy memories of her childhood, often reflected in her artistic inspirations.

Named one of “Top 10 Most Creative Artists of 2025,” Borchert’s art stands out by featuring many hues of blue, among other colors that reflect her Mediterranean memories.

Borchert will be in conversation with Executive Director Sarah Diligenti, who has traveled to Lebanon and enjoys experiencing Lebanese culture.

Come join us as we hear from the artist herself, view samples of her artwork, and hear her story.

About the Artist:

Vian Shamounki Borchert is an internationally acclaimed artist known for her abstract expressionist style, characterized by a poetic take. Born in Beirut, Lebanon to an art-loving family with devoted parents who supported her vision and talent throughout her early years, Vian went on to become a graduate and “Notable Alumni” of the Corcoran College of Art and Design at George Washington University in Washington, DC. Borchert has exhibited for many years in numerous group and solo exhibitions worldwide.

Borchert serves as the Art Lead for the Oxford Public Philosophy Journal, based at Oxford University, UK. Her work has been showcased internationally in museums and key galleries in major cities, including the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris, Medinaceli DeArte Museo Contemporáneo in Spain, The SAM Museum in Pennsylvania, BANK Art Fair in Seoul, South Korea, Art3f International Contemporary Art Fair in Monaco at the prestigious Chapiteau de Fontvieille, AVA Art Festival in Osaka, Japan at Enokojima Art Centre, Art Basel Miami Beach, the Venice Biennale, and in leading galleries in major world cities such as NYC, LA, and DC, along with numerous private collections.

Borchert’s artwork has been widely published in the press, appearing in over 100 publications including esteemed outlets such as World Art News, Museum Week Magazine, and The Washington Post. She was recently named by MSN as one of the “Top 10 Most Creative Artists of 2025” and listed by “Art Market Experts” among the most investable artists of 2025. Borchert is also involved in teaching, art writing, and curation. She has been an art educator for two decades, teaching fine art painting and drawing to adults in the Washington, DC area in venues such as the historic Arts Club of Washington and the Yellow Barn Studio at Glen Echo Park.

Renowned for her abstract expressionist style and what she defines as “visual poetry,” Borchert transforms the essence of nature, particularly seascapes inspired by her Mediterranean roots into nostalgic reflections of her childhood memories of the Mediterranean Sea. In her abstracted works embodying the sea, clouds, and skyscapes, she creates lyrical meditations on memory, emotion, and the human spirit. Borchert’s serene palette of blues and turquoises evokes both depth and transcendence, turning abstraction itself into an immersive experience. Recognized for her philosophies on art along with pioneering intellectual thought and creativity in the art world, Borchert continues to shape the global art dialogue.

Her artwork is available through leading marketplaces, Artsy and 1stDibs.

Recently Borchert was named one of MSN's "Top 10 Most Creative Artists of 2025" https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/lifestyle-buzz/top-10-most-creative-artists-of-2025/ar-AA1Q3AM1

----------------------------

Social handles and website:

Website: www.vianborchert.com

Facebook: Vian Borchert Fine Arts

Instagram: @vianborchert

Twitter/X: ViansArtCorner

YouTube: @vianborchert

About the Event:

This event is part of our Francophonie Series and will be in English.

This exclusive tour will be led by Katie Kirkpatrick, founder of Off the Mall Walking Tours as she guides us to Francophone embassies that are members of the OIF - Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, in celebration of the Francophonie Month and as part of the month-long DC Francophonie Festival (Francophonie-dc.org).

This tour will be outside and does not include stepping inside Embassies.

With over 175 embassies, ambassadorial homes, and cultural centers, Washington, DC stands as one of the most globally connected cities in the United States. Many of these diplomatic centers include those from Francophone countries, and line the historic neighborhoods of Massachusetts Avenue NW, Dupont Circle, and the U.S. Naval Observatory, extending into the surrounding Kalorama neighborhood.

Did you know, for example, that both Greece and Madagascar are part of Francophonie? Learn many more interesting facts about the French-speaking world and people who represent it here in Washington DC, but without the jetlag and overseas travel! The tour begins at the Alliance Française of Washington, D.C. and concludes in Dupont Circle, a convenient spot to relax, grab refreshments, and access restrooms after our walk.

Sign up today! Due to limited spots, tickets may sell out quickly.

What to Expect:

• A guided walking tour through Embassy Row and surrounding neighborhoods
• Engaging cultural and historical commentary
• A moderate walking distance at a relaxed pace (includes segments that are uphill) Opportunities for photos and questions

What to Bring:

• Comfortable walking shoes
• Weather-appropriate clothing
• Water

How to Get to the Starting Point: Closest Metro - Dupont Circle (Red Line)

Closest Bus Stop (D70, D72, D74 - Stop: Connecticut Ave NW - Wyoming Ave NW)

Street Parking (First Come First Serve, 2 Hour Parking Only)

About Off the Mall Tours:

Off the Mall Tours is a unique walking tour company that brings a fresh perspective to the history of the nation's capital. Its mission is to introduce locals and tourists alike to the DC that awaits "off the mall" and in the neighborhoods of this fascinating, energetic city. DC is multi-layered and has a multi-cultural heritage, and our company strives to share the contributions of the international community on the city. To really understand Washington, you need to "get Off the Mall!"

About Katie Kirkpatrick:

Katie Kirkpatrick is proud to call herself a DC resident since 2002. She moved to the capital after college for graduate school, and then worked in government for many years. However, history was always her first love. So she started her own company, drawing upon her interests in unique stories, a flair for costuming, and her love of DC. She also has a long-term relationship with France, having studied French since high school and living in France and Francophone countries at several periods in her life. She loves all things French! Follow her at @offthemalltours.

A propos de l’événement :

Cet événement se déroulera en français et en ligne.

Cet événement fait partie de la série "Francophonie."

L’Alliance Française de Washington DC est heureuse d’accueillir Élodie Mbape, autrice, enseignante et passionnée de langues, pour une deuxième rencontre littéraire exceptionnelle, en ligne depuis le Canada. Ayant étudié au Cameroun, aux États-Unis et au Canada, Mbape possède un parcours riche et international.

C’est d’ailleurs à l’AFDC qu’elle a fait ses premiers pas dans l’enseignement après l’obtention de son Bachelor à l’Université de Virginie, un souvenir auquel elle reste profondément attachée. Aujourd’hui enseignante au secondaire et autrice de son deuxième roman, L’envolée des monarques, elle continue de nourrir sa passion pour la littérature, l’écriture créative, la musique, les voyages et l’actualité.

Nous vous invitons à nous rejoindre pour célébrer son œuvre et échanger autour de son univers littéraire, notamment celui d’Éloïse, héroïne de L’envolée des monarques : une jeune femme camerounaise plongée dans les défis, les espoirs et les contradictions de son rêve américain au Maryland.

Résumé du livre

Éloïse est une jeune femme timide et sensible qui éprouve de la difficulté à s’adapter à sa nouvelle vie. Elle a du mal à comprendre les attentes liées au rêve américain (ou peut-être qu’elle les comprend trop bien pour vouloir y adhérer...). Partie de son Cameroun natal pour les États-Unis, elle entreprend une sorte de voyage initiatique, qui la mènera dans les méandres de ce rêve ondoyant qu’elle caresse depuis l’enfance. Entourée de Nana, tata Habi et Julia, trois femmes de caractère dont les chemins suivent des courbes différentes, la nouvelle immigrante du Maryland apprend à surmonter le vertige de la vitesse. Au milieu des papillons et des cendres qui s’envolent autour d’elle, survient l’homme-mystère. Il l’attend patiemment dans les hauteurs paisibles du Mont-Royal, là où le ciel et la terre se croisent peut-être à l’horizon.

Informations sur l'autrice

Élodie Mbape a étudié au Cameroun, aux États-Unis et au Canada. Elle est titulaire d’une maîtrise en éducation de l’Université de Montréal et exerce la profession d’enseignante au secondaire. Dotée d’un parcours diversifié, elle est également diplômée en science politique, en études bilingues et en littérature française. Traductrice agréée au Québec (ANG-FRA), elle se passionne pour les langues. Après obtention de son Bachelor à l’Université de Virginie, elle a effectué ses premiers pas en enseignement à l’AFDC, dont elle garde un souvenir mémorable. Ses principaux centres d'intérêt sont la littérature, la musique, l'écriture créative, les voyages, l'enseignement et l'actualité. L’envolée des monarques est son deuxième roman.

Vous pouvez la trouver sur Facebook ou LinkedIn @ Elodie Mbape

Un bref échange autour de ses livres sur la chaîne d’Immigration et Entrepreneuriat au Canada : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7picsfCakXw&t=46s

L’Alliance Française de Washington DC est heureuse de s’associer chaque année au National Museum of African Art de la Smithsonian Institution afin d’organiser ces visites guidées en français dans le cadre du Festival de la Francophonie de Washington DC, qui se déroule tout au long du mois.

Les visites mettront en lumière les temps forts des expositions en cours du musée, avec une attention particulière portée aux artistes d’Afrique francophone. Les participants sont assurés de découvrir un ensemble d’œuvres variées couvrant différentes périodes historiques.

Ces visites sont gratuites, mais l’inscription est obligatoire.

Les visites, d’une durée d’1 h 30, auront lieu tout au long du festival aux dates suivantes :

Dimanche : 1, 8, 15, 22 et 29 mars, de 13 h à 14 h 30

Jeudi : 5, 12 et 26 mars, de 13 h à 14 h 30

Samedi : 21 et 28 mars, de 13 h à 14 h 30

Votre guide vous retrouvera près du comptoir d’accueil, dans le Pavillon (niveau jardin), à côté du panneau indiquant les visites guidées en français. Le National Museum of African Art est situé au 950 Independence Ave., SW.

Métro : Smithsonian, sortie Independence Avenue.

Pour plus d’informations sur le musée et ses expositions, veuillez consulter le site : https://africa.si.edu

Important : Ces visites s’adressent aux particuliers et aux familles. Si votre établissement scolaire ou votre organisation souhaite organiser une visite de groupe de 10 personnes ou plus, merci d’adresser votre demande à l’adresse suivante : DowdyE@si.edu

******************************************************************************************

The Alliance Française of Washington DC is pleased to partner each year with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art to organize these guided tours in French as part of the month-long DC Francophonie Festival (Francophonie-dc.org).

The tours will include highlights of the museum’s current exhibitions, with special attention to artists from Francophone Africa. Participants in the tour are assured a diverse group of works and historical time periods.

These tours are free, but registration is mandatory.

The 1 ½ hour tours will take place throughout the festival on the following dates:

Sunday: March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 1:00pm -2:30 pm

Thursday: March 5, 12, 26, 1pm -2:30pm

Saturday: March 21 & 28, 1:00pm - 2:30pm

Your docent will meet you near the Reception Desk in the Pavillion (Garden level) by the sign for the guided tours in French.

The National Museum of African Art is located at 950 Independence Ave., SW

Metro: Smithsonian, Exit Independence Avenue

For additional information on the museum and its exhibitions please visit https://africa.si.edu Important: These tours are intended for individuals or families. Should your school or organization wish to schedule a group of 10 or more persons, then please send a request to DowdyE@si.edu

Cet événement fait partie de notre série Francophonie.

Célébration de la poésie en langue française, la Nuit de la Poésie tiendra sa 9e édition le jeudi 19 mars 18h30 – 21h00, à la Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Library à Washington, DC. Cet événement annuel s’inscrit dans le cadre du DC Francophonie Festival (francophonie-dc.org), le 4 du 31 mars.

Saviez-vous que de nombreux pays, dont le français comme langue officielle, font partie de l'Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, soit en tant que membre, membre associé ou observateur ? Par exemple, des pays comme la Grèce, la Géorgie, la Serbie, l'Arménie, la Moldavie, la Roumanie, l'Ukraine, le Viêtnam font tous partie de la Francophonie !

Rejoignez-nous pour écouter une sélection de poèmes du monde francophone, récités dans la langue originale et/ou dans sa traduction en français.

Écrivez-vous de la poésie ? Partagez vos vers lors du micro ouvert ! L'entrée est gratuite, mais l'inscription est obligatoire.

Les dons sont appréciés et soutiennent les programmes culturels de l'Alliance Française de Washington DC.

*************************************************************************************************************************************************

This event is part of our Francophonie Series.

Celebrating poetry in the French language, this year’s French Poetry Night will hold its 9th edition, held on Thursday, March 19, from 6:30 – 9:30pm at Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Library à Washington, D.C. This annual event is part of the DC Francophonie Festival (francophonie-dc.org), running March 4 to March 31.

Did you know that many countries, which don’t have French as their official language, are part of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, either as a member, an associated member or an observer? For example, countries such as Greece, Georgia, Serbia, Armenia, Moldova, Romania, Ukraine, and Vietnam are all part of Francophonie!

Join us to hear select poems from around the Francophone world, recited in the poem’s original language and/or its translation into French.

Have any poetry of your own? Bring it along to share during the open mic session!

Admission is free, but registration is required. Donations are appreciated and support the cultural programs of the Alliance Française de Washington DC.

L’Alliance Française de Washington DC est heureuse de s’associer chaque année au National Museum of African Art de la Smithsonian Institution afin d’organiser ces visites guidées en français dans le cadre du Festival de la Francophonie de Washington DC, qui se déroule tout au long du mois.

Les visites mettront en lumière les temps forts des expositions en cours du musée, avec une attention particulière portée aux artistes d’Afrique francophone.

Les participants sont assurés de découvrir un ensemble d’œuvres variées couvrant différentes périodes historiques.

Ces visites sont gratuites, mais l’inscription est obligatoire.

Les visites, d’une durée d’1 h 30, auront lieu tout au long du festival aux dates suivantes :

Dimanche : 1, 8, 15, 22 et 29 mars, de 13 h à 14 h 30 Jeudi : 5, 12 et 26 mars, de 13 h à 14 h 30 Samedi : 21 et 28 mars, de 13 h à 14 h 30

Votre guide vous retrouvera près du comptoir d’accueil, dans le Pavillon (niveau jardin),à côté du panneau indiquant les visites guidées en français.

Le National Museum of African Art est situé au 950 Independence Ave., SW.

Métro : Smithsonian, sortie Independence Avenue.

Pour plus d’informations sur le musée et ses expositions, veuillez consulter le site : https://africa.si.edu

Important : Ces visites s’adressent aux particuliers et aux familles. Si votre établissement scolaire ou votre organisation souhaite organiser une visite de groupe de 10 personnes ou plus, merci d’adresser votre demande à l’adresse suivante : DowdyE@si.edu

******************************************************************************************

The Alliance Française of Washington DC is pleased to partner each year with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art to organize these guided tours in French as part of the month-long DC Francophonie Festival (Francophonie-dc.org).

The tours will include highlights of the museum’s current exhibitions, with special attention to artists from Francophone Africa. Participants in the tour are assured a diverse group of works and historical time periods.

These tours are free, but registration is mandatory.

The 1 ½ hour tours will take place throughout the festival on the following dates:

Sunday: March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 1:00pm -2:30 pm

Thursday: March 5, 12, 26, 1pm -2:30pm

Saturday: March 21 & 28, 1:00pm - 2:30pm

Your docent will meet you near the Reception Desk in the Pavillion (Garden level) by the sign for the guided tours in French. The National Museum of African Art is located at 950 Independence Ave., SW

Metro: Smithsonian, Exit Independence Avenue

For additional information on the museum and its exhibitions please visit https://africa.si.edu

Important: These tours are intended for individuals or families. Should your school or organization wish to schedule a group of 10 or more persons, then please send a request to DowdyE@si.edu

L’Alliance Française de Washington DC est heureuse de s’associer chaque année au National Museum of African Art de la Smithsonian Institution afin d’organiser ces visites guidées en français dans le cadre du Festival de la Francophonie de Washington DC, qui se déroule tout au long du mois.

Les visites mettront en lumière les temps forts des expositions en cours du musée, avec une attention particulière portée aux artistes d’Afrique francophone. Les participants sont assurés de découvrir un ensemble d’œuvres variées couvrant différentes périodes historiques.

Ces visites sont gratuites, mais l’inscription est obligatoire.

Les visites, d’une durée d’1 h 30, auront lieu tout au long du festival aux dates suivantes :

Dimanche : 1, 8, 15, 22 et 29 mars, de 13 h à 14 h 30

Jeudi : 5, 12 et 26 mars, de 13 h à 14 h 30

Samedi : 21 et 28 mars, de 13 h à 14 h 30

Votre guide vous retrouvera près du comptoir d’accueil, dans le Pavillon (niveau jardin), à côté du panneau indiquant les visites guidées en français.

Le National Museum of African Art est situé au 950 Independence Ave., SW.

Métro : Smithsonian, sortie Independence Avenue.

Pour plus d’informations sur le musée et ses expositions, veuillez consulter le site : https://africa.si.edu

Important : Ces visites s’adressent aux particuliers et aux familles. Si votre établissement scolaire ou votre organisation souhaite organiser une visite de groupe de 10 personnes ou plus, merci d’adresser votre demande à l’adresse suivante : DowdyE@si.edu

******************************************************************************************

The Alliance Française of Washington DC is pleased to partner each year with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art to organize these guided tours in French as part of the month-long DC Francophonie Festival (Francophonie-dc.org).

The tours will include highlights of the museum’s current exhibitions, with special attention to artists from Francophone Africa. Participants in the tour are assured a diverse group of works and historical time periods.

These tours are free, but registration is mandatory.

The 1 ½ hour tours will take place throughout the festival on the following dates:

Sunday: March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 1:00pm -2:30 pm

Thursday: March 5, 12, 26, 1pm -2:30pm

Saturday: March 21 & 28, 1:00pm - 2:30pm

Your docent will meet you near the Reception Desk in the Pavillion (Garden level) by the sign for the guided tours in French.

The National Museum of African Art is located at 950 Independence Ave., SW

Metro: Smithsonian, Exit Independence Avenue

For additional information on the museum and its exhibitions please visit https://africa.si.edu

Important: These tours are intended for individuals or families. Should your school or organization wish to schedule a group of 10 or more persons, then please send a request to DowdyE@si.edu

L’Alliance Française de Washington DC est heureuse de s’associer chaque année au National Museum of African Art de la Smithsonian Institution afin d’organiser ces visites guidées en français dans le cadre du Festival de la Francophonie de Washington DC, qui se déroule tout au long du mois.

Les visites mettront en lumière les temps forts des expositions en cours du musée, avec une attention particulière portée aux artistes d’Afrique francophone. Les participants sont assurés de découvrir un ensemble d’œuvres variées couvrant différentes périodes historiques.

Ces visites sont gratuites, mais l’inscription est obligatoire.

Les visites, d’une durée d’1 h 30, auront lieu tout au long du festival aux dates suivantes :

Dimanche : 1, 8, 15, 22 et 29 mars, de 13 h à 14 h 30

Jeudi : 5, 12 et 26 mars, de 13 h à 14 h 30

Samedi : 21 et 28 mars, de 13 h à 14 h 30

Votre guide vous retrouvera près du comptoir d’accueil, dans le Pavillon (niveau jardin), à côté du panneau indiquant les visites guidées en français.

Le National Museum of African Art est situé au 950 Independence Ave., SW.

Métro : Smithsonian, sortie Independence Avenue.

Pour plus d’informations sur le musée et ses expositions, veuillez consulter le site : https://africa.si.edu

Important : Ces visites s’adressent aux particuliers et aux familles. Si votre établissement scolaire ou votre organisation souhaite organiser une visite de groupe de 10 personnes ou plus, merci d’adresser votre demande à l’adresse suivante : DowdyE@si.edu

******************************************************************************************

The Alliance Française of Washington DC is pleased to partner each year with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art to organize these guided tours in French as part of the month-long DC Francophonie Festival (Francophonie-dc.org).

The tours will include highlights of the museum’s current exhibitions, with special attention to artists from Francophone Africa. Participants in the tour are assured a diverse group of works and historical time periods.

These tours are free, but registration is mandatory.

The 1 ½ hour tours will take place throughout the festival on the following dates:

Sunday: March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 1:00pm -2:30 pm

Thursday: March 5, 12, 26, 1pm -2:30pm

Saturday: March 21 & 28, 1:00pm - 2:30pm

Your docent will meet you near the Reception Desk in the Pavillion (Garden level) by the sign for the guided tours in French.

The National Museum of African Art is located at 950 Independence Ave., SW

Metro: Smithsonian, Exit Independence Avenue

For additional information on the museum and its exhibitions please visit https://africa.si.edu

Important: These tours are intended for individuals or families. Should your school or organization wish to schedule a group of 10 or more persons, then please send a request to DowdyE@si.edu

L’Alliance Française de Washington DC est heureuse de s’associer chaque année au National Museum of African Art de la Smithsonian Institution afin d’organiser ces visites guidées en français dans le cadre du Festival de la Francophonie de Washington DC, qui se déroule tout au long du mois.

Les visites mettront en lumière les temps forts des expositions en cours du musée, avec une attention particulière portée aux artistes d’Afrique francophone. Les participants sont assurés de découvrir un ensemble d’œuvres variées couvrant différentes périodes historiques.

Ces visites sont gratuites, mais l’inscription est obligatoire.

Les visites, d’une durée d’1 h 30, auront lieu tout au long du festival aux dates suivantes :

Dimanche : 1, 8, 15, 22 et 29 mars, de 13 h à 14 h 30

Jeudi : 5, 12 et 26 mars, de 13 h à 14 h 30

Samedi : 21 et 28 mars, de 13 h à 14 h 30

Votre guide vous retrouvera près du comptoir d’accueil, dans le Pavillon (niveau jardin), à côté du panneau indiquant les visites guidées en français.

Le National Museum of African Art est situé au 950 Independence Ave., SW.

Métro : Smithsonian, sortie Independence Avenue.

Pour plus d’informations sur le musée et ses expositions, veuillez consulter le site : https://africa.si.edu

Important : Ces visites s’adressent aux particuliers et aux familles. Si votre établissement scolaire ou votre organisation souhaite organiser une visite de groupe de 10 personnes ou plus, merci d’adresser votre demande à l’adresse suivante : DowdyE@si.edu

******************************************************************************************

The Alliance Française of Washington DC is pleased to partner each year with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art to organize these guided tours in French as part of the month-long DC Francophonie Festival (Francophonie-dc.org).

The tours will include highlights of the museum’s current exhibitions, with special attention to artists from Francophone Africa. Participants in the tour are assured a diverse group of works and historical time periods.

These tours are free, but registration is mandatory.

The 1 ½ hour tours will take place throughout the festival on the following dates:

Sunday: March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 1:00pm -2:30 pm

Thursday: March 5, 12, 26, 1pm -2:30pm

Saturday: March 21 & 28, 1:00pm - 2:30pm

Your docent will meet you near the Reception Desk in the Pavillion (Garden level) by the sign for the guided tours in French.

The National Museum of African Art is located at 950 Independence Ave., SW

Metro: Smithsonian, Exit Independence Avenue

For additional information on the museum and its exhibitions please visit https://africa.si.edu

Important: These tours are intended for individuals or families. Should your school or organization wish to schedule a group of 10 or more persons, then please send a request to DowdyE@si.edu

L’Alliance Française de Washington DC est heureuse de s’associer chaque année au National Museum of African Art de la Smithsonian Institution afin d’organiser ces visites guidées en français dans le cadre du Festival de la Francophonie de Washington DC, qui se déroule tout au long du mois.

Les visites mettront en lumière les temps forts des expositions en cours du musée, avec une attention particulière portée aux artistes d’Afrique francophone. Les participants sont assurés de découvrir un ensemble d’œuvres variées couvrant différentes périodes historiques.

Ces visites sont gratuites, mais l’inscription est obligatoire.

Les visites, d’une durée d’1 h 30, auront lieu tout au long du festival aux dates suivantes :

Dimanche : 1, 8, 15, 22 et 29 mars, de 13 h à 14 h 30

Jeudi : 5, 12 et 26 mars, de 13 h à 14 h 30

Samedi : 21 et 28 mars, de 13 h à 14 h 30

Votre guide vous retrouvera près du comptoir d’accueil, dans le Pavillon (niveau jardin), à côté du panneau indiquant les visites guidées en français.

Le National Museum of African Art est situé au 950 Independence Ave., SW.

Métro : Smithsonian, sortie Independence Avenue.

Pour plus d’informations sur le musée et ses expositions, veuillez consulter le site : https://africa.si.edu

Important : Ces visites s’adressent aux particuliers et aux familles. Si votre établissement scolaire ou votre organisation souhaite organiser une visite de groupe de 10 personnes ou plus, merci d’adresser votre demande à l’adresse suivante : DowdyE@si.edu

******************************************************************************************

The Alliance Française of Washington DC is pleased to partner each year with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art to organize these guided tours in French as part of the month-long DC Francophonie Festival (Francophonie-dc.org).

The tours will include highlights of the museum’s current exhibitions, with special attention to artists from Francophone Africa. Participants in the tour are assured a diverse group of works and historical time periods.

These tours are free, but registration is mandatory. The 1 ½ hour tours will take place throughout the festival on the following dates:

Sunday: March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 1:00pm -2:30 pm

Thursday: March 5, 12, 26, 1pm -2:30pm

Saturday: March 21 & 28, 1:00pm - 2:30pm

Your docent will meet you near the Reception Desk in the Pavillion (Garden level) by the sign for the guided tours in French.

The National Museum of African Art is located at 950 Independence Ave., SW

Metro: Smithsonian, Exit Independence Avenue

For additional information on the museum and its exhibitions please visit https://africa.si.edu

Important: These tours are intended for individuals or families. Should your school or organization wish to schedule a group of 10 or more persons, then please send a request to DowdyE@si.edu

 About the Event:

This event will be in both French and English, and will be held at the Alliance Française of Washington, DC.

This event is part of our "Des Mots et des Hommes / Of Words and Men" series.

Come join us for an evening of French poetry with acclaimed author and poetess, Marie de Quatrebarbes. Marie will read from and discuss the recent English translation of her book, Les Vivres (The Vitals), an elegiac long poem in the form of a fragmentary journal that tracks the loss of a loved one, making its debut with an English translation. Alongside her, we are pleased to welcome her English translator, Aiden Farrell. Together, they will discuss The Vitals' rich and poetic content, and answer questions from the audience. In partnership with local French bookstore Bonjour Books, copies for purchase will be available at this event. We are looking forward to your participation!

About the Book:

As if the relic of a long-forgotten history, The Vitals ghosts through five successive months, measuring time through the vacillations of a bereaved consciousness. An estranged voice staggers through glimpses of childhood, domesticity, conversations lost and found, and memories reverberating into language. These elliptical prose vignettes ask questions about family, survival, and of the shared experience of grief and longing. Through a documentary impulse, de Quatrebarbes’s poem persists suspended in the space left by a sudden disappearance.

About the Author:

Marie de Quatrebarbes (b. 1984) is the author of several books of poetry, as well as a novel inspired by the life of Aby Warburg, and the recipient of the 2020 Paul-Verlaine Prize from the Academie Française. She published La tête et les cornes, a poetry and translation review, republished the complete poems of Michel Couturier (L’ablatif absolu, La tête et les cornes), and edited an anthology dedicated to contemporary poetry by young French women (Madame tout le monde, Le Corridor bleu). Since 2023, she is the co-manager of the French publishing house Éditions Corti. She lives and works in Paris.

The event will take place in person and is in English.

About the Event:

Join us at the Alliance Française of Washington, DC for a special evening with author Tom Young, presenting his new WWII novel The Mapmaker. Inspired by real Resistance operations in occupied France, the book follows a daring intelligence courier on the run from the Gestapo and an RAF pilot risking everything to bring her home in the tense weeks before D-Day.

Tom Young will discuss the real historical events behind the story, answer audience questions, and sign copies of the book, which will be available for purchase on-site through our partners at Bonjour Books. 

Don’t miss this chance to meet the author, discover the thrilling world of The Mapmaker, and celebrate courage, resistance, and history brought vividly to life.

Summary of The Mapmaker:

Resistance operative Charlotte Denneau has critical targeting information for the Allies, and the Gestapo knows it. On the run across occupied France, she must prioritize her mission over the lives of the agents and civilians she needs to help her escape. Germans are taking down Resistance networks with disastrous results. Agents are being arrested, tortured, questioned, and turned. Charlotte never knows whom to trust. She communicates in coded radio calls to London, with the enemy always listening. More than anything, she needs a flight out—before the Nazis drag her to an interrogation chamber.

Philippe Gerard, a French pilot who joined the British Royal Air Force after the fall of France, faces an impossible mission: He must find Charlotte, land by moonlight to pick her up in a farmer’s field, and evade Luftwaffe fighters on the way back to England. But where is she? If he gets an all-clear signal over a dark pasture, is she really there? Or does the signal lure him into a trap?

In the critical weeks before D-Day, every contribution counts: A well-drawn map, a timely aerial photo, or a daring landing in a muddy field might make the difference between triumph and defeat. Inspired by real-life events from World War II, The Mapmaker demonstrates how individual courage and sacrifice can set the stage for victory.

About the author:

Tom Young served in Afghanistan and Iraq with the Air National Guard. He has also flown combat missions to Bosnia and Kosovo, and additional missions to Latin America, the horn of Africa, and the Far East. In all, Young logged nearly 5,000 hours as a flight engineer on the C-5 Galaxy and the C-130 Hercules, while flying to almost forty countries. Military honors include the Meritorious Service Medal, three Air Medals, three Aerial Achievement Medals, and the Air Force Combat Action Medal. Young retired from the Air Guard in 2013 after more than twenty years of service.

In civilian life he spent ten years as a writer and editor with the broadcast division of the Associated Press, and retired recently as an airline captain based at Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C. Young currently works as an aviation consultant. He holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Young’s well-received military adventure novels include The Mullah’s Storm, Silent Enemy, The Renegades, The Warriors, and Sand and Fire. His historical novels set in World War II include Silver Wings, Iron Cross; Red Burning Sky; and The Mapmaker.

The Mullah’s Storm was a Book of the Month Club Thriller of the Month and an Indie Next List Selection. Publishers Weekly gave starred reviews to The Renegades, Silent Enemy, and The Warriors. The Mullah’s Storm earned a starred review from Kirkus Reviews. The Mullah’s Storm, Silent Enemy, and The Renegades received Gold Medal awards from the Military Writers Society of America. Sand and Fire received a starred review from Booklist.

Young is also the author of the nonfiction book The Speed of Heat: An Airlift Wing at War in Iraq and Afghanistan, released in 2008. His narrative, “Night Flight to Baghdad,” appeared in the anthology Operation Homecoming: Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Home Front in the Words of U.S. Troops and Their Families. The Washington Post listed Operation Homecoming among the best books of 2006