Friday, 27 March 2026
The Francophonie Games create a unique platform for dialogue, mutual understanding and solidarity. Arayik Harutyunyan
Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister, Chairman of the National Committee of the Francophonie Games Arayik Harutyunyan participated in the official presentation ceremony of the logo of the Francophonie Games to be held in Armenia in 2027, followed by a press conference dedicated to the games.
The event was also attended by Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan, Director of the International Committee of the Francophonie Games Vivien Lubczanski, Secretary of the National Committee of the Francophonie Games Christine Grigoryan, representatives of the sports and arts sectors, delegates of the International Committee of the Francophonie Games, representatives of the mass media, and other guests.
As part of the event, a video was shown on the preparations for the Francophonie Games to be held in Armenia, after which the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff Arayik Harutyunyan, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan, and Director of the International Committee of the Francophonie Games Vivien Lubczanski delivered welcoming speeches.
The Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff, Arayik Harutyunyan, noted in his speech: “This video conveyed to us the atmosphere, energy and diversity that are characteristic of the Francophonie Games, as well as demonstrated Armenia’s experience in organizing and hosting international and large-scale events.
Since joining the International Organization of Francophonie, Armenia has always played an active role and has remained committed to the core values of Francophonie, diversity, solidarity and cooperation. In this context, it is perhaps necessary to mention the Francophonie Summit held in 2018, which was a significant stage in terms of deepening our country’s involvement.
Today, we are already approaching a new milestone: on February 8, 2024, Armenia was unanimously selected to host the 2027 Francophonie Games. This is truly a great confidence in our country and at the same time a great honor. And we have already begun preparations to host the 2027 Games at a high level, which are scheduled to take place from July 23 to August 1, 2027.
According to the latest data from the International Organization of La Francophonie, French continues to grow rapidly and today about 400 million people around the world speak French, making it the fourth most widely spoken language. The Francophonie Games best embody this global dimension, uniting young people from five continents of the world. Through sport and culture, a unique platform for dialogue, understanding and solidarity is being created here. The upcoming Games also have a special symbolic significance: the Francophonie Games to be held in Yerevan will mark the 10th anniversary. It is also noteworthy that for the first time in the history of these Games, they will be held in a country where French is not an official language, which once again emphasizes the open and inclusive nature of the Francophonie.
I would like to emphasize one more feature: the official opening ceremony of the Francophonie Games in Yerevan will be held not in the stadium, like all the previous ones, but in an open space, in the heart of Yerevan, on Republic Square, which, we are sure, will give a new breath and special meaning to this great event. The whole of Yerevan will be involved in this opening ceremony.”
Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan presented details about the preparatory work in her speech, as well as noted that the games will be held in 10 cultural (theater, digital creativity, visual arts: fine arts, sculpture, photography, storytelling, dance, singing, literature, freestyle ball) and 10 sports (athletics and paraathletics, football, weightlifting, chess, judo, table tennis, basketball 3x3, wheelchair basketball, break dance) categories, which will take place in Yerevan, Abovyan, Charentsavan and Armavir.
Vivien Lubczanski, Director of the International Committee of the Games of Francophonie highly appreciated the significant commitment of the Armenian authorities in the preparation of the 10th Games of Francophonie. “Today, the presentation of the official logo of the Games is an important milestone. It marks a new phase in the preparation of the Games, aimed at consolidating, increasing their visibility and its use by the entire Francophone area. At this time, numerous states and governments have confirmed their intention to participate, which is evidence of the encouraging dynamics, as well as confidence in Armenia’s ability to host this important event. The discussions held in recent months, as well as this week in Yerevan, confirm the quality of the dialogue established between the International Committee of the Games of Francophonie and the Armenian authorities, in a spirit of close cooperation and mutual trust. A number of circumstances testify to the progress already achieved, including the serious involvement of national and local institutions, including in the framework of our press conference today,” said Vivien Lubczanski and added: "Armenia's goal is clear: to make the Francophonie Games a celebration of meeting and youth, as well as a platform for the appreciation of the French language and cultural diversity."
Summing up, Vivien Lubczanski emphasized: “The official logo presented today will play a key role in uniting forces and increasing the visibility of the Games both in Armenia and throughout the Francophone region. I would like to assure you that we stand by Armenia to contribute to the success of these 10th Francophone Games, which will fully meet the expectations of Francophone youth, as well as the participating states and governments.”
Next, the official presentation ceremony of the logo of the Francophonie Games took place. Arayik Harutyunyan said: “The logo is a harmonious fusion of cultural and artistic layers. The logo is based on the traditional Armenian sign of eternity, as a symbol of continuity and permanence, as well as the circular movement of the Kochar dance, which embodies unity and strength. These elements have been reinterpreted with a modern approach, transforming human movement into a universal rhythm understandable to everyone, regardless of cultural boundaries. All these layers are combined into a complete circular composition, forming a series of interconnected dynamic images. Thus, the logo expresses energy, connection and play, representing the essence of the Francophonie Games as a continuous celebration of culture, sport and participation.”
Then, the speakers at the press conference answered journalists' questions regarding the organizational work carried out and ongoing for holding the Francophonie Games in Armenia, the creation of the necessary infrastructure, the possibility of holding such large-scale events in Armenia in the near future, etc.
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The International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF), which unites about 396 million French speakers worldwide, considers its mission to build effective and sustainable solidarity among its 90 member states and governments. These states represent more than a third of the United Nations Member States. The organization’s main objective is to improve the quality of life of people by promoting their participation and role in their own development processes. The OIF operates on the principle of respect for cultural diversity and is aimed at promoting the values of peace, democracy, education and sustainable development.
The International Committee of the Games of La Francophonie (CIJF), operating within the framework of the International Organization of La Francophonie, is the key body for the organization of the Games. It is responsible for the preparation, coordination and international supervision of the Games, carrying out its activities in close cooperation with the host state or government, ensuring the high-quality and efficient holding of the event.
