Mayor Bouw-Spies said that Knysna was excited and honoured to host Les Bleus and hoped that this can be the start of an ongoing relationship with France, also post 2010. “One of the objectives of our 2010 business plan was to create a legacy for Knysna, and this is what we’re working towards. We asked the Consul to help us identify opportunities and I hope that this can be the start of a variety of exchange programmes on a social, cultural, economic and sport level, creating benefit for all involved.” Michon said that he will definitely assist the municipality in finding exchange opportunities with towns in France. “I will work with the municipality to identify possible options. France is running a very successful exchange programme between the Burgundy region, home of the famous French wines, and the Western Cape winelands area, and I believe we can find something similar for the Knysna area.”
He said that they believe the French team made the best choice possible. “Knysna, being one of South Africa’s top tourist destinations is a perfect base for the team. In the upcoming months we will work closely with the relevant authorities to make sure that all is in place. We are in the process of appointing an honorary Consul de France in Knysna and will also be involved in various cultural projects that will include French language classes for local residents, food and wine exchanges and live entertainment. Ideally we would like to turn Knysna into a French village for a month.”
Accompanying Michon was Christophe Freschi, Director of Alliance Française in Port Elizabeth who will be running a variety of cultural programmes in Knysna. Freschi and CEO of Knysna Tourism, Shaun van Eck, have worked together on various projects in Port Elizabeth in the past. Van Eck said that the involvement of the Alliance Française will be invaluable for Knysna’s preparation to offer the best welcome to French visitors. “Our staff will take French language classes facilitated by them, and they will assist with translations and the compilation of visitor information packs. We will also work together to make sure we have plenty of entertainment for French and other visitors.”
The annual Knysna Oyster Festival was also discussed at the meeting, and van Eck said that they hope to include a variety of the cultural exchange events on the festival programme. “We are looking at a nine piece jazz band with French and South African musicians, a French film festival, art and craft exhibitions and a puppet show with giant puppets.”
Mayor Bouw-Spies said that they will work towards creating a longstanding relationship with France. “This is the building steps to creating a relationship that I hope will outlast the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. Our first priority is obviously to get the town ready and make sure our visitors have a great experience, but I also believe it is a fantastic opportunity for us to create long term benefits that will assist us in our endeavours to create a town that works for all.”
Contact Information:
Knysna Municipality
www.knysna.gov.za
tel: 044 382 5510
fax: 044 382 1646
mobile: 083 299 7777
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