Abu Dhabi college students meet top French officials

A group of 10 students from Abu Dhabi Men's College (ADMC) at the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) recently met newly-elected French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, and Christian Poncelet, Vice-President and Chairman of the Senate, during a 10-day tour of France.

The educational and cultural tour was organised by Alliance Francaise, the French Embassy in the capital, and the College, to reward the students for successfully completing their first French course at the college.

"The Prime Minister welcomed the young students to France. He also exchanged views with them and asked about their studies," said Pascal Gueyle, head of the Education and Culture section at the Alliance Francaise in Abu Dhabi, who organised and supervised the trip.

Gueyle said the Prime Minister met the students at the Senate where he addressed the senators.

"The Prime Minister, during his brief audience, also encouraged the students to pursue their discovery of the French culture and language," he said.

The students were also taken on a tour of the Senate, organised by Senator Daniel Goulet, to get acquainted with the French legislative and political system. The students, during their tour, were also able to listen to the Prime Minister's speech.

"During their tour of the Senate, they also met the Senate Chairman and Vice-President, Christian Poncelet, who exchanged views with them," Gueyle added.

The students were also taken to the National Assembly. He noted that the visit to the Senate and the Assembly was an important part of their trip as it provided a window to the political and legislative system of France.

The students were also taken to the Alliance Francaise office in Paris for a comprehensive tour of its facilities, where more than 1,000 students learn French every month.

During their ten-day visit to France, which began on July 2, the students visited many landmarks of Paris, which included the Eiffel Tower, a cruise on the Seine, and a visit to the Louvre Museum, where they admired the famous Mona Lisa.

"They also walked down the Champs Elysees, discovered the Notre Dame de Paris, enjoyed the atmosphere at Montmartre, the Latin Quarter, Sorbonne University, the Centre Pompidou, the Institute du Monde Arabe, and the magnificent Paris Mosque," Gueyle explained.

They were also flown to Nice, from where they were taken for a day's tour of Monaco. They visited the Oceanographic Museum and the Cousteau Aquarium.

The Alliance Francaise began optional French classes for the College in February this year, with about 50 students taking part in the first batch.

"This trip was organised with the support of Abu Dhabi-based sponsors in order to enhance the students' interest and broaden their knowledge of French, as it is essential to know a country by learning its language," the Alliance Francaise official said.

Earlier, Dr Tayeb Kamali, Vice-Chancellor of the HCT and Director of ADMC, said the trip to France was very important for the students learning French.