australian events in france 2006

2006 Australian Events in France
From the Australian Embassy in France
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20 March - 14 April
Alliance en résonances Alliance Française

Come experience Australian and French culture during Alliance Française’s exciting and busy program of events which ranges from contemporary dance, a fine selection of Australian films, contemporary Australian art, a French photo exhibition inspired from the Australian landscape, debates and conferences.

The program for «Alliance en résonances» with the Australian network of Alliances françaises in Australia :

Exhibitions :
20 March - 14 April, an exhibition of Australian contemporary artwork from a range of artists, including Simon Terrill, Sue Soliman, Idris Murphy, Terence O’Donnell, Peter Sharp, Ian Grant, Louise Fowler-Smith, Joe Frost…

17 - 30 April, an exhibition featuring works of art from French artists having worked in Australia: photographs from the outback by Alain Rival Outback, Sydney water colours by Olivier Balez… At the Alliance française de Paris, 101 Bd Raspail, 75006 Paris.

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Tuesday 25 April
ANZAC DAY 2006 - FRANCE

A range of Anzac Day services and activities will be held throughout France in 2006; an outline of the program follows below.

Please note:

• This information will be brought up-to-date regularly, so you might like consult this site every now and again, if you are intending to attend some of the ceremonies and activities
• In most cases there is no need to register your presence at the ceremonies or the other activities such as concerts [which are usually free of charge]. However there are a few exceptions, usually for catering reasons, where you will have to inform the organisers and pay on the day
• For visitors from Australia or elsewhere, you might like to consider spending more than a day attending the commemorations in Paris or in the Somme or in the Pas-de-Calais regions. You can take the opportunity to visit a series of Australian monuments or cemeteries, scattered over the northern area of France, and become immersed in the history of the Australian role in World War One [and perhaps also in World War Two if you are thinking of visiting the Normandy beaches] or follow in the footsteps of one of your family members who fought in France. At the same time you can explore these regions which offer a wealth of sites for the curious tourist. For more information - both practical and historical - you should consult: www.somme-battlefields.com and www.amiens.com/tourisme

• You might like to participate in other Anzac Day commemorations in Europe, eg in London or in Ypres [Ieper] in the Flanders region in Belgium so please consult the website of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs: www.dva.gov.au/commem/anzac

Tuesday 25 April 2006

Paris

6.15am An Anzac Day Dawn Service will be held at the Australian Embassy in Paris. Refreshments will be provided after the service.

Aix-en-Provence (Bouches-du-Rhône)

6.30am Provisionally there will be an Anzac Day Dawn Service in the Main Town Square, Aix-en-Provence. Refreshments will be provided after the service.

Saturday 29 April 2006

Villers-Bretonneux (Somme)

10.00am The ANZAC DAY program in Villers-Bretonneux will start with a ceremony at the Australian National Memorial with accompanying music provided by the combined orchestra, choir and brass band of Wesley College Melbourne and St Andrews Cathedral School Sydney. Refreshments will be provided before the program begins for participants arriving early.

11.00am This ceremony will be followed by a wreath laying service at the French Monument in the town centre, next to the town hall.

11.30am The winner of the Sadlier-Stokes Scholarship for 2006 will be announced at Victoria Hall located in local primary school , rue de Melbourne, followed by refreshments in the school courtyard.

Bullecourt (Pas-de-Calais)

3.00pm An Anzac Day ceremony will be held at the Commonwealth and French Monuments in the Bullecourt village centre in fron of the church, with music provided by Wesley College Melbourne for the afternoon’s commemorations.

4.00pm A wreath-laying service will complete the day’s ceremonial program at the Australian 'Digger' Memorial on the village outskirts. Refreshments will be provided afterwards in the local hall.

Other activities linked to the Anzac Day commemorations include:

- Villers-Bretonneux will hold an 'Australia Week' during the ANZAC DAY period from Friday 28 April until Thursday 4 May, including concerts, film screenings, and aerial visits of the local battlefields.

- The visiting school orchestras will also provide musical accompaniment for two of the evening services at 6.30pm at the Arc-de-Triomphe for the rekindling of the flame at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Thursday 27 and Saturday 29 April, as well as concert in Villers-Bretonneux during the evening of Friday 28 April, and two concerts on Sunday, 30 April in Amiens.

Visitors, local and regional inhabitants are welcome to attend the events and activities listed above.

For more information, please contact: Australian Embassy, 4 Rue Jean Rey, Paris 75724 Cedex 15, France, Tel 331 40 59 33 00 / 01Fax: 331 40 59 33 10
E-mail: rodney.muir@dfat.gov.auorInformation.Paris@dfat.gov.au