Saudi Arabia  Alliance Française to Open at Hayy Jameel in Jeddah

From left to right: Larry Lamartiniere (Alliance Française Managing Director), Mohammed Nehad (Consul General of France in Jeddah), Zaher Al Munajeed (President of Alliance Française), HE Ludovic Pouille (Ambassador of France), Hussein Jameel (Director of Community Jameel), Faisal Al Sammanoudi (Chairman of Abdul Latif Jameel Enterprises), Rowaid Al Sawaf (CEO of Abdul Latif Jameel Enterprises), Marguerite Bickel (CEO of Alliance Française d'Arabie saoudite), Antonia Carver (Director of Art Jameel)

Jeddah; Declaration of intent to establish Hayy Jameel in Jeddah as the new home of Alliance Française Saudi Arabia (AFAS) made in the presence of HE Ambassador of France M. Ludovic Pouille, the Consul General of France in Jeddah, M. Mohammed Nehad, the President of Alliance Francaise M. Zaher Al Munajeed, the Director of Community Jameel,  M. Hussein Jameel, and the Director of Art Jameel, Ms. Antonia Carver.

Art Jameel, an organization that supports artists and creative communities, announces that the French language and cultural center is scheduled to open  within Hayy Jameel, Jeddah's home for the arts in September 2024. This calculated step, which opens a new chapter for French language and culture of the Kingdom, demonstrates the two organizations' shared commitment to promoting global interchange and creating interconnected, culture-focused communities.

With the new Alliance Française (AFAS) space, the Jeddah branch has a great chance to provide more courses and cultural programs to meet the growing interests of its varied student body. The new space and program will enhance and add to Hayy Jameel's current mandate and identity, building on AFAS's mission to promote cross-cultural dialogue. It will offer, among other things, cutting-edge French language courses, fusion cuisine workshops, French film screenings, and talks on ethical and environmentally conscious practices, bridging the culinary, cinematic, and sustainable realms between Saudi Arabia and France.

Established in December 2021, Hayy Jameel is a symbol of cultural vibrancy in the Kingdom. Hayy, which means 'neighborhood' in Arabic, alludes to the friendly and cooperative atmosphere of the complex and its goal of uniting a variety of artistic specialties in one location. Hayy Jameel is home to Hayy Cinema, Saudi Arabia's first autonomous center for film and audio-visual arts, as well as a variety of art, learning, and events venues managed by Art Jameel for the benefit of the community. Alliance Francaise has joined the group of creative businesses known as the Hayy Residents. These businesses include the baking academy Aysh, the performance and comedy center Fennec, the fashion and design store Homegrown, and the art gallery Athr, alongside Almohtaraf, Riwaq Dahr and Sofia's Bistro.

Situated on the first level of Hayy Jameel, the 80-square-meter area offers an improved learning environment with four contemporary classrooms and a well-designed lounge-library section. By utilizing cutting-edge digital platforms, AFAS aims to provide interactive and captivating experiences to enhance the learning of French while meeting the changing needs of the Saudi populace. Through a dynamic collaborative public program that takes place across Hayy Jameel and in partnership with other Residents within the complex, throughout the year, the facility will also act as a platform for both local and French artists. Visit www.hayyjameel.org.local and https://www.af-ksa.org/en/ for additional details.