Pak-France Alumni Network role lauded
December 13, 2014
Islamabad
French Ambassador Martine Dorane, as expected, was bilingual in her talk at the Annual Gala Dinner of Pak-France Alumni Network (PFAN). She used English as well as French which was Greek to one or two journalists present in the gathering.
It reminded me one of her illustrious predecessors Yannick Gerard who was trilingual but in functions was bilingual using mostly Urdu and then English or French depending upon the nature of the participants in an event.
Ms Dorane appreciated the active role being played by Pak-France Alumni Network which has the slogan of 'sharing culture and research through scholars' and highlighted the cooperation existing between Pakistan and France. She said that Alumni play important role in cementing relations between the two countries. "You are important interface in building economic structure,' she told the former graduates from the land of Eiffel Tower.
She said that the role of students was recognised by the government and Foreign Minister Fabian while other ministers also underscore the Network of students undertaking studies in France making it the third country receiving largest number of students from foreign countries. The French envoy noted with a smile that 'alumni' is not English but a Latin word. She said that COP-21 (Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) will take place in Paris this year and will mobilise researchers, activists and scholars to visit her country on this environmental moot.
She said that we will have many occasions to meet in 2015.
Dr Mukhtar Ahmad, Chairperson Higher Education Commission, addressing the graduates from French universities hoped that the cooperation between Paris and Islamabad will continue to grow. He said that HEC HRD programme, started in 2005, had France as an important country where we sent our students for higher studies. He said that under the programme, 46,000 plus faculty members were sent to 63 universities. He said that we still have a shortage of 30,000 people in Pakistan and hoped that we will manage to send students abroad in addition to augmenting indigenous programme.
He said that we expect that institution to institution cooperation will evolve into strategic cooperation in near future.
He noted that the PFAN family is increasing which will have a big impact on promoting our industry and development. He said that HEC will facilitate the Network wherever it can.
Dr Muhammad Arshad, President PFAN, in his welcome address noted that the twin cities have the largest member of alumni of French educational institutions.
The speeches were followed by regular 'gup shup' and a sumptuous dinner. Dr Khalid Saleem and his wife Sa'adia were conspicuous with their presence and socialising on the occasion.
French Ambassador Martine Dorane, as expected, was bilingual in her talk at the Annual Gala Dinner of Pak-France Alumni Network (PFAN). She used English as well as French which was Greek to one or two journalists present in the gathering.
It reminded me one of her illustrious predecessors Yannick Gerard who was trilingual but in functions was bilingual using mostly Urdu and then English or French depending upon the nature of the participants in an event.
Ms Dorane appreciated the active role being played by Pak-France Alumni Network which has the slogan of 'sharing culture and research through scholars' and highlighted the cooperation existing between Pakistan and France. She said that Alumni play important role in cementing relations between the two countries. "You are important interface in building economic structure,' she told the former graduates from the land of Eiffel Tower.
She said that the role of students was recognised by the government and Foreign Minister Fabian while other ministers also underscore the Network of students undertaking studies in France making it the third country receiving largest number of students from foreign countries. The French envoy noted with a smile that 'alumni' is not English but a Latin word. She said that COP-21 (Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) will take place in Paris this year and will mobilise researchers, activists and scholars to visit her country on this environmental moot.
She said that we will have many occasions to meet in 2015.
Dr Mukhtar Ahmad, Chairperson Higher Education Commission, addressing the graduates from French universities hoped that the cooperation between Paris and Islamabad will continue to grow. He said that HEC HRD programme, started in 2005, had France as an important country where we sent our students for higher studies. He said that under the programme, 46,000 plus faculty members were sent to 63 universities. He said that we still have a shortage of 30,000 people in Pakistan and hoped that we will manage to send students abroad in addition to augmenting indigenous programme.
He said that we expect that institution to institution cooperation will evolve into strategic cooperation in near future.
He noted that the PFAN family is increasing which will have a big impact on promoting our industry and development. He said that HEC will facilitate the Network wherever it can.
Dr Muhammad Arshad, President PFAN, in his welcome address noted that the twin cities have the largest member of alumni of French educational institutions.
The speeches were followed by regular 'gup shup' and a sumptuous dinner. Dr Khalid Saleem and his wife Sa'adia were conspicuous with their presence and socialising on the occasion.
