The signing of the Constitutive Agreement of the Groupement d’Intérêt Public (GIP) is a formal and decisive step for the organization of the 7th Jeux de la Francophonie, which will take place in Nice from September 6 to 15, 2013.
It will be signed this Wednesday, January 25 at 5:30 PM at Villa Masséna, by Alain Juppé, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, David Douillet, Minister of Sports, Christian Estrosi, Member of Parliament, Mayor of Nice, President of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis, Eric Ciotti, President of the Alpes-Maritimes General Council, Patrick Allemand, 1st Vice-President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region, Denis Masseglia, President of the French National Olympic and Sports Committee.
The Jeux de la Francophonie represent the largest sporting and cultural event of the Francophonie dedicated to its youth. They were created in 1987 by the International Organization of the Francophonie, whose Secretary General is President Abdou Diouf. A sporting and cultural event, they are a crossroads of exchange among French-speaking countries and allow for closer ties between states and governments that share the French language. They are the concrete expression of solidarity and cooperation, founding principles of the Francophonie.
Organized every four years during the post-Olympic year, the Jeux de la Francophonie are the only Francophone event capable of bringing together more than 3,000 young participants in a spirit of celebration, exchange, and openness. They promise a remarkable encounter between young artists and athletes from around the world.
It is through the vitality of the associative world, the richness of the sports network, and the determined commitment of Nice Côte d’Azur to organizing major international events, that Nice will be able to rise to the occasion and extend the scope of this project. By placing these Games under the dual emblem of technological innovation and sustainable development, Nice 2013 will be a decisive step in the future of the Jeux de la Francophonie.
