The Gala raises funds for one of the most active centers of cultural and intellectual exchange between the French-speaking world and the United States.
La Maison Française of NYU will hold its annual Gala Benefit on Saturday, April 16, honoring H.E. Louise Mushikiwabo, Secretary General of La Francophonie, an international organization of 88 member states and governments sharing French as a common language.
La Maison Française of New York University is one of the most active centers of cultural and intellectual exchange between the French-speaking world and the United States, and has for over 60 years welcomed thousands of literary, artistic, scholarly, and political luminaries for events which are free and open to the public. The Gala will raise funds for the programs, which range from lectures and conferences to festivals, concerts, and exhibitions.
The Gala Benefit is under the patronage of H.E. Philippe Étienne, Ambassador of France to the United States; H.E. Ambassador Nicolas de Rivière, Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations; Jérémie Robert, Consul General of France in New York; Gaëtan Bruel, Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy; and Andrew Hamilton, President of New York University.
The event sponsors include L’Oréal, the French Embassy in the United States, Villa Albertine, and Sud de France.
The Gala Benefit on April 16 will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy, Headquarters of Villa Albertine, 972 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY. Cocktail attire is indicated. The celebration includes a cocktail-dînatoire and features a live performance in French, Molière malgré lui, by Comédiens Voyageurs: Marcel Bozonnet and Martial Poirson.
Tickets are $700 ($550 tax deductible) or $1000 ($850 tax deductible).
For every $1000 donated, an additional ticket will be made available to an NYU student.
Online registration and donations
About the Honoree:
Son Excellence Madame la Secrétaire générale de la Francophonie
Louise Mushikiwabo
Louise Mushikiwabo is the current Secretary General of La Francophonie, an international organization of 88 member states and governments sharing French as a common language. She took up her position on January 3rd, 2019 after being unanimously elected during the Heads of States Summit that took place in Yerevan in October 2018. After living in the United States for about 20 years, she moved to Tunisia in 2006 where she worked at the African Development Bank as Director of Communication. In March 2008, she was called by the President of the Republic of Rwanda to join the government team where she successively served as Minister of Information from 2008 to 2009 and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation from 2009 to 2018. Louise Mushikiwabo has a master’s degree in languages and interpretation from the University of Delaware in the United States. Marked by the genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi in 1994, she co-authored in 2006 the book "Rwanda Means the Universe,” published by Saint Martin's Press, an autobiographical socio-historical memoir. She is also recipient of the 2004 Outstanding Humanitarian Award from the American University & School of International Studies.
About Les Comédiens Voyageurs: Marcel Bozonnet & Martial Poirson
Founded in 2007 by Marcel Bozonnet, the company’s project is to travel, to explore new repertory and new performance venues, to meet diverse audiences, and to create productions that question society and reflect the cultures of the world.
Marcel Bozonnet is an actor, director, and theater educator. He was director of the French National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts, and administrator of the Comédie-Française, of which he was a longtime member. He notably staged Tartuffe there in 2005. His key performances include Le Médecin volant and Le Médecin malgré lui, in Dario Fo’s staging, and La Princesse de Clèves by Madame de La Fayette, which he staged and performed, alone on stage.
Martial Poirson is a professor of cultural history and theatrical studies at the University of Paris 8. A specialist in history and theatrical aesthetics, he is also an essayist, playwright, and curator. His many projects for the quadricentenary of Molière’s birth include two major exhibitions, several audiovisual and radio creations, and a range of major publications.
About Molière malgré lui
Four hundred years after his birth, Molière's life continues to give rise to many legends. Due to the absence of archives, they have perpetuated, seeping into scholarly and academic discourse, while experiencing new developments in the media and popular arts today. Molière malgre lui offers an archaeology of the myths of Molière, stripping away fable from fact. It encourages the audience to look at Molière in a different light through the contemporary era of “fake news.” (This performance is in French.)
For more information about the Gala Benefit, please call or e-mail:
La Maison Française of NYU
212-998-8751
maison.francaise @nyu.edu
About La Maison Française of New York University
For over six decades, La Maison Française of New York University has served as a major forum for cultural exchange between the French-speaking world and the United States, offering contemporary perspectives on myriad French and Francophone issues. Its rich program of lectures, symposia, concerts, screenings, exhibitions, and special events provides an invaluable resource to the university community and the general public.
For additional information, please visit our website.