Highlights of the week include :
Sunday 28 May 2023: Exhibition of works by Rory Klopper inspired by French philosopher & intellectual Georges Albert Maurice Victor Bataille (1897 – 1962).
Saturday 27 May; the Fête de l’Abeille
Monday 29 mai: Guided visit to the Prince Imperial Exhibition in the national uMsunduzi Museum
Tuesday 30 May, 10 am: Presentation by Glenn Flanagan on the French Prince Imperial, Louis Napoleon who died in an ambush on 1 June 1879, at uQweqwe, in the closing
stage of the Anglo-Zulu War. Woodgrove Retirement Village, Community Centre.
31 May 10 am: Cultural Tourism Development For Communities’ Benefit, through People’s Stories (the case of the Prince Imperial). Grades 7 A &B. The public is welcome! The Chapel, Project Gateway
31 May 11am: Prince Imperial AFRICA DAY Concert – The Hall, Project Gateway.
Performers: Gateway Christian School Grade 7s – song and dance/ Gateway School of Fashion struts the boardwalk with the models from Irene’s Model Agency / Chistlehurst Academics & Arts’ famous CANCAN!
Wednesday 31 May – Franco-Italian Pizza soirée! Bring a bottle & a pizza to La Dante!
1 June 11am: Guided visit to works of art of the “French Collection”. Tatham Art Gallery
Pinky Madlabane -Nkabinde.
Friday 02 June May, 10am: A guided tour by Michael Lambert of the French stained glass windows of St Mary’s Catholic Church (1927-1928), Pietermaritzburg, The St Mary’s interior is indeed the most Gallic of all church interiors in South Africa and a very significant example of the French Presence in Pietermaritzburg.
Friday 2 June, 4pm: the newly appointed Ambassador of France to South Africa, HE David Martinon will be joining the Consul General of France, M.Etienne Chapon & the Counsellor for French Citizens Living Overseas, Mr Alexandre Barrière-Izard in Pietermaritzburg, Pomeroy, Dundee & uQweqwe, for a guided visit of St Charles College with the principal Mr Allen ven Blerk, followed by a reception.
Saturday 03 June: Soirée Franco-Germanic/Swiss in honour of the Prince Imperial’s father, the Emperor Napoleon III.
Saturday 3 June, 9.30am: Memorial Mass for the Prince Imperial at Allard House Chapel (the first Catholic Church built in KwaZulu-Natal by the French Missionary Order of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate), followed by a convoy, along La Route du Prince Impérial:
uQWEQWE – PRINCE IMPERIAL monument
Sunday 4 June, 10am: Commemorative Ceremonies for the Prince Imperial
Special Guest-of-Honour from the French Consulate: The Consul General of France, M. Etienne Chapon & M. Alexandre Barrière-Izard, Representative of French people living abroad, elected to the Assembly of French people living abroad. Special Guests-of-Honour from our communities: Councillor L. Mtshali, Abaqulusi Municipality; Mr N. Buthelezi, Head of the izindunas; Induna Mbatha, uQweqwe; M. Mitchel Clark, Principal of Gateway Christian School, Pietermaritzburg; M. Louis Eksteen, Curator, Fort Amiel Museum, Newcastle; M. Billy Villiers, Bagpiper; Mme Elisabeth Durham, Township Tourism Member of the Endumeni Tourism & Patronne of Chez Nous B’nB; Mr D.M. Buthelezi, Chairman of the Hlahlindlela Taxi Association; M. Thulani Mbatha, Principal of Jojosini Primary School, uQweqw; Samkelesiwe Msane, Pomeroy Christian School; Samkelisiwe Sihlongonyane, Dundee.
WELCOME: Councillor L. Mtshali, Abaqulusi Municipality
RESPONSE: The French Consul General, Mr Etienne Chapon, to respond
CONTEXT of EVENT: The Project Leader, Mme G. Flanagan
PERFORMANCES: Song & Zulu Dance performances.
Full programme here: