Nov. 7, 2005 - The Modern Language Area of UVI's Humanities and Social Sciences Division will continue the work of the late Prof. Evelyn Lallemand who began plans for the celebration of National French Week. UVI will celebrate it from Nov. 7-12. The opening program will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 7, in the lobby of the Reichhold Center for the Arts. Honorary French Counsel to the U.S. Virgin Islands Odile De Lyrot will give opening remarks; Dr. Malik Sekou will give the keynote address; and students from Prof. Lallemand's French classes will make presentations.
"It's an opportunity for us to highlight the rich French and Francophone culture in the Virgin Islands," Prof. Violeta Donovan said of the celebration. She is the UVI Modern Language Area coordinator. "It allows students to use the language in different ways like poems and songs that they otherwise may not have a venue for," she added.
There will be activities throughout the week with workshops presented by award-winning French photographer Freddy Icart, who is known for his ability to capture the emotion of an event. Born in Haiti, and now residing in Montreal, Icart has studied in France, Canada and the United States. Along with the activities, exquisite paintings by Haitian master artist Frantz Coulanges will be on display in the lobby of the Reichhold Center for the Arts. The National French Week schedule is as follows:
Monday, Nov. 7
· 5:30 p.m. National French Week Opening Ceremony Reichhold Center for the Arts

Tuesday, Nov. 8
· 12:15 p.m. Photography and Publicity workshop by Freddy Icart at Chase Auditorium (Business Building room 110) with video conference to Evans Center room 401 on the St. Croix campus
Wednesday, Nov. 9
8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Keeping Students in School Through Visual Communication workshop by Freddy Icart at Charlotte Amalie and Ivanna Eudora Kean High Schools
5:30 p.m. Francophone Stories, Proverbs, Songs and Poems featuring Dr. Gilbert Sprauve and Prof. Gene Emanuel in the Reichhold Center for the Arts Lobby
Saturday, Nov. 12
· 10 a.m. to noon and 1-3 p.m. Understanding Cultures Through Visual Communication workshop by Freddy Icart at the Classroom Administration Building room 304
The public is invited to all activities. For more information contact Prof. Donovan at 693-1349 or vdonova@uvi.edu.