Celebration of 12th Edition of France Volontaires Ghana 

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Madam Shirley Ayokoi Botchwey

By Justice Baako Ntarmah: Our West Africa Correspondent 

The celebration of the 12th edition year of France Volunteering Day (Journée du Volontariat Français) at the Alliance Française in Accra, brought officials and personalities from government including ministries, authorities and international organisations including volunteering organisations and French Embassy  as well the management team of International Network of France Volontaires.
Ghana's Minister for  Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayokoi Botchwey who joined other leaders in the celebration acknowledged the relations of Ghana and France which she said rooted with history, friendship, shared values mutual respect and reciprocity.
Minister Shirley Ayokoi: "Today we are celebrating one of such partnership where two countries have agreed to bilateral cooperation fostering through Volunteeism where Volunteers engaged in agriculture, instructors in French language and other specialists in communication and planning just mention a few.
The minister commended the volunteers for providing support and exhibiting expertise to the satisfaction of Ghanaians and she appreciated the contribution of the volunteers working in various sectors in the country which she regarded them as powerful instruments for fostering unity and shared values between the nation.
The minister went further to recognize  the pivotal role played by the volunteers which is achieving the nation's goals as it has taken concrete steps to promoting and supporting volunteers initiatives across the country.
She reinterated Ghana's commitment in building English-French country where  majority of the people become bilingual as Ghana is surrounded by Francophone countries and urged Ghanaians to be fluent in both English-French so that communication with other Africans and beyond becomes easy.

Other officials were from the ministry of Youth and Sports and  National Youth Authourity, the  Director of the International Network of France Volontaires, Mr Thomas Cosse who congratulated the Ambassador of France to Ghana for volunteeism in Ghana, as well as the Director of Alliance Française, Accra and volunteering organisations in Ghana and the stakeholders with France Volontaires Ghana.
The Ambassador of France Embassy to Ghana, Julie Armand Anianboussou highlighted the importance of volunteers and volunteeism that through the world made sustainable development and said  youth volunteeism is a mobility for useful purpose.
The Project Officer of France Volontaires Ghana, Mr. Doku, who made  presentation on projects  explained the operations of France Volontaires Ghana and made the participants to understand that the France volontaires came to Ghana in 2008 and started fully operations in 2009 and  has since been working directly under France Embassy to Ghana. 

France Volontaires which has 30 representations around the world out of 8,554 Volunteers around the world is the France platform for International Exchange and Solidarity Volunteering is an operator of the French Ministry or Europe and Foreign Affairs which brings together the State, local authorities associations, within the framework of the mission of general Interest,  the development and promotion of International Exchange and Solidarity Volunteering, recognised by the law of 4 August 2021 as a traversal level of action of France's solidality development policy.
France Volontaires Ghana, through its Volunteering Centre located in Alliance Française in Accra supports and guides volunteers and organisations interested in International Exchange and Solidarity Volunteering. It carries out mission of advice, training, networking and promotion of volunteism.
In October every year, France Volontaires organises the French Volonteeing Day (JVF). This day is dedicated to promoting and highlighting the engagement of thousands of Volunteers participating in development and solidality mission in various fields across the globe, as well as bringing together actors of volunteering: hosting sending organisations, partners and volunteers.
There were first roundtable discussion on International Volunteering in the Development of Francophony in Ghana" and second roundtable "Crossed Mobility and Reciprocity."
Volunteer Testimonies themed "Crossing Mobility and Linguistic Capacity Enhancement" presented both in-person and videos were Former International Reciprocity Volunteer, Civil Service Volunteer, OIF Volunteer and Senior (Retired) Volunteer respectively.
In attendance were volunteering hosting organisations including Finnish-French Migrant Resource Centre (FFMRC) the education-legal-counselling department of Migrant Labour General Workers' Union International (MLGWUI), Representives from Alliance Française d'Accra, Ministries, Authourities.
As a cultural organisation, Amanbre Dance Performance performed accordingly.
In his closing remarks, the National Representive of France Volontaires Ghana, Mr Telnegar Rassembeye thanked all Invited Guests and Volunteers as well as partnering organisations.
The 2023 France volontaires Ghana Day was celebrated under the theme: "Cross-mobility, reciprocity, for a balanced partnership! -language exchange and Francophony".