FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The French Island of Martinique is honored to host the annual convention of the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF) through July 21, 2018.
Taking place on several hotel sites (La Batelière, Bakoua Hotel, Carayou Hotel and Bambou Hotel, the convention welcomes 317+ teachers of French from all over the USA to discuss this year's theme: “Creoleness and Environment in the French Caribbean”.
They will also indulge into the island’s cultural heritage and its rich literature to better understand the contrasts and cultural mix that the Martiniquan Creoleness (créolité) represents.
Before the commencement of the sessions which started July 18th, participants were offered a pre-convention program from July 15 to 17, featuring a series of cultural seminars. One of the highlights was a seminar titled “Aimé Césaire, la Négritude et la Martinique”, showcasing the Island of Flowers’ famed native poet, author and one of the founders of Négritude movement.
Excursions during the convention include a visit to the Musée de la Pagerie, birthplace of Empress Josephine--first wife of Napoleon 1 in the village of Trois-Ilets and the Maison de la Canne retracing the history of sugar cane production in Martinique, from the time of slavery through modern times. The participants will also visit the Slave Savannah, the reenactment of a former slaves’ village.
Ms. Karine Mousseau, the Martinique Tourism Commissioner noted upon the AATF’s arrival: “Martinique was thrilled to be selected for hosting this 91st edition of the annual congress of AATF. We are welcoming with open arms the members of this great organization, aiming to build a strong relationship with them, encouraging these teachers to become ambassadors of Martinique. We encourage them to design educational trips, and come back to visit us with their students, for all to make Martinique their own. Also, hosting this prestigious congress illustrates the importance of Business Travel for our island, as Martinique strongly intends to be a destination of choice for meetings & conventions in the Caribbean.