"Association Française pour la Promotion Culturelle et Pédagogique de l’Islande" :

"A.F.P.C.P.I." : The French association for the cultural and pedagogical matters to promote Iceland has been created to develop relations between the two countries. The association promotes all kind of exchanges between French and Icelandic schools (pedagogical exchanges, trips, correspondence,…) and develop the promotion of the Icelandic culture in France and the French one in Iceland (Festivals, exhibitions, media,…)

The pedagogical and schools’ exchanges with Iceland are relatively recent. They started in 1985.

For the teachers and educators, this experience with Iceland enables surely a cultural as well as pedagogical and human improvement.

It means the discovery of a different European system which lets more latitude in choices and more autonomy for young people than in our country and where the confidence in the youngster is still strong.

Concerning the pupils, it means an opening to a totally unknown world, on a nature or human level. It is an experience of a bigger responsibility in a nation where young people take care of themselves at a very early age. It is the discovery of a different way of living in a country where human and weather conditions take a larger part in the daily life.

Furthermore, young people are early called to help the adults in high confidential climate. For young French, observing this is very educational. Also for the young Icelanders, discovering a different system than theirs brings surely improvements. It is also the discovery of a society of consumption on a much bigger scale than on "Ultima Thule".

Also theses exchanges prove a stronger sensibilisation and motivation in the study of foreign languages, for instance English.

Finally, for the young French, it is the occasion of discovery a rather unspread European language. And for the young Icelanders, it is the occasion to discover the French language and then, later on, to choose to attend several years of university studies and even come back to France to study more and more the language of Voltaire (License, Master, DEA…).

The first aim of schools exchanges is the enlarge horizons. Between France and Iceland, it is done now since about fifteen years. This exchanges allow then to renew our teaching methods and to improve the relationships experienced between young people and adults.

These experiences develop real crossings and exchanges of knowledge, realizations and people in a strong spirit of equality, dialog, communication and reciprocity.

The achieved alliances do not only improve the notion of European identity that we are searching just before the beginning of the 21^st century, but also build peace between nations.

During the 15 first years of the French-Icelandic schools’ exchanges, over 2000 pupils participated in the pedagogical programs. At the beginning of the year 2000, we’ve passed the record of 2500 pupils !

In 1992 : Celebration of the 1000^th pupil who has participated to the schools’ exchanges program between France and Iceland since five years. The 1000^th is a girl from the 9^th grade of the Collège Jeanne-d'Arc in Gex : Stéphanie Meylan.

In 1998 : Celebration of the 2000^th pupil who has participated to the schools’ exchanges program between France and Iceland since twelve years.

The 2000^th is a girl from Fjölbrautaskoli Suðurlands in Selfoss : Emilia Jónsdóttir.

The 3000^th pupil who will participate to the schools’ exchanges program between France and Iceland since the beginning will be done during the year 2000-2001 or 2001-2002 (By the statistics) !

All these exchanges will also have permitted dozens of young Icelanders to desire to develop their knowledge about France and the French language, after the exchange they experienced. These young Icelanders talk fluently French today.

This action of exchanges strongly develops the knowledge of France and the French language in Iceland, which only counts 275 000 inhabitants.

Furthermore, these exchanges develop a real and sincere friendship. On 2000 youngsters which took part in these French-Icelandic exchanges, more than the half of the, have still relationships, mostly through letters or are again meeting sometimes.

The pioneers of these exchanges are now 27-28 years old. More than 50% of them have still contacts with their friends from Iceland.

Finally, other French-Icelandic schools’ twinning are in project. They could begin in about one or two years, essentially in the Pays de la Loire, Brittany and Normandy regions and Paris area as well with in Iceland, in Mosfellsbær, in Heimaey, in Hafnarfjörður, in Kópavogur.

Schools’ exchanges are actually planed for the years 2001 and 2002 !

• The Association (*) also develops its activities on a cultural level. Organization of exhibitions about Iceland in French speaking countries.
• Pictures’ exhibition : "Hymn to Iceland"
• Organization of the participation of Iceland in several French-Icelandic cultural events and promotion of France in Iceland.
• Participation to Music Festivals, Cinema Festivals, art exhibitions…
• Organization and animation of lots of conferences,...
• Conception and redaction of articles printed in news papers
• Publication, 3 times a year, of the newspaper "Islande-Blaðið" presenting the activities of the association, articles about Iceland, its life, culture, history, geography, geology, politics, economics, daily life,…

(*) : Association Française pour la Promotion Culturelle et Pédagogique de l'Islande.

François Scheefer,

Responsible of the association and the exchanges programs

"  We have to create something new for the young generation, to allow this generation to become independent and creative and to let them take over "

Françoise Dolto (Teenagers’ Psychologist)

La cause des adolescents 

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