Bonjour Brno Festival will celebrate 60 years of Brno's partnership with Rennes, France

Brno (Czech republic), April 22 - This year, the Bonjour Brno Festival will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the partnership between Brno and the French city of Rennes. The event, which annually brings French culture to the streets of Brno, begins today and culminates with a traditional Breton dance on April 29. The fact that this tradition is inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List underlines its importance for world culture, said Monika Babincová from the French Alliance, which organizes the festival.

The dance, called fest-noz, will be preceded by Breton dance workshops, which, like the dance, will take place in the Governor's Palace. Like most programs, the workshop is free to attend, but a ticket is required for the dance.

"This is a traditional Breton cultural event. People come together to dance to Breton music and celebrate the local culture. Fest-noz is an important part of Brittany's cultural identity and is often held on the occasion of holidays, festivals or as a separate event," described the festival's artistic director Adéla Poláková.

The anniversary of the cooperation will also be commemorated by an exhibition of artwork by schoolchildren from both cities. The students were tasked with artistically depicting the meeting of the city's mascots. Visitors can see what a first acquaintance between the Brno crocodile and the Rennes stoat might look like at the headquarters of the French Alliance on Moravian Square until the end of May.

There is also a French book swap on April 25, where those interested can exchange books they have already read for others. On the city tour In the Footsteps of the French in Brno on April 26, those interested can learn about French personalities associated with Brno, and on April 27, they can test their knowledge of France at a pub quiz. Students of the Czech-French section of the Matyáš Lerch Gymnasium in Brno have prepared adaptations of several well-known plays in French. The plays La Revizor and Faust will be performed at the Lumos Theater on April 23.

"A treat for jazz lovers will be the Jazz Inspiration concert on April 26, which will present compositions by French authors Claude Bolling and Raymond Guiot in jazz arrangements," said festival director Jiří Votava about the program.

Rennes has been a partner city of Brno since 1965. They cooperate mainly in the areas of culture, sports, and the environment. The city, located in the west of France, has a long and rich history and, like Brno, is home to several universities. Rennes will commemorate the anniversary of cooperation at the end of October with the participation of a delegation from Brno.

Czech press agency | WT.24