“St. Petersburg’s birthday is a holiday for the whole continent”, - declared Claude Blanchemaison, Ambassador of France to Russia, at the yesterday’s meeting with Governor Vladimir Yakovlev.

That is why France has prepared the whole set of projects to the St. Petersburg’s jubilee. Realization of these projects is entrusted to the French writer Commissar General Marek Halter, who also took part in the meeting.

The French Ambassador reckons the festival should leave real results. One of such results, according to the French party, may be a special “House” for holding thematic exhibitions and concerts, as well as communication between French and Russian people. The French party has already started searching for a right place for this establishment.

According to Halter the program of the 300th St. Petersburg’s anniversary celebration can comprise a concert of Jean-Michel Jarre, who conceived an absolutely new show for St. Petersburg. Also Catherine Deneuve and Jerar Depardie are expected to come to St. Petersburg. Approximately on July 14, 2003, festive events together with the journal Elle, likely called “From Catharine the Great till Catherine Deneuve”, will be held. A fashion exhibition and fashion show along with a charity dinner where C. Deneuve herself will present are also planned. Jerar Depardie may open a week of films where he starred.

Also the Voltaire’s Library will open. Nowadays this library is stored in the funds of the Russian National Library. Among its papers are letters to Catharine the Great and other famous people. The French party is sure those materials will attract a lot of French scientist and tourists to St. Petersburg.

There are a lot of other projects, like establishing of “the world’s beacon” – a kind of monument to St. Petersburg as a port city, marine capital and centre of international cooperation; or the project of the exhibition “France in St. Petersburg – 300 years”, with exposition performed on city’s fences.

But, as emphasized Marek Halter, only several projects will be chosen out of so many, for their financing is not easy for France.

News source: Rosbalt
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