A Community of Over 321 million Francophones Around the World
The Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) is a global organization that brings together states and governments with a shared interest in the French language and international cooperation in the fields of culture, education, commerce, and politics. The mission of the OIF is to embody the active solidarity between its 93 member states and governments, which together represent over one-third of the United Nations’ member states and account for a population of over 900 million people, including over 321 million French speakers.
The OIF is one of the largest international bodies, comprising over 40% of the members of the UN. In 1970, the earliest version of the OIF was created. Spearheaded by the Presidents of Senegal, Tunisia, and Niger, it brought together 21 participating countries and governments, united by shared language (and often a colonial history with francophone Europe). The OIF has since grown, becoming a global organization whose numerous branches cooperate with its 93 member states and governments in the fields of culture, science, economy, justice, and peace.
The term “francophonie” was coined by the geographer Onésime Reclus in 1880 to describe the global community of French speakers. In that 1880 publication he mentions Louisiana on several occasions, notably talking about about French’s continued presence
Louisiana became an observing member of the OIF in 2018, the only state in the United States with such a designation, after years of work and collaboration between CODOFIL and the OIF. In the years leading up to the OIF membership, CODOFIL worked tirelessly to make the case that Louisiana deserved a seat on the international stage. Now, as Louisiana’s Agency of Francophone Affairs, CODOFIL serves as the state government liaison for the membership to the OIF, engaging in all official communication with the OIF and its members.
Louisiana’s membership allows the CODOFIL executive director and state officials to attend regular OIF meetings, receive funding for Francophone projects, and guarantees a spot at the biennial OIF Summit of heads of state and governments that are members of the OIF. This regular communication between CODOFIL and the OIF has led to increased funding for French projects in Louisiana, and provides state officials with access to heads of state of Francophone nations to further establish diplomatic and economic relations.
OIF Summit
The Sommet de la Francophonie is the highest-level meeting of the Francophonie. It brings together heads of state and government from member countries and participating governments or regions.
The summit normally takes place every two years in a different Francophone country.
It is where leaders discuss and decide on priorities for the Francophone world, including:
promotion of the French language
education and youth mobility
cultural cooperation
economic development
climate and sustainable development
digital innovation
peace, democracy, and governance
The summit also adopts major declarations and action plans that guide the work of the OIF for the following years.
Who Participates
Participants include:
presidents and prime ministers from member states
ministers and diplomats
representatives of observer members and governments
international organizations and civil society partners
Louisiana attends as an observer government, represented by the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana.
Recent OIF Summits
Here are a few recent editions:
2024 — Villers-Cotterêts, France
2022 — Djerba, Tunisia
2018 — Yerevan, Armenia
2016 — Antananarivo, Madagascar
2014 — Dakar, Senegal
Each summit usually lasts two to three days and is accompanied by economic forums, youth forums, and cultural events.
How the OIF Works
The OIF works through the five following operating agencies:
- Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF)
- The Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie is composed of members of 78 governing bodies from francophone countries and supports intergovernmental cooperation on the OIF’s mission. Louisiana has been a member since 1970.
- Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF)
- The Association of Francophone Universities represents nearly 800 institutions of higher learning in 100 countries and is the OIF’s agent for secondary education and research.
- TV5MONDE
- TV5MONDE is an international television network consisting of 10 channels distributed in nearly 200 countries and territories and is the OIF’s principal media partner.
- Association internationale des maires francophones
- The International Association of Francophone Mayors is a network of local-level elected officials from 265 cities and local governments in 49 countries.
- Université Senghor d’Alexandrie
- Senghor University of Alexandria is a center for education and exchange and a primary tool for African development.
Louisiana becomes a member of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie
In 2018, Louisiana made history by joining the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) as an observer member. This milestone positioned our state within the world’s leading multilateral organization dedicated to French language cooperation, cultural exchange, education, economic development, and democratic values.
Louisiana’s observer membership in the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie was the result of sustained efforts spanning decades. Many educators, cultural leaders, elected officials, and community advocates contributed to the long-term vision of reconnecting Louisiana with the international Francophone community. For example, In 1997, Warren Perrin (then President of the board of CODOFIL) was invited to represent Louisiana as a special guest at the OIF summit in Hanoi, Vietnam; Louisiana had a similar presence (special guest though not a member in any official sense) at subsequent OIF summits including Moncton, New Brunswick (1999); Bucharest, Romania (2006); Quebec City (2008) and Montreux, Switzerland (2010).
In 2018, conversations resurfaced about Louisiana joining the OIF officially. The formal accession process itself was coordinated and managed by CODOFIL in collaboration with state leadership and international partners. This included the preparation and submission of the official application dossier, intergovernmental correspondence, and diplomatic follow-up required by the OIF framework.
The small committee was composed of Michael Debled (intern at codofil), who wrote the majority of the report, Michele Braud, Michelle Haj-Broussard, Nicole Boudreaux, Joseph Dunn, Peggy Feehan (CODOFIL Director at the time), and many contributors, David Cheramie, Philippe Gustin, Warren Perrin, Christophe Pilut, Jennifer Rodriguez.
CODOFIL could not have completed the report without the help of the committee and Eric LaFleur who was instrumental of getting a signed letter from Governor Edwards to accompany the dossier d’adhésion since it is Louisiana asking permission.
Thanks to the work of a team of stakeholders, Louisiana submitted its candidacy for status as an official Observing member of the OIF and was accepted into the organization at the Summit in Yerevan, Armenia.
Louisiana’s membership reflects a collective achievement — built on years of groundwork, advocacy, and institutional cooperation.
CODOFIL: Louisiana’s Francophone Agency and French Diplomatic Arm
The Council for the Development of French in Louisiana (CODOFIL) serves as Louisiana’s francophone agency and diplomatic arm within the global French-speaking community.
Founded in 1968, CODOFIL was created to support and expand French language education in Louisiana. Over the decades, its mission has grown to include international cooperation, cultural diplomacy, and partnerships with Francophone governments and institutions. CODOFIL is now a part of the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, overseen by the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Billy Nungesser.
CODOFIL works with partners around the world to strengthen Louisiana’s connections with the broader Francophone community while supporting local education programs and cultural initiatives.
Managing Louisiana’s Participation in the Francophonie
Louisiana’s observer membership in the OIF reflects years of collaboration among educators, cultural leaders, state officials, and international partners who have long advocated for Louisiana’s place within the global Francophone community.
CODOFIL coordinated the formal process of joining the OIF, working with state leadership and international counterparts to prepare and submit the official application and supporting documentation required for membership.
Today, the agency continues to oversee Louisiana’s participation in Francophone initiatives and partnerships. Including, participation in the bi-annual OIF Summits, where CODOFIL’s team directly works with global state leaders.
Representation at the OIF Summits
Sommet de la Francophonie
As an observer member of the OIF, Louisiana participates in major Francophone gatherings, including the Sommet de la Francophonie, where heads of state and government convene to discuss shared priorities in education, economic cooperation, climate resilience, youth engagement, and cultural diplomacy.
CODOFIL’s Executive Director represents Louisiana at these international summits, ensuring our state’s voice is heard in conversations that shape the future of the Francophone world.
This presence reinforces Louisiana’s commitment to:
Strengthening French-language education
Expanding international exchange opportunities
Supporting cultural industries
Building economic partnerships with Francophone countries
Promoting Louisiana’s heritage dialects and Creole traditions on the global stage
These gatherings allow Louisiana to share its unique linguistic heritage while building new opportunities for collaboration with Francophone regions around the world.
Building the Future of French in Louisiana
While Louisiana’s connection to the Francophone world is deeply rooted in history, it is also very much about the future.
Through teacher recruitment programs, international partnerships, and support for French immersion education, CODOFIL continues to strengthen opportunities for students and communities across the state to engage with the French language.
From classrooms and cultural festivals to international cooperation and youth programs, Louisiana remains an active and dynamic part of the global Francophone community.
During Mois de la Francophonie, we celebrate these connections and the many people working to ensure that French continues to thrive in Louisiana for generations to come.
La francophonie louisianaise
Here in Louisiana, the Francphonie is not symbolic—it is lived history, living culture, and a forward-looking commitment. Louisiana is the only US state involved in the OIF. It is also the only participating government in the OIF whose sovereign national government (the United States) does not participate in the organization.
Becoming an observer was not simply a diplomatic gesture—it was international recognition of Louisiana’s unique French and Creole heritage, as well as our commitment to revitalizing and strengthening French education across generations.
La Francophonie louisianaise refers to the French-speaking heritage, communities, and cultural ecosystem of Louisiana. It includes the people, institutions, languages, and traditions that connect the state to the wider French-speaking world.
The languages
Louisiana’s Francophonie is rooted in several heritage languages:
- Louisiana French (often called Cajun French)
- Louisiana Creole / Kouri-Vini
- Standard French used in education and international exchange
These languages reflect the diverse histories of Acadian, Creole, African, Caribbean, Indigenous, and European communities that shaped the state.
The communities
La Francophonie louisianaise includes both heritage speakers and new generations learning French today through immersion schools, university programs, and community initiatives. It is found in cities like Lafayette, New Orleans, and Baton Rouge, as well as in rural parishes across south Louisiana.
The culture
French continues to live in Louisiana through:
- music (Cajun, Zydeco, Creole traditions)
- festivals and community events
- storytelling and oral traditions
- foodways and regional identity
- literature, film, and contemporary arts
The institutions
Organizations help sustain and expand Louisiana’s Francophonie today. These include:
- Council for the Development of French in Louisiana (CODOFIL), which supports French education and international partnerships
- Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, where Louisiana has held observer status since 2018
- cultural and educational institutions such as Alliances Françaises, immersion schools, universities, and community groups
A living and evolving Francophonie
La Francophonie louisianaise is not only about preserving the past. It also involves building a future for French in Louisiana through education, international cooperation, economic partnerships, and cultural exchange with the global Francophone world.
In short, it describes Louisiana’s unique place in the worldwide Francophone community—where local heritage and global connections meet.
OIF Supported Projects in Louisiana
KRVS-Radio Acadie
In coordination with la Représentation de l’OIF pour les Amériques – REPAM, CODOFIL works with local radio station KRVS to broaden the educational opportunities available to French immersion students in Louisiana. Funding from the OIF supports “Les voix d’immersion française” on KRVS, which is an educational program featuring interviews with French immersion students in Louisiana that are aired on “Bonjour Louisiane.” The show airs live Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m.
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
In 2023, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette joined the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie, making it the first member of the international network of French-speaking universities and research institutions in the United States. The AUF also provides a vast, global network for sharing best practices among a range of stakeholders in areas such as workforce development and policy, thanks to its extensive, global partnerships with industry and government.
Mois de la Francophonie
In March of each year, the OIF celebrates the French language and Francophones of the world in preparation of the International Francophonie Day on March 20. Typically, there are hundreds of events organized around the world that highlight the diversity and vitality of the French-speaking world.
Visit the OIF website for a list of events.
International Francophonie Day
Since 1990, francophones and francophiles on every continent have been celebrating the Journée internationale de la Francophonie on March 20. This event was created in 1988 to celebrate the French language and the over 321 million speakers worldwide. It’s an opportunity for all individuals to celebrate by expressing their solidarity and desire to live together, in recognition of their differences and diversity. March 20 was chosen to commemorate the signing, on March 20, 1970 in Niamey (Niger), of the Treaty establishing the Agence de Coopération Culturelle et Technique (ACCT), the first French-speaking international organization.