The organization of the Jeux de la Francophonie is entrusted by the local authorities of the hosting country to a national committee – the Comité National des Jeux Francophones (CNJF). The CNJF organizes the games in conformity with the regulations and under the supervision of an international committee, the Comité international des Jeux de la Francophonie (CIJF). The CNJF’s responsibilities include accommodation, local transportation, press center, opening and closing events, medical service, safety, insurance, the promotion of its national territory, and the accreditation.[1]
Lebanon was chosen to host the sixth edition of the Jeux de la Francophonie during the 29th Conference of Youth and Sports Ministers (Conférence des ministres de la jeunesse et des sports) which took place in Beirut in March 2003.[3]
The official mascot featured a stylized image of a phoenix depicted in the colors of the International Organization of the Francophonie. This mascot was chosen by the Lebanese organizing committee (CNJF) as the symbol of the 2009 Games.[4][5] The phoenix logo was designed by Lebanese caricaturist Armand Homsi and was dubbed 'Cédrus' following a contest organized by the CNJF in which Lara Akiki, a Lebanese citizen was awarded a prize for proposing the name for the mascot.[6]
Venues
The Jeux de la Francophonie was held in a variety of venues throughout Lebanon. The Lebanese University campus at Hadath hosted all the delegations and the participants in the campus' dorms. The university's sports facilities were used for training and the theaters hosted cultural events.[7]
The Jeux de la Francophonie were held amidst the crisis of formation of the Lebanese government and ever-present fears of internal turmoil.[8] The Interior Minister, Ziad Baroud, affirmed that the Games would put Lebanon back on the world map and stressed that the country was capable of meeting all its commitments despite its domestic crisis. Security for the event was tight with thousands of soldiers and police deployed around the various venues and at the Lebanese University main campus that hosted the "Francophone Village" at the outskirts of Beirut where participants stayed.[9] Prime minister-designate Saad Hariri urged all the political parties to exercise restraint, describing the Games as important for the country's image.[10]
Media coverage
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2009)
The opening ceremony of the Games was transmitted live and was watched by a television audience of around 70 million spectators across the world.[11]
The participants in the games paraded in the stadium preceded by their national colors; many teams dressed in traditional national costumes, and some danced to the background music that was specially composed by Lebanese artist Khaled Mouzannar.[22] The flag bearer of the OIF was Maxime Chaya, the first Lebanese mountaineer to climb the Seven Summits. Chaya's speech was followed by the formal athlete's and judge's oath.[23]
An Arabic and Phoenician-style sound and light performance followed;[11] the performance was produced by Daniel Charpentier and featured 1200 musicians, dancers and performers enacting key moments in the cultural history of Lebanon in the form of plays, songs and poetic recitals. The show revolved around a large 9,000 square metres (97,000 sq ft) screen displaying Lebanon's six-millennium history from prehistory, the maritime Phoenician city states in Byblos, Tripoli, Sidon and Tyre, to the Roman period Baalbek relics, the later Arabic arts, and finally the modern and metropolitan Beirut.[11][24] Dance routines included a mass rendition of the traditional Lebanese dance, the Dabke, as well as a troop of whirling dervishes and a contemporary dance performance, specially choreographed for the occasion. Lebanese singer Majida El Roumi sang her homage to the capital city, "Ya Beirut", before being joined for a duet with Senegalese artist Youssou N'Dour. The music of world-renowned Lebanese composer Gabriel Yared and Khaled Mouzannar accompanied the ceremony. A fireworks display marked the end of the official opening ceremony, followed by a concert by Youssou N'Dour.[22]
The 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie games closing ceremony took place in BIEL, downtown Beirut, on 7 September. The festivities were opened with a classical concert led by conductor Harout Fazlian, followed by a folkloric African music concert specially composed for the occasion. Eliya Francis and Cynthia Samaha interpreted Mozart's opera Bastien und Bastienne, and the following set by Canzone Napoletana was also interpreted by Francis. A large Zorba ring preceded the concert of the Lebanese pop artist Ragheb Alama accompanied by belly dancers. The festivities ended with an electronic music event by the Franco Elektro competition winner DJ Rio Tony-T, who opened for Antoine Clamaran[27][28]
References
^Comité International des Jeux de la Francophonie; Comité National des Jeux de la Francophonie (2009). "L'organisation des Jeux". Archived from the original(Les jeux de la Francophonie) on 2009-09-22. Retrieved 2009-09-27.
^Canadian Heritage (2009). "Games of la Francophonie". Canadian heritage. Archived from the original(informational) on 11 October 2009. Retrieved 2009-09-27.
^VIèmes Jeux de la Francophonie Beyrouth 2009 (2009). "Pourquoi "CÉDRUS" ?". Jeux2009. Archived from the original on 2 October 2009. Retrieved 27 September 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^ abcComité International des Jeux de la Francophonie; Comité National des Jeux de la Francophonie (2009). "Les sites des Jeux - oif". Archived from the original(Les jeux de la Francophonie) on 2009-09-23. Retrieved 2009-09-27.
^VIèmes Jeux de la Francophonie Beyrouth 2009 (2009). "Les pays participants". Jeux2009. Archived from the original on 2009-09-26. Retrieved 2009-09-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^CNJF Beyrouth 2009. "Programme des Jeux"(PDF) (in French). Archived from the original(PDF) on 7 October 2009. Retrieved 23 September 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^CNJF Beyrouth 2009. "Athlétisme"(PDF) (in French). Archived from the original(PDF) on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 23 September 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^CNJF Beyrouth 2009. "Basketball"(PDF) (in French). Archived from the original(PDF) on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 23 September 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^CNJF Beyrouth 2009. "Boxe"(PDF) (in French). Archived from the original(PDF) on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 23 September 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^CNJF Beyrouth 2009. "Football"(PDF) (in French). Archived from the original(PDF) on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 23 September 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^CNJF Beyrouth 2009. "Judo"(PDF) (in French). Archived from the original(PDF) on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 23 September 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^CNJF Beyrouth 2009. "Tennis de table"(PDF) (in French). Archived from the original(PDF) on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 23 September 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^CNJF Beyrouth 2009. "Volleyball de plage"(PDF) (in French). Archived from the original(PDF) on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 23 September 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
![[icon]](File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small}
_pictogram.svg){kind=small}