Total Liban inaugurated on 28 October, 2014, the French Language Centre of Tyre at the Benwa Baraket's barracks, headquarters of the South Litani Sector Command, during a ceremony which was attended by representatives of the Defense and Cooperation Mission of the Embassy of France - which was behind the initiative - in addition to Lebanese military authorities and a delegation from Total Liban. General Sultani, deputy commander of South Lebanon, and Mr. Jacques Souplet, Managing Director of Total Liban, symbolically unveiled the centre's plaque.
This initiative is part of Total Liban's support to the Jeu de la langue française launched by the Defense and Cooperation Mission of the Embassy of France in Lebanon to promote the French language and its use within the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). Following the funding in 2011 of the Kfarchima Centre within the logistics division, Total Liban, through the French Language Centre of Tyre, is allowing now the LAF to have a new training tool that is resolutely turned towards interoperability in a region where the LAF units work daily with the soldiers of the UNIFIL French contingent.
On this occasion, Mr. Souplet reiterated the support of Total Liban to the Jeu de la langue française by saying that this initiative is « an opening for the Lebanese Army members who have the opportunity to develop their skills and abilities. It is also an opening for the country, which is supported by an army that now has a linguistic advantage fostering cooperation, exchanges and skills optimization. »
This new centre is part of the LAF training system and should allow more soldiers and officers to benefit from French language courses in optimal learning conditions. The trainers are Lebanese non-commissioned officers, trained by the French Institute, who will have at their disposal all the technological and educational environment to fulfill their mission. The centre will teach French to groups of 15 to 20 learners, with the aim to train between 400 and 500 persons per year.
The ceremony ended with a cocktail offered by the South Litani Sector Commander.
