Education / French Language / Kidi Bebey tour in Southern Africa: 23 February to 16 March 2026

Kidi Bebey tour in Southern Africa: 23 February to 16 March 2026

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19 February

As part of Francophonie Month 2026, the Embassy of France in South Africa, Lesotho and Malawi, in partnership with the Alliances françaises of Southern Africa, associations of French teachers and several secondary and higher education institutions, will host Kidi Bebey, a Franco-Cameroonian author, journalist and literary presenter, for an extensive tour across Southern Africa.

The tour will include meetings with pupils, teachers and students, lectures, discussions around her novel Enfin chez moi!, which will be on the French curriculum from 2026 to 2028, as well as creative writing workshops focusing on themes of identity, transmission and autobiographical writing.

🇿🇦 Johannesburg – Monday 23 February (Day 1)

Sponsor: Alliance française of Johannesburg
Host venue: Lycée Français Jules Verne
Address: Cnr Bauhinia Road & Cestrum Ave, Morningside Ext. 40, Sandton (2057)
Time: 14:00 – 16:00
Theme: Discussion with Kidi Bebey about her personal journey, her literary work and her journalistic writing

🇿🇦 Johannesburg – Tuesday 24 February (Day 2)

Sponsor: Embassy of France / French Institute of South Africa
Host venue: St Mary’s Waverley – The Edge Auditorium
Address: 55 Athol Street, Waverley, Johannesburg (2090)
Time: 15:00 – 17:00
Theme: Meeting with the author, lecture and discussion around Enfin chez moi!

🇿🇦 Pretoria – Wednesday 25 February

Sponsor: Alliance française of Pretoria
Host venue: Die Hoërskool Menlopark
Address: 412 Atterbury Road, Menlopark, Pretoria (0081)
Time: 15:00 – 17:00
Theme: Meeting with the author, lecture and discussion around Enfin chez moi!

🇿🇦 Potchefstroom – Thursday 26 February

Sponsor: Alliance française of Potchefstroom
Host venue: Alliance française of Potchefstroom
Address: 77A Molen Street, Potchefstroom
Time: 18:00 – 19:30
Theme: Creative writing workshop on the theme of identity

🇿🇦 Bloemfontein – Friday 27 February

Sponsor: Alliance française of Bloemfontein
Host venue: University of the Free State (UFS), amphitheatre
Address: Nelson Mandela Drive
Time: 15:00 – 17:00
Theme: Meeting with the author, lecture and discussion around Enfin chez moi!

🇱🇸 Maseru (Lesotho) – Monday 2 March

Sponsor: Alliance française of Maseru
Host venue: Alliance française of Maseru
Address: Corner Kingsway & Pioneer Road
Time: 17:00 – 19:00
Theme: Creative writing workshop for teachers

🇸🇿 Mbabane / Manzini (Eswatini) – Tuesday 3 March

Sponsor: Alliance française of Mbabane
Host venue: Enjabuleni College, Manzini
Address: Lugaganeni, Eswatini
Time: 16:00 – 19:00
Theme: Meeting with the author, lecture and discussion around Enfin chez moi!

🇧🇼 Gaborone (Botswana) – Thursday 5 March

Sponsor: Alliance française of Gaborone
Host venue: Alliance française of Gaborone
Address: Plot 2939 Mobuto Drive, Gaborone
Time: 17:00 – 19:30
Theme: Interactive panel discussion with the author and Q&A with the audience, co-hosted by the Alliance Française of Gaborone & University of Botswana

🇿🇦 Durban – Friday 6 March

Sponsor: Alliance française of Durban
Time: 17:30 – 19:30
Event: Evening musical reading at Hue Café – My Kingdom for a Guitar
Format alternating between readings and music (4 sequences)

🇿🇦 Pietermaritzburg – Monday 9 March

Sponsor: Association of French Teachers of KwaZulu-Natal
Host venue: Hilton College
Address: Hilton Avenue, Hilton
Time: 14:00 – 16:00
Theme: Meeting with the author, lecture and discussion around Enfin chez moi!

🇿🇦 Makhanda (Grahamstown) – Wednesday 11 March

Sponsor: Alliance française of Port Elizabeth
Host venue: School of Languages Amphitheatre, Rhodes University
Address: Drostdy Road, Makhanda (6139)
Time: 14:00 – 16:00
Theme: Presentation of the themes of Enfin chez moi! in French, with asynchronous translation

🇿🇦 Stellenbosch – Thursday 12 March

Sponsor: Alliance française of Stellenbosch
Host venue: Somerset College
Address: Bredell Road, off R44, Somerset West
Time: 15:30 – 17:30 (please arrive at 15:00)
Theme: Meeting with the author, lecture and discussion around Enfin chez moi!

🇿🇦 Cape Town – Friday 13 March

Sponsor: Alliance française of Cape Town
Host venue: Herschel Girls’ School
Address: 14 Kenmar Crescent, Claremont, Cape Town (7708)
Time: 15:00 – 17:00
Theme: Meeting with the author, lecture and discussion around Enfin chez moi!

🇿🇦 Johannesburg – Monday 16 March (Closing of the tour)

Sponsor: French Institute of South Africa
Host venue: Dibukafé
Address: 70 Juta Street, Johannesburg
Time: 15:00 – 17:00
Theme: Question and answer session on Enfin chez moi! followed by a creative writing workshop

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