An "alliance" is the fruit of a two-way agreement and of mutual support both of which form the basis of its perennial nature.

March 10, 1884 witnessed the start of a cultural heritage that has produced linkages worldwide, the birth of Alliance française.

For more than a century an ever-increasing number of students from all parts of the world have been going to the Alliance Française school in the heart of Paris. Similarly, a network of associations set up throughout the world, and with the benefit of the Alliance name behind them, is bringing the French language to the public of many different countries. This exceptional longevity and vitality of the Alliance française springs in part from the close links which have been established with the authorities, the people and the sponsors in the host countries, as well as with the government of France.

The Alliance française owes its success to the consistently faithful nature of a foreign public which continues to be enamored of the French language. Deriving its strength from a name which is recognized all over the world, it has been able to maintain a presence in countries worldwide and to work its magic within the framework of a network of more than a thousand local committees, each one of which has its own individual personality. Being one and many at the same time, the Alliance symbolizes a French nation which is universal and constantly moving forward.

Alliance française is firmly committed to modernization and to the adoption of new modes of organization. The updating of the tools of its trade, the integration of new technology and the constant reappraisal of its teaching methods are all part of this general policy.

In all areas, the Alliance française thus finds itself situated at the heart of a changing world, drawing upon French cultural resources as well as local ones, upon the traditional as well as the modern, but also drawing upon a long-established history as well as a future whose boundaries are changing day by day.

In every corner of the world it maintains privileged links with the local community and in this way is able to work towards a dialogue with each different culture. It’s teaching work is intricately interwoven with its active participation in the world of culture. In this way the branches of the Alliance establish their identity by creating a fine fabric in which the French language and French culture are finely interwoven with the needs of their public.