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Gala of the American Friends of Blérancourt

Publié le October 25, 2011
Speech of the Ambassador, François Delattre
New York, October 20, 2011
Laurence Folliot-Lalliot, French Consul General of NY Philippe Lalliot, Baronne Bernard d’Anglejan-Chatillon - Founder and Chairman of American Friends of Blerancourt (AFB), Baroness Philippine de Rothschild and behind her James Gerard with AFB, French Ambassador Francois Delattre, George Sape with AFB, Jean-Pierre de Beaumarchais husband of Baroness Philippine de Rothschild.

M. le Consul Général,

Cher Philippe,

Chère Madame,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear Friends,

It’s a great pleasure to be with you tonight to celebrate the success of the American friends of Blérancourt. What a great success story indeed for this organization established twenty six years ago to support the French National Museum in the Château de Blérancourt in Picardie.

As we all know, this museum is truly unique : it is the only French-American museum dedicated to the relationships between the two countries. And its collections represent five centuries of Franco-American relations. The French Minister of Culture, Frédéric Mitterrand, recently highlighted your strong efforts to expand the museum and to build an extension that will open in 2014.

So tonight, on behalf of my country, I want to express my warmest thanks to your president, Mme Eugénie Anglès, your Founder and Chairman Baroness d’Anglejan-Chatillon, the members of your board and staff, and each and everyone of you for your commitment and dedication to this wonderful organization.

May I also express in anticipation my warmest congratulations to Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, who will be the first honoree to receive the Ann Morgan award of excellence.
Madame, we are particularly proud of you and grateful to you. Your leadership and achievements are a source of inspiration and admiration for all of us.

Ladies and Gentlemen, this annual Gala dinner could not come at a better time as French-American relations, and this is good news, have never been closer than today (…).

As we were celebrating yesterday the anniversary of the battle of Yorktown, the Château de Blérancourt and the American Friends of Blérancourt are a wonderful illustration of the fact that from Yorktown and La Fayette (…).

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Let me conclude on this positive note and my warmest thanks again to all of you./.