The French Consulate in Jerusalem and the French Cultural Center in Nablus, organized an open day at the university in order to explain the system of higher education in French universities. The meeting was attended by many students of the French Department. The French Delegation met the University President to discuss ways of continuing the existing cooperation between the university and the French Consulate. Specifically, the meeting discussed scholarships which are provided by the French government to university students.
The University President, Prof. Rami Hamdallah, praised the interrelationship between the French people and the university, and he added that the French Consulate collaborated with the university to establish the French Department, which has led to an interest in learning the French language, which is considered an important global language.
They also provided the cinema projector system to the new theatre, at the end of his speech; Prof. Hamdallah thanked the French government, the French Consul, and the staff of the French Consulate in Palestine.
A speech was then given by, Mr. John Paul Ghneim, who offered greetings from the French Consul, thanked the university, and also explained that there is more than one factor of cooperation between the university and the French consulate. One factor is that the university has a department for learning the French language and it is one of only three departments in Palestine.
Mr. Ghneim also reviewed the prospects of cooperation in the field of chemistry, considering that the university is the only one in Palestine that offers a PhD in chemistry. He also mentioned the prospects for cooperation in the field of physics and said that Dr. Tenoji, winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1997, will speak at the University at the beginning of May. In the field of Fine Arts, he mentioned the existing cooperation, and the many French artists who participate in cultural concerts in Palestine. He concluded that the French Government offers, every year, grants for 13 students to continue their higher education in France.
The French Delegation consisted of Mr. John Paul Ghneim, the Adviser for Cultural Cooperation in the General Consulate, Mrs. Fatima Lacor Grande Maison, Mr. Sebastian Fargart, Attaché of Administrative Cooperation at the Consulate, and Mrs. Lucienne Dalanson, Director of the French Cultural Center in Nablus.At the second meeting, the participants talked about the cooperation between the city of Nablus and the French Consulate. They also talked about the French Cultural Center in Nablus, which was established in 1987.