Mrs. Estelle Marie Victorine Halimi, Cultural Counselor at the Embassy of the French Republic to the Republic of Croatia, and Mr. Benoît Le Devedec, Attaché for Language and Educational Cooperation at the French Institute in Zagreb, visited the University of Rijeka Rectorate on Tuesday, June 28, 2022, where they were welcomed by UNIRI Rector, Prof. Snježana Prijić-Samaržija, Ph.D. The guests arrived accompanied by Ms. Jasna Bas, Attaché for Scientific and University Cooperation at the French Institute.
Distinguished guests first met with Rector Prijić-Samaržija at the end of May at the French residence, at a working meeting organized by the Ambassador H.E. Mr. Gaël François Veyssier on the topic of first conclusions on the organization of European universities in the Republic of Croatia, organized as part of the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Continuing the discussions initiated during that meeting, Counselor Halimi was interested in UNIRI’s cooperation with French universities and general interest in learning French.
As Rector Prijić-Samaržija pointed out, during the last few years, the cooperation with French institutions is slowly increasing, especially after joining AUF and YERUN.
Rector Prijić-Samaržija also introduced Mrs. Halimi to the bodies of the University of Rijeka whose members are French officials. Namely, Mr. Jean-Christophe Peaucelle, Religious Adviser at the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, is a member of the Interreligious Dialogue and Diplomacy Committee, while former French ambassadors to Croatia, Corinne and Philippe Meunier, and Mr. Guillaume Colin, former director of the French Institute, are honorary members of the Intersectoral Committee for Cooperation with the French Republic.
Since the establishment of the Intersectoral Committee for Cooperation with the French Republic at the end of 2018, there were not many activities, and the existing ones were abruptly terminated due to the pandemic, the discussion generated the idea of ”reviving” the Committee and reuniting its members.
During their stay in Rijeka, the mission members visited the French Alliance and met with the French students at the Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management.
