France Alumni Day : Talent Fair / Networking Event - Report
The first edition of the France Alumni Day in Hong Kong that took place last Saturday (27/5) at the Fringe Club was a great success! Thank you to all of you who participated! It was organized by the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong and Macau, Campus France Hong Kong and the French Alumni Association (FAA) under the worldwide initiative of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Campus France to celebrate alumni who studied in France from all around the world as well as the ones who studied in a French institution.
The Talent Fair was open to the general public and hosted 12 booths and exhibitions which showcased the talents of France Alumni in different fields: floristry, gastronomy, wine, music, ballet, art, literature, business and sport. The success stories of so many distinguished alumni in France showed that as long as you have a dream and you are brave enough to pursue it, France will make it happen.
Four 20 minute panel discussions were held alongside the Talent Fair on the following themes: Languages & International Organizations, Business & Sciences, Gastronomy and Music. Among our 7 panelists, we were very honoured to have the presence of the following distinguished guests:
Ms. Amanda Strang, renowned pastry chef and actress
Ms. Hilda Chan, renowned culinary chef and Asia Ambassador of Escoffier 2018-2020
Mr. Wilson Ng, associated conductor of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, the youngest appointed conductor.
Three French companies: Messika, Egis and Natixis joined the Talent Fair’s Meet & Speak session where alumni and the general public alike were able to discuss employment opportunities at a French company or in France. This session was highly appreciated both by the public and the companies.
At the start of the networking Cocktail, the Consul General, Ms. Christile Drulhe, gave an inspiring welcoming speech to all the guests and handed out the certificates to this year’s France Excellence Scholarship Laureates. This was followed by a charming performance by France Alumni harpist, Lillian Kong, who is also the president of the French Alumni Association, and Phoebe Tam, soprano. Their rendition of the French classics set the jovial tone of the night!
We were very pleased to count on our sponsors on the occasion: Plumcot for their delicious and unique pastries and ice-cream (champagne and blue cheese flavor), Knead for their mouth-watering food and cakes and The Wine Guild for their amazing selection of wine.
Besides a lucky draw, guests were also able to take photos at our photo booth and were given tote bags, tailor-made for the occasion, with the quote: Petit à petit, l’oiseau fait son nid (Slowly, the bird builds its chest) to illustrate the France alumni inspiring paths. We hope the France Alumni family in Hong Kong and Macau will grow and we hope to see you all in the next year’s edition!
