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Calendar

	LAFAYETTE INTERNATIONAL CENTER CALENDAR
	revised 9-3-24
	SEPTEMBER
	Fêtes de Wallonie Sep 8-18 \| Namur, Belgium Since 1923, these festivals have celebrated patriotism and pride in the French-speaking Walloon region of Belgium. While these celebrations take place in many areas in this southern region of the country, they are particularly successful in Lafayette’s sister city of Namur, where more than 250,000 people gravitate during the weekend. Several days of street performances, a battle of the famous “Echasseurs” stilt-walkers, performances of folklore singers and dancers, and programming aimed at visitors of all ages, with all of downtown Namur turned into a pedestrian fair. More info at https://www.fetesdewallonie.be/
	Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana 2024 Excelencia Gala Friday, September 20, 7 PM \| New Orleans Marriott, 555 Canal Street \| New Orleans At the Excelencia Gala, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana honors outstanding individuals and corporations in recognition of their achievements, leadership, inspiration, and active engagement with the Hispanic community. SOLD OUT This is the 40th year that the HCCL has been working within the Hispanic community to promote economic development and progression in Louisiana. Info at https://events.hispanicchamberla.com/2024ExcelenciaGala#/?lang=en

	october
	O.I.F. SUMMIT [international organization of francophonie] Oct 4-5 \| Paris, France The Francophonie summit will open on 4 October 2024 at the Cité internationale de la langue française, in Villers-Cotterêts, France, a place entirely dedicated to the French language and French-speaking cultures, inaugurated on 30 October 2023 by M. Emmanuel Macron, President of the Republic of France. The summit will continue in Paris, France, on 5 October 2024. More info at https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/french-foreign-policy/francophony-and-the-french-language/news/article/francophonie-19th-francophonie-summit-in-france-focusing-on-creativity
	Tour du Teche 135 October 4-6 \| Port Barre to Berwick, La. Tour du Teche is an annual three-day race down the entire course of Bayou Teche in South Louisiana. The race offers options for the adventurous paddler through a pro-race with cash prizes, a recreational option, the Voyageur Race and now the Relay option. Ports of call include Port Barre (start), Leonville, Breaux Bridge, Parks, St. Martinville (1st-day finish), Loreauville, New Iberia, Jeanerette, Charenton, Baldwin, Franklin (2nd-day finish), Centerville, Patterson, Bayou Vista, and Berwick (3rd-day finish). Canoes, kayaks, and pirogues (the traditional Cajun canoe) are welcome to enter. The opening ceremony starts Thursday and the race begins Friday at the Port Barre boat launch. This event is coordinated by Tour du Teche, Inc., a non-profit organization that was organized to promote outdoor recreation along the Bayou Teche Corridor through St. Landry, St. Martin, Iberia, and St. Mary parishes. For more information on the Tour, visit their web site at https://tourduteche.com.
	Latin Music Festival Saturday, October 5 \| 11 AM-10 PM \| Parc International, downtown Lafayette This Festival is organized and presented by the Asociación Cultural Latino-Acadiana (ACLA), a volunteer organization at the service of the Acadiana community in general and its Latin American members in particular. ACLA offers the free, family-friendly Latin Music Festival and other programs to promote multiculturalism and preserve Latin heritage. Their objective is to promote among its members and their families the fundamental values of our community: GOD, COUNTRY, FAMILY and FRIENDS, while preserving our heritage. They work to assist all immigrants of Latin descent residing in Acadiana, regardless of place of origin and religion, to orient and make them aware of existing resources; facilitate learning the language, their obligations and rights; facilitate educational, employment and business opportunities, as well as the procurement of services; so as to developing responsible and productive community members. For details, visit https://www.aclalaf.org/latin-festival.
	WEFTEC 2024 The 97th annual technical exhibition & conference Oct 5-9 \| Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, Louisiana WEFTEC, the Water Environment Federation's Technical Exhibition and Conference, is the world's most comprehensive gathering of water quality professionals and thought leaders, featuring the sector's leading conference program and a variety of valuable networking opportunities. For more info, visit www.WEFTEC.org.
	Festivals Acadiens et Créoles Oct 11-13 \| Girard Park, Lafayette, Louisiana The first Tribute to Cajun Music in 1974 took Cajun and Creole music out of the dancehalls and onto a concert stage at Blackham Coliseum. Fifty years later, the tribute has grown into a three-day celebration of music, food, art, crafts, museum exhibits, symposiums, film screenings and more. The celebration is a giant among Lafayette’s festivals, attracting people of all ages, of many different nationalities from all over the world. The theme of this year’s festival: A tribute to the role of women in Cajun and Creole music. Admission is free. For details, visit https://www.festivalsacadiens.com/
	Franco-Fête 2024 Fundraising luncheon for scholarship program of CODOFIL Oct 27 \| 11:30 AM \| Lafayette Petroleum Club Each year, Franco-Fête raises funds to support French education in Louisiana, especially through La Fondation Louisiane’s “Escadrille Louisiane” scholarship program which allows dozens of Louisiana students to study in France (Brittany, Martinique, and Guadeloupe), before pursuing careers as teachers in immersion schools across the State. The program will also feature the presentation of the “Marquis de La Fayette” award, and the “Fondation Louisiane Hall of Fame” inductee. In attendance will be numerous CODOFIL partners, Louisiana senators and representatives, local elected officials, entrepreneurs, university professors and other Louisiana officials. For information, contact the International Center at 337-291-5474.
	UL Lafayette: Study Abroad Program The Study Abroad Program allows a degree-seeking student to combine intellectual pursuits with a sense of adventure—creating a deeper learning experience that widens cultural views and prepares a person for the global marketplace beyond graduation. Recent programs included Costa Rica (10 days, 3 credit hours), England (3 weeks, 6 credit hours), Italy (6 weeks, 9 credit hours), Ireland (3 weeks, 6 credits), Morocco (4 weeks, 6 credits), Romania (2 weeks, 3 credits) and South Korea (3 weeks, 6 credits). The application deadline is usually be in mid-December with a final deadline in January. Pre-departure orientations typically begin in March. For details, visit https://studyabroad.louisiana.edu/programs and https://studyabroad.louisiana.edu.

	NOVEMber
	ADIPEC (Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference) Nov 4-7 \| Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates The Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) is the world’s largest energy conference. As a premium exhibition platform ADIPEC enables professionals from around the world to do business and grow. Building on 40-years of energy leadership, ADIPEC 2024 unites communities, nations and industries worldwide, driving collaborative industry action towards affordable, secure and sustainable energy for all. Over four transformative days, ADIPEC will facilitate critical dialogue and collaboration across diverse sectors – from energy, technology and finance to maritime, logistics, manufacturing and transport – essential for advancing the energy transition and fast-tracking climate action. For more details and to register visit: www.adipec.com
	International Workboat Show 2024 Nov 12-14 \| Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, LA The International WorkBoat Show is a trade-only conference and expo for commercial vessel owners, operators and builders as well as the vendors and suppliers that serve them. Visit https://www.workboatshow.com for details
	Southern Screen Film Festival Nov 21-24 \| Acadiana Center for the Arts \| Lafayette With dozens of films screenings, plus an array of workshops, panels, parties, and live performances, the four-day celebration every November is sure to entertain, educate, and inspire. Southern Screen is a film festival that exposes Southern communities to the widespread possibilities of storytelling, by curating year-round events, workshops, and pop-ups all in preparation for our annual Southern Screen Festival every November. For more details, visit https://www.southernscreen.org/

	DECember
	General Assembly of the Association of Francophone Prefects and State-level Representatives (APREF) TBD \| TBD APREF is an association within the OIF. Its mission is to provide a forum for Prefects and other State-level Representatives to benefit from sharing concerns and administrative practices.

	january 2025
	Cinema on the Bayou—20th anniversary Jan. 22-29 \| Lafayette and Opelousas, various venues The 20th Cinema on the Bayou Film Festival, screening over 150 films, including over 50 French Language films, along with welcoming filmmakers and other film industry professionals from across the United States and around the world. For more details on the 2025 edition, visit CinemaontheBayou.com.

	april
	VERTECH Meeting Apr 21-23 \| Lafayette, Louisiana The VERTECH network is a group of medium-sized cities with innovative initiatives in sustainable development (Lafayette, Louisiana, USA; Namur, Belgium; and Victoriaville, Québec, Canada). The network examines global and durable solutions and facilitates the development of collaborations. VERTECH organizes activities for networking and exchanging ideas between delegations from each member city with municipal actors, local businesses, institutions and research centers. The network organizes the VERTECH symposium and the international student competition “VERTECH CITY” every one or two years, and also initiates international research and innovation projects.
	International Achievement Award ceremony and reception Thursday, April 24 \| TBD \| Lafayette, Louisiana Established in 1998, the Award is presented annually to honor an individual, organization or company that has significantly enhanced Acadiana’s international reputation. Primary consideration is accorded to individuals whose activities have helped draw economic benefits to the Lafayette area. By invitation.

	MAY
	Farewell Reception for UL International Students TBD \| TBD \| UL Alumni Center \| Lafayette, LA Annual farewell given to graduating international students of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, co-hosted by UL Lafayette President Dr. Joseph Savoie and City-Parish Mayor-President Monique B. Boulet. Graduating students are invested as Goodwill Ambassadors representing Lafayette, followed by a reception. A joint project of the UL Division of Global Engagement, the UL Alumni Association, the LCG Mayor-President’s Office, the Lafayette International Center, and the UL Lafayette President’s Office.
UP

International Achievement Award

The International Achievement Award was created in 1998, and is presented by the Lafayette International Center and its advisory board, the Lafayette International Center Foundation. It is designed to honor an individual, organization or company that has significantly enhanced Acadiana’s international reputation. Each nominee must be a United States citizen or a permanent resident of the United States, with preference given to residents of Acadiana or residents of Louisiana. As the Lafayette International Center is a trade development organization, primary consideration is accorded to individuals whose activities have helped draw economic benefits to the Lafayette area.

Seminar Series

The Lafayette International Center conducts an on-going series of seminars throughout the year, geared to the needs of internationally active companies and entrepreneurs. Past seminars have included: “International Sales and Distribution Agreements" with Mr. Patrick Fazzone, "The Laws of International Trade" with Mr. Alan Beard, "How to do Business with PEMEX", "The Secrets of Successful Trade Financing” and the "Import/Export Seminar."

International Trade Club Series

The International Trade Club has no membership fees or dues, is open to anyone interested in topics related to the global marketplace, and meets at different times and locations for a breakfast, lunch or late afternoon presentation. Recent presentations have included: "Business Opportunities: Macaé & Campos Basin" and "Brazil & Opportunities for the Oil & Gas Industry in UAE, Azerbaijan & Venezuela."

Trade Missions

The Lafayette International Center sponsors trade missions in conjunction with international trade and economic development agencies from throughout Louisiana. Recent trade missions included the XV Latin American Petroleum Show in Maracaibo, Venezuela and Port of Spain, Trinidad, the Rio Oil and Gas Expo & Conference, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and the Acadiana Cup golf exchange held in Lafayette and various cities of Belgium, Canada, France and Spain.

The Lafayette International Center
735 Jefferson Street
Lafayette, LA 70501
Tel: 1-337-291-5474
Fax: 1-337-291-5480
e-mail: info@leCentre.org

QUICK LINKS

	LAFAYETTE INTERNATIONAL CENTER CALENDAR
	revised 9-3-24
	SEPTEMBER
	Fêtes de Wallonie Sep 8-18 \| Namur, Belgium Since 1923, these festivals have celebrated patriotism and pride in the French-speaking Walloon region of Belgium. While these celebrations take place in many areas in this southern region of the country, they are particularly successful in Lafayette’s sister city of Namur, where more than 250,000 people gravitate during the weekend. Several days of street performances, a battle of the famous “Echasseurs” stilt-walkers, performances of folklore singers and dancers, and programming aimed at visitors of all ages, with all of downtown Namur turned into a pedestrian fair. More info at https://www.fetesdewallonie.be/
	Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana 2024 Excelencia Gala Friday, September 20, 7 PM \| New Orleans Marriott, 555 Canal Street \| New Orleans At the Excelencia Gala, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana honors outstanding individuals and corporations in recognition of their achievements, leadership, inspiration, and active engagement with the Hispanic community. SOLD OUT This is the 40th year that the HCCL has been working within the Hispanic community to promote economic development and progression in Louisiana. Info at https://events.hispanicchamberla.com/2024ExcelenciaGala#/?lang=en

	october
	O.I.F. SUMMIT [international organization of francophonie] Oct 4-5 \| Paris, France The Francophonie summit will open on 4 October 2024 at the Cité internationale de la langue française, in Villers-Cotterêts, France, a place entirely dedicated to the French language and French-speaking cultures, inaugurated on 30 October 2023 by M. Emmanuel Macron, President of the Republic of France. The summit will continue in Paris, France, on 5 October 2024. More info at https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/french-foreign-policy/francophony-and-the-french-language/news/article/francophonie-19th-francophonie-summit-in-france-focusing-on-creativity
	Tour du Teche 135 October 4-6 \| Port Barre to Berwick, La. Tour du Teche is an annual three-day race down the entire course of Bayou Teche in South Louisiana. The race offers options for the adventurous paddler through a pro-race with cash prizes, a recreational option, the Voyageur Race and now the Relay option. Ports of call include Port Barre (start), Leonville, Breaux Bridge, Parks, St. Martinville (1st-day finish), Loreauville, New Iberia, Jeanerette, Charenton, Baldwin, Franklin (2nd-day finish), Centerville, Patterson, Bayou Vista, and Berwick (3rd-day finish). Canoes, kayaks, and pirogues (the traditional Cajun canoe) are welcome to enter. The opening ceremony starts Thursday and the race begins Friday at the Port Barre boat launch. This event is coordinated by Tour du Teche, Inc., a non-profit organization that was organized to promote outdoor recreation along the Bayou Teche Corridor through St. Landry, St. Martin, Iberia, and St. Mary parishes. For more information on the Tour, visit their web site at https://tourduteche.com.
	Latin Music Festival Saturday, October 5 \| 11 AM-10 PM \| Parc International, downtown Lafayette This Festival is organized and presented by the Asociación Cultural Latino-Acadiana (ACLA), a volunteer organization at the service of the Acadiana community in general and its Latin American members in particular. ACLA offers the free, family-friendly Latin Music Festival and other programs to promote multiculturalism and preserve Latin heritage. Their objective is to promote among its members and their families the fundamental values of our community: GOD, COUNTRY, FAMILY and FRIENDS, while preserving our heritage. They work to assist all immigrants of Latin descent residing in Acadiana, regardless of place of origin and religion, to orient and make them aware of existing resources; facilitate learning the language, their obligations and rights; facilitate educational, employment and business opportunities, as well as the procurement of services; so as to developing responsible and productive community members. For details, visit https://www.aclalaf.org/latin-festival.
	WEFTEC 2024 The 97th annual technical exhibition & conference Oct 5-9 \| Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, Louisiana WEFTEC, the Water Environment Federation's Technical Exhibition and Conference, is the world's most comprehensive gathering of water quality professionals and thought leaders, featuring the sector's leading conference program and a variety of valuable networking opportunities. For more info, visit www.WEFTEC.org.
	Festivals Acadiens et Créoles Oct 11-13 \| Girard Park, Lafayette, Louisiana The first Tribute to Cajun Music in 1974 took Cajun and Creole music out of the dancehalls and onto a concert stage at Blackham Coliseum. Fifty years later, the tribute has grown into a three-day celebration of music, food, art, crafts, museum exhibits, symposiums, film screenings and more. The celebration is a giant among Lafayette’s festivals, attracting people of all ages, of many different nationalities from all over the world. The theme of this year’s festival: A tribute to the role of women in Cajun and Creole music. Admission is free. For details, visit https://www.festivalsacadiens.com/
	Franco-Fête 2024 Fundraising luncheon for scholarship program of CODOFIL Oct 27 \| 11:30 AM \| Lafayette Petroleum Club Each year, Franco-Fête raises funds to support French education in Louisiana, especially through La Fondation Louisiane’s “Escadrille Louisiane” scholarship program which allows dozens of Louisiana students to study in France (Brittany, Martinique, and Guadeloupe), before pursuing careers as teachers in immersion schools across the State. The program will also feature the presentation of the “Marquis de La Fayette” award, and the “Fondation Louisiane Hall of Fame” inductee. In attendance will be numerous CODOFIL partners, Louisiana senators and representatives, local elected officials, entrepreneurs, university professors and other Louisiana officials. For information, contact the International Center at 337-291-5474.
	UL Lafayette: Study Abroad Program The Study Abroad Program allows a degree-seeking student to combine intellectual pursuits with a sense of adventure—creating a deeper learning experience that widens cultural views and prepares a person for the global marketplace beyond graduation. Recent programs included Costa Rica (10 days, 3 credit hours), England (3 weeks, 6 credit hours), Italy (6 weeks, 9 credit hours), Ireland (3 weeks, 6 credits), Morocco (4 weeks, 6 credits), Romania (2 weeks, 3 credits) and South Korea (3 weeks, 6 credits). The application deadline is usually be in mid-December with a final deadline in January. Pre-departure orientations typically begin in March. For details, visit https://studyabroad.louisiana.edu/programs and https://studyabroad.louisiana.edu.

	NOVEMber
	ADIPEC (Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference) Nov 4-7 \| Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates The Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) is the world’s largest energy conference. As a premium exhibition platform ADIPEC enables professionals from around the world to do business and grow. Building on 40-years of energy leadership, ADIPEC 2024 unites communities, nations and industries worldwide, driving collaborative industry action towards affordable, secure and sustainable energy for all. Over four transformative days, ADIPEC will facilitate critical dialogue and collaboration across diverse sectors – from energy, technology and finance to maritime, logistics, manufacturing and transport – essential for advancing the energy transition and fast-tracking climate action. For more details and to register visit: www.adipec.com
	International Workboat Show 2024 Nov 12-14 \| Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, LA The International WorkBoat Show is a trade-only conference and expo for commercial vessel owners, operators and builders as well as the vendors and suppliers that serve them. Visit https://www.workboatshow.com for details
	Southern Screen Film Festival Nov 21-24 \| Acadiana Center for the Arts \| Lafayette With dozens of films screenings, plus an array of workshops, panels, parties, and live performances, the four-day celebration every November is sure to entertain, educate, and inspire. Southern Screen is a film festival that exposes Southern communities to the widespread possibilities of storytelling, by curating year-round events, workshops, and pop-ups all in preparation for our annual Southern Screen Festival every November. For more details, visit https://www.southernscreen.org/

	DECember
	General Assembly of the Association of Francophone Prefects and State-level Representatives (APREF) TBD \| TBD APREF is an association within the OIF. Its mission is to provide a forum for Prefects and other State-level Representatives to benefit from sharing concerns and administrative practices.

	january 2025
	Cinema on the Bayou—20th anniversary Jan. 22-29 \| Lafayette and Opelousas, various venues The 20th Cinema on the Bayou Film Festival, screening over 150 films, including over 50 French Language films, along with welcoming filmmakers and other film industry professionals from across the United States and around the world. For more details on the 2025 edition, visit CinemaontheBayou.com.

	april
	VERTECH Meeting Apr 21-23 \| Lafayette, Louisiana The VERTECH network is a group of medium-sized cities with innovative initiatives in sustainable development (Lafayette, Louisiana, USA; Namur, Belgium; and Victoriaville, Québec, Canada). The network examines global and durable solutions and facilitates the development of collaborations. VERTECH organizes activities for networking and exchanging ideas between delegations from each member city with municipal actors, local businesses, institutions and research centers. The network organizes the VERTECH symposium and the international student competition “VERTECH CITY” every one or two years, and also initiates international research and innovation projects.
	International Achievement Award ceremony and reception Thursday, April 24 \| TBD \| Lafayette, Louisiana Established in 1998, the Award is presented annually to honor an individual, organization or company that has significantly enhanced Acadiana’s international reputation. Primary consideration is accorded to individuals whose activities have helped draw economic benefits to the Lafayette area. By invitation.

	MAY
	Farewell Reception for UL International Students TBD \| TBD \| UL Alumni Center \| Lafayette, LA Annual farewell given to graduating international students of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, co-hosted by UL Lafayette President Dr. Joseph Savoie and City-Parish Mayor-President Monique B. Boulet. Graduating students are invested as Goodwill Ambassadors representing Lafayette, followed by a reception. A joint project of the UL Division of Global Engagement, the UL Alumni Association, the LCG Mayor-President’s Office, the Lafayette International Center, and the UL Lafayette President’s Office.
UP