About Fondation des Alliances Françaises, Paris
The Paris-based Fondation des Alliances Françaises provides oversight of the worldwide AF network, with more than 800 chapters in 130 countries and half a million students. It is the modern-day embodiment of the Alliance Française organization that was launched in 1883 by notables such as Jules Verne and Louis Pasteur.
The Institut français promotes French culture internationally, in dialogue with foreign cultures. It promotes initiatives related to various artistic fields, intellectual engagement, cultural and social innovation, and linguistic cooperation. It promotes the French language around the world, as well as the mobility of works of art, artists and ideas.
The Coordination nationale of the American Alliance Française network maintains the liaison between the American Alliances and the Paris-based Fondation. It is a government-financed body (its staff are civil servants of the French government) that coordinates with French Cultural Services, the Embassy of France, the Consulates General and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.