UST hosts French ambassador for diplomacy forum

French Ambassador to the Philippines and Micronesia Marie Fontanel highlighted climate resilience, education exchanges and bilateral cooperation during a forum at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) on 12 May.

Fontanel delivered a lecture titled “Across Oceans: France-Philippines Cooperation” as part of the sixth installment of the UST World Lenses series, where she discussed areas of collaboration between France and the Philippines despite the geographical distance separating the two countries.

The ambassador underscored efforts to strengthen people-to-people ties, expand areas of cooperation and enhance climate resilience as France and the Philippines approach 79 years of diplomatic relations in July 2026. She also noted the growing number of Filipino students pursuing studies in France and the increasing presence of French students enrolled in programs in the Philippines.

Fontanel said the French Embassy’s priorities include defense and security cooperation, climate preparedness, sustainable energy, food security and public transportation development.

She also emphasized the importance of climate cooperation between the two countries, noting that both France and the Philippines are maritime nations vulnerable to climate-related challenges.

“In February 2015, the French President, François Hollande at the time, made the first visit of the French President to the Philippine President, [Benigno] Aquino III at the time, and together they made the Manila Call to Action on Climate Change. It was a call of two heads of states to all heads of states all over the world to gather in Paris at the end of 2015 for COP21 and the success of the conference is the Paris Agreement,” Fontanel said.

Following the lecture, students participated in an open forum covering cultural exchange, diversity and diplomatic service. Claire Châles, higher education and scientific cooperation officer at the French Embassy, also presented opportunities for international student mobility in France.

UST said it has maintained academic partnerships with French higher education institutions, including Université Catholique de Lille and Université Catholique de Toulouse, for nearly a decade. French language instruction is also offered to students of the College of Tourism and Hospitality Management through Alliance Française de Manille.

“Diplomacy is about finding ways to better understand the country we are posted in, and making our country better known in order to be stronger together. That is what we are trying to achieve, and so occasions to connect with you, to have these discussions with you, are really precious,” Fontanel said.