New Caledonia Corner

Discover New Caledonia

Close to Australia, New Caledonia is like nowhere else: a lagoon registered on the Unesco world heritage list. A main island, Grande Terre, with spectacular natural scenery, a true adventure playground. Jaw-dropping islands will reveal the perfect combination of amazing landscapes and superb hospitality. New Caledonia is also a land of welcome and authenticity where people and cultural influences blend in together. Thanks to a very generous grant by the Delegation of New Caledonia in New Zealand we are pleased to announce that we have opened a new section of our Resource Centre devoted to New Caledonia. A selection of novels, stories for learners, children's stories, non-fiction books, comic books, recipe books, testimonials, as well as books on rites and customs is now available to borrow for the members and students of the AFC. The resources are displayed and highlighted in our library and may be the subject of our program of events in link with our general courses and specific workshops.New Caledonia could be your next destination:

• To visit enjoy and its richness of culture, gastronomy and diversity;
• To practice your French in a paradisiac set up;
• To discover the Kanak culture and identity.

We encourage you to check our library out to discover New Caledonia and its multiculturalism.. 

Delegation of New Caledonia in New Zealand

The Delegation is a key partner of the 10 Alliances Françaises in New Zealand and the Cook Islands and has already funded and inaugurated three New Caledonian Cultural and Educational Centres at the Alliance Française Wellington (2013), Palmerston North (2015) and here in Christchurch (2017).

Dr Yves Lafoy has also co-funded two immersion weeks with students from the Alliance Française in partnership with the CREIPAC (2014 and 2016) as well as the last two editions of the AF FFF, in partnership with Aircalin and New Caledonia Tourism.

In 2016, the Delegation joined the French-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce and launched the "NC-NZ Business Club" to help boost bilateral trade and economic exchanges, largely in favour of New Zealand in 2016. This Business club, which meets two to three times a year, is made up of 25 French entrepreneurs based in Auckland who have economic links to New Caledonia or wish to initiate exchanges in a near future.

The delegation has recently co-founded 3 out of 6 New Caledonia companies present at the New Caledonia Tourism NZ stall during the ‘Auckland Food Show’ which attracted more than 30 000 visitors. 

The priorities of the Delegation are as follow:

• Supporting New Caledonia’s companies in their efforts to assess the New Zealand market;
  
• Facilitating the development of "joint ventures" between New Caledonia and New Zealand companies,
• Promoting New Caledonia as a tourist destination in collaboration with Aircalin, New Caledonia Tourism and Alliances Françaises in New Zealand;
  
• Further promoting New Caledonia’s economic appeal to New Zealand government agencies and companies interested in the New Caledonian market, by raising awareness of the Export Support policy guidelines, amongst other measures;
  

Increasing exchanges with New Zealand government ministries and agencies to discuss the political and economic implications of New Caledonia’s admission as a full member of the Pacific Islands Forum.