Who
are we?
Mission and Vision
Statements
About Eildon Mansion
Annual General Meeting
WHO ARE WE?
The Alliance Française de Melbourne is an Australian
non-profit association dedicated to the promotion of the
French language and culture. Founded in 1890, the Alliance
Française de Melbourne is the oldest in Australia
(there being 33 Alliances in the Federation) and one of the
oldest in the world. It belongs to a world network of 1,400
Alliances Françaises set up in 138 countries.
The Alliance Française is the first language school
for French in Victoria with more than 3,000 students per
year of whom 80% are adults. It also runs the Berthe Mouchette
Competition, now in its 108th year and named after the foundress
of the Alliance Française de Melbourne. The competition
is opened to students of French from Year 4 to Year12. This
competition, which is said to be one of the largest of its
kind in the world, attracted 16753 candidates in 2002!
It is also a French cultural centre, the only one in
Victoria, enjoying the patronage and support of the
French Embassy in Canberra. The Alliance organises each
year major cultural events, such as the French Film
Festival and is involved in other important festivals
such as the Melbourne Festival. It also has an art gallery,
which is part of the Southside Arts of Port Philip which
units the most diverse group of commercial galleries
and art organisations in Melbourne.
MISSION & VISION STATEMENTS
Our Mission
The Alliance Française de Melbourne encourages
and promotes active, open connections between people
in Victoria and French language and culture. It provides
the means by which people can learn the French language
and become engaged in the many different aspects of
French culture including art, books, poetry, film, history,
gastronomy, contemporary affairs, thoughts and ideas.
It provides the opportunity for friends of French language
and culture to come together in an apolitical, non-religious
and welcoming environment.
Our Vision
The Alliance Française de Melbourne will be
seen by people in Victoria as the premier institution
for all things related to French language and culture.
It will achieve this vision through:
- Reaching a broad base of people throughout Victoria,
including beginner students of all ages and expatriate
French nationals. It will continue to understand their
interests and needs and then meet them through a wide
range of affordable activities and services, accessible
in a variety of locations.
- Providing the highest quality of French language education
from qualified, native French-speaking teachers.
- Offering a high standard of teaching facilities and
advanced teaching methods, using current technologies
and multi-media tools.
- Working in collaboration with other French organisations
and with other cultural institutions as appropriate.
- Providing a working environment, which attracts the
highest quality management, teachers and staff who are
intimately connected with French language and culture.
The Alliance Française de Melbourne will ensure
continued relevance in the changing world and will grow
in terms of students, members and variety of activities.
ABOUT EILDON MANSION
Eildon Mansion, 51 Grey Street, ST KILDA
The Alliance Française de Melbourne purchased Eildon Mansion in August 2006 and moved there in July 2007 after a year of renovations.
About Eildon Mansion
In 1871 pastoralist John Lang Currie (1818-1898) commissioned
the prestigious Melbourne architectural firm of Reed
& Barnes to completely remodel and extend the existing
Barham House at 51 Grey Street, St Kilda. Currie, one
of the greatest sheep breeders and landowners of the
western district of Victoria, who owned the property
“Lara” near Camperdown, effectively retired
to St Kilda in the late 1870’s, then regarded
as Melbourne’s most prestigious suburb. The central
section of the building (the original house) was built
in 1850, barely 20 years after Melbourne was founded,
making it one of St Kilda’s oldest houses.
The mansion named Eildon in 1877 has retained extensive
original internal features such as sandstone, marble
and timber mantelpieces, ceiling roses, bay windows
and large basement quarters for servants and a cellar.
Converted to a guesthouse around 1930, Eildon was used
until recently as a 40-room short-term accommodation/backpackers
Hostel. Situated on approximately 2,198m2 of land, the
20-room house itself covers an area of roughly 1,261m2
and the remaining 20 other rooms are located in the
stables, built alongside the house.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Your are a current member or a student of the Alliance Française de Melbourne?
Then get involved in the Alliance Française de Melbourne's life and come to meet your association's board members
at the 35th Annual General Meeting on
Monday 31 May 2010 at 8pm at
51 Grey Street ST KILDA
.
Please ensure you read the following documents (downloadable in PDF):
- Notice of the 35th Annual General Meeting
- Agenda of 35th Annual General Meeting
- AFM 2009 Annual Report
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