Jakarta: French culture envoy Patrick Perez in love with his host country

[Harold Schiffman]

February 04, 2008

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Patrick Perez in love with his host country
Features News - Sunday, February 03, 2008

Gama Harjono, Contributor, Jakarta

He emanates an air of humility and claims to be shy. But a chat with
French culture envoy Patrick Perez is as enjoyable as a stroll through
Paris. With over twenty years' experience in promoting the French
language and culture overseas, the director of Centre Culturel
Fran‡ais in Jakarta beamed with pleasure as he confessed his love for
Indonesia.  He was the one who chose Indonesia, a long way from his
home, the quaint town of Cambrai in the north of France. Deliberate
and prepared, the size of Indonesia's capital nevertheless caught him
by surprise upon his arrival in September 2006.  "I start my working
day by arriving at my office at eight and leave late," and he added
how he found it easy to work with his professional team in Jakarta. "I
had to train a lot my personnel when I led the Alliance Fran‡aise in
Pakistan."  Asked to complete a Proust Questionnaire, Perez proved his
appreciation for equality.

"I prefer that my staff and I address one another with tu," he said he
did not like to use the formal French pronoun of vous.

And he added the quality he looked for in others was frankness. On the
questionnaire he scribbled "being frank and sometimes not knowing how
to lie" -- as his weaknesses.

Questioned on the "rivalry" between cultural institutes in Indonesia,
Perez said he preferred collaboration to competition.

"We sometimes work with the other European institutes. These
collaborations are important."

"Yes, it's important to get to know the locals through mastering their
language." And that's why he takes an Indonesian lesson once a week.
"And anyway you'll have to communicate in Bahasa once you're on the
street."

Regarding his shyness he said, "particularly when I see a group of
Indonesians at a function, I want to come up to talk to them but I
don't know if I should disturb them or not".

Indonesia has taught him a few things, he admitted.

"I have learned to smile a lot and to say hello to everyone. I feel
that when Indonesians smile and greet me, it's usually done with
sincerity."

Promoting his country's language and culture is his lifelong occupation.

"The main audience for CCF (the Centre) is those between the age of 20
and 30, but I try to get everybody in," explained Perez. "And that's
why we diversify our events."

With the aim of reaching as many Indonesians as possible, Patrick
Perez prioritizes Indonesians in the arts. He tries to always vary his
programs, whether photography exhibitions, pantomimes, and even the
occasional circus.

And the rock music-lover doesn't hesitate to go the extra mile. "I
thought, where do we find Indonesians? So we organized a musical event
at a shopping centre and recently a contemporary dance show at Taman
Menteng in Central Jakarta."

Another practical approach employed by the genial Perez is extending
the opening hours of the library and mediath‚que at the Centre. The
4000 plus members can now reserve items for loan on the Internet, then
pick them up later.

CCF French language courses have also proved popular. The Salemba
campus alone engages tens of teachers, offering regular, intensive and
specialized classes seven days a week.

Patrick Perez remained calm about a "hot issue" that is on many French
lips -- if not heads: the headscarf, banned by the secular country's
state schools and government offices.

But Perez explained that the policy was not, in fact, a ban on the
headscarf. "It's not just Muslims. The ban applies to all types of
religious symbols.

"I respect people regardless of their religion. Ten percent of
France's roughly 60 million inhabitants are Muslim. This is the
reality in France," he said.

During the fasting month of Ramadhan, the Centre screens French movies
about Islam in francophone countries.

About the banlieau riots in Paris, he said, "Just like any other
country, France has its share of social problems. And unfortunately
its pretty tough for some French youth right now."

The 42-year-old says he reads the Koran. He began his career as a
French language teacher while serving his military in Syria. He says
he's not an expert on Islam, but his CV shows more than 20 years of
ministerial postings in countries with largely Muslim populations.

For Perez, passion means politics and the Middle East. Peace in the
region where the world's most influential religions meet is his dream.
He paused for a second before continuing, "I have two adopted children
in Lebanon, one Muslim and the other Christian."

"One of them lives in a conflict area and I am very worried. I hope
everything will be fine". The other child is living in Venezuela.

Perez said he found Muslims in Indonesia open and tolerant compared to
the Middle East. He has explored Java and Sulawesi knowledgeable about
local customs. He also admits -- like so many others -- that he adores
the "island of gods", Bali.

Given his popularity in the capital and environs he said he was
sometimes recognized in public, "Sometimes even in Bali people come up
and say hello."

He prefers mixing with locals to attaching himself to Jakarta's
European communities.

"I like to talk and have discussions with Indonesians, that's what I
am here for. I have a three-year term in Indonesia and may extend it
for an extra year."

Asked where he would like to live if he could chose any country he
readily responded "France and Indonesia". Twenty years ago Perez left
France to discover new cultures and he is still pursuing them.

On Sundays the humble director explores the capital by motorbike. You
might just run into him at Monas national monument playing soccer with
the locals.



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