Page 31 - Bulletin, Vol.78 No.2, June 2019

EDITORIAL

By ODETTE FOUDRAL

I did not wish the Bulletin to become a list of obituaries but, at the same time, we cannot
forget those who have led and always upheld our Association, such as Jean-Jacques,
Aamir, and many others.

We are fortunate to have also the compilations of a number of members which makes
our Bulletin more interesting.

During recent months we have been busy working on the preparations for the General
Assembly that was held on 25 April 2019. There will be a report in our next Bulletin but
the present issue contains on page 32 a report on the results for 2018. We were able
once again to benefit from the unfailing support of our volunteer interpreters which
makes it possible for our members to participate fully in the discussions, and we extend
to them our warmest thanks.

We have also been fortunate to welcome two new volunteers to the Committee, Carol
Cosgrove and Olgatte Abdou, who have been co-opted under article 16.4 of our
Statutes. Both are participating in a group working on the revitalization of the
Association (revision of the membership application forms, etc.) and will report on their
results in September 2019, so there is plenty of time to send in your suggestions.

There have, of course, also been other more special moments such as our gatherings
at the Geneva Cité Seniors, where we have frequently spoken of poetry, with some
nostalgic thoughts on the texts of Charles Aznavour. I was also able to share my
appreciation of Bernard Lavilliers Grand Corps Malade. I am convinced that in this area
Internet is a gold mine that allows the discovery of new songs that can be regarded as
little pearls of the French language.

Life is made of such small pleasures.

You will also find some new reading suggestions in the excellent Haitian anthology of
poems by Yasmina Tippenhauer, in French, Creole and Spanish (extract is given on
page 9). Haiti, that forgotten country…. For English speakers there are also ideas in
A.S. Bhalla’s Imperial India: a Pictorial History that reminds us one more time of Aamir’s
pen.

Trans. E.M. BELCHAMBER

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