French Ambassador David Martinon reflects on 30 years of cultural exchange and the bright future of collaboration between France and South African creatives.
South Africa (16 September 2025) – Being able to collaborate, celebrate and connect with people beyond our borders is what makes the modern world such a marvel. It is in these connections that we find empowering and inspiring stories.
One big celebration taking place is the French Institute of South Africa’s (IFAS) 30th anniversary, which is a celebration of 30 years of cultural co-creation. We got the chance to speak with His Excellency, Ambassador David Martinon, about the importance of this moment and honour all the good that has come from it.
“Thirty years is a remarkable period of continuity in any institution, particularly one devoted to cultural cooperation. For the Embassy and IFAS, it represents a sustained commitment to building ties with South African partners based on exchange and mutual respect.”
As the French Ambassador to South Africa, Lesotho and Malawi, Ambassador Martinon stepped into the role in May 2023 with decades of diplomatic experience behind him. His journey has taken him from Paris to Los Angeles, New York, Kabul and now Pretoria, with posts that included serving as Press Secretary to the French President. Along the way, he’s built a reputation as a diplomat who can adapt to complex challenges while keeping people at the heart of his work.
Beyond the titles and accolades, he is a Knight of the Legion of Honour and a graduate of Sciences Po and ENA. Whether it’s championing cultural exchanges through initiatives like Création Africa, or encouraging stronger ties in trade, environment and creativity, he has emphasised collaboration and shared growth throughout his career. His genuine curiosity about the people and places he now calls part of his mission has greatly contributed to his passion for seeing collaboration between our two nations.
“Personally, it is a privilege to witness this anniversary while in office, because it allows both a retrospective view of what has been achieved and an opportunity to set the course for the next chapter.”
Over the past 30 years, IFAS has invested in local artists, creatives and cultural innovators, highlighting their talents and connecting them with global projects to take their works to the next level. From opportunities to study overseas, access to seed funding and connecting local artisans with markets beyond South Africa, the cultural exchange between our two nations has proven to be an enduring one.
For the Ambassador, the longstanding relationship between local artists and France is due to constant collaboration and the renewable creative talent that South Africa has to offer.
Good Things Guy has been brought on board to help celebrate some of the stories about South Africans who have been supported through IFAS. These men and women have seen their art and skills reach new heights because of the opportunity to work alongside IFAS.
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Not only have our local artists been shaped by this collaboration, but so too has France. Creative collaboration breeds innovation and change. As for the future, Ambassador Martinon has a great deal of hope.
“Future opportunities will lie where technology and creativity intersect. Fields such as animation, video games, virtual reality, and digital heritage conservation are growing rapidly in both countries and lend themselves to cooperation. At the same time, the traditional strengths of theatre, music, and visual arts will continue to provide fertile ground. The guiding principle will remain co-creation, where both partners contribute equally to new cultural forms.”
As the world shifts and changes, so do creatives, who feel the movements within society most acutely. Being able to honour their work, their storytelling, their experiences, is powerful.
There are many ways the future of collaboration looks bright. Ambassador Martinon shares in closing how some of the most memorable moments have shaped the relationship between South Africa and France, and how they will continue to do so in the years to come.
The Fête de la Musique, now in its 14th year in Johannesburg, has become a fixture on the city’s cultural calendar. It offers a space where emerging and established musicians perform side by side for large and diverse audiences. Another is the Absa L’Atelier Gerard Sekoto Award, which has played a pivotal role in supporting young South African visual artists, providing them with both international exposure and long-term career opportunities.
Création Africa, a programme supporting cultural entrepreneurs, giving each the chance to scale up their businesses and expand their reach, makes its return this year after a successful debut. And these are just a few of the projects, programmes and events designed to foster collaboration.
The future is filled with opportunity, and if the past 30 years are anything to go by, it’s a wonderful time to be connected. With the talent we are witnessing as part of this series, we look forward to celebrating all the South Africans and IFAS’s work from the past 30 years and for the next 30 to come.
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