BATON ROUGE mdash; A delegation representing Louisiana and the Council of the Development of French in Louisiana will travel to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, this week to participate in the 20th Francophonie Summit of the International Organization of La Francophonie.nbsp;The gathering will be held from No v. 14 to 16 and will bring together heads of state and leaders from 90 member countries and governments representing nearly 400 million French speakers worldwide.CODOFIL is a state agency dedicated to the promotion and development of the French language and Francophone cultures in Louisiana through education, cultural events and international partnerships.This year marks a milestone for the host country, as the Kingdom of Cambodia welcomes the Francophonie Summit and the 48th Francophonie Ministerial Conference for the first time in its history. This event also marks the first time the summit has returned to the Asia-Pacific region since Vietnam hosted in 1997."Louisianarsquo;s French roots make us who we are, and they give our state a distinct identity recognized around the globe," Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser said. "Having our seat at the table with 90 French-speaking nations opens doors for tourism, international commerce and cultural exchange. Every time we share our stories, our music, and our food with the world, we invite more people to come experience Louisiana in person."Louisiana was granted observer status within the OIF in 2018, making it the only American state with official representation in the international body.nbsp;The 20th Summit centers on the theme "Reinvest in Peace for Shared Prosperity and Lasting Stability" and coincides with an election year for the OIF, where member states will select the organizationrsquo;s secretary general and set strategic policies for education, economic development and multilateral cooperation.Permalink| Comments ...read more read less