At the twenty-ninth Olympic Games, each of the 12 million spectators expected in Beijing will carry a little bit of French technology in their pockets. MORE...

1. Be understood in 55 countries across five continents and by over 200 million people.
2. French is the third most common language on the Internet. Connect with pen pals, visit foreign websites and find student exchange opportunities.
3. Get a head start on learning other Romance languages like Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Romanian.
4. French is a melodious and romantic language with a relatively quick learning curve.
5. Develop critical, creative thinking and problem solving skills. French also provides the base for more than 50% of the modern English vocabulary, which improves performance on standardized tests.
6. Open the doors to art, music, fashion, food, architecture and literature.
7. Discover a new appreciation for other cultures in countries that speak French like: France, Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, Monaco and many places in Africa and the Carribean.
8. Use French to pursue studies in Francophone countries.
9. Promote language diversity throughout the world.
10. Be more competitive in the national and international job market in disciplines like business, medicine, aviation, law, transportation technologies, global/international distribution and luxury goods.
11. French is the official working language of the UN, NATO, UNESCO, the International Olympic Committee, the European Union, the International Red Cross and much more!