Abidjan, September 17, 2024 – Laurent Lafon, President of the French Senate's Committee on Culture, Communication, Education, and Sport, has pledged to work towards the return of the Tam Tam Parleur of the Atchan people, known as "Djidji Ayôkwè" (Panther-Lion), currently housed at the Musée du Quai Branly in France.

Leading a delegation of nine, Laurent Lafon made this commitment after a working session with Côte d'Ivoire's Minister of Culture and Francophonie, Françoise Remarck, on September 17, 2024, in Abidjan-Plateau.

"We are committed to acting as advocates and ambassadors for the return of this drum, which represents an important cultural instrument for Côte d'Ivoire," reaffirmed Lafon. He also expressed enthusiasm for cultural policies becoming a key area of cooperation between France and Côte d'Ivoire, stating that these policies will now be considered for funding.

Lafon was impressed by the vibrant cultural scene in Abidjan and Côte d'Ivoire, noting the need for structured cultural sectors. He praised the minister’s presentation and the ambition behind it, describing it as truly impressive.

Minister Françoise Remarck reflected on the fruitful discussions with her French counterparts, which opened up possibilities for the return of cultural artifacts and improving cultural policies between the two nations. She highlighted that, thanks to the exemplary cooperation between Côte d'Ivoire and France, the country recently received a 17 million euro funding line under the C2D (Contrat de Désendettement et de Développement). This fund will be used to structure and professionalize the cultural sector, support artists, provide training related to new challenges such as digitization and artificial intelligence, and develop cultural third places.