Pierre Vimont, ambassador of France to the United States, will kick off the St. Louis French Festival with his lecture, “Franco-American Cooperation in the Middle East,” at 7 p.m. Feb. 24 in Century Room C in the Millennium Student Center at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Vimont was appointed ambassador to the U.S. by Nicolas Sarkozy, president of France, in 2007. Prior to his present appointment, Vimont was chief of staff to the minister of foreign affairs, a position he had held since 2002. He previously served as ambassador and permanent representative of France to the European Union. Born in 1949, Vimont holds a degree in law and is a graduate of the Institute of Political Studies and the National School of Administration in Paris.

The St. Louis French Festival will be held Feb. 24 to March 1 and touts cultural experiences with a uniquely French flair. Events include lectures on French music, art and architecture, concerts featuring French music, tours of the Saint Louis Art Museum French collections, presentations on St. Louis’ French roots and much more.

Ambassador Vimont’s lecture is sponsored by the Alliance Francaise de St.Louis and Center for International Studies at UMSL.

Visit http://www.cfis-umsl.com or call 314-516-7299 to make a reservation for the lecture and request your free parking permit and campus map. Visit http://www.cathedralconcerts.org for information about the St. Louis French Festival.