The Alliance Française, founded in 1883 in Paris, is a cultural non-profit association. Among its fathers were Victor Hugo, Louis Pasteur and Ferdinand de Lesseps. Their aim was to promote meaningful cultural dialogue and friendly relations between the peoples of the world through the promotion and teaching of the French language. The Alliance is made up of over 1100 branches in 134 countries, with more than 35 000 students per year. There are more than 30 branches in Australia, and all of these have joined into a Federation which has its headquarters in Canberra. Delegates of the Federation meet once a year to discuss common interests in teaching French and arranging cultural and social events for their communities. Through the Federation, the Atherton Alliance is affiliated with all the Alliances Françaises world-wide and it receives a small annual grant from the French government to help it achieve its objectives.