Jack Lang (French politician)
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Jack Mathieu Emile Lang (born 2 September 1939) is a French politician and a member of the French Socialist Party.
Lang was born to Roger Lang and Marie-Luce Bouchet in Mirecourt, in the département of Vosges. He studied political science at the Paris Institute of Political Studies and went on to receive a postgraduate degree in public law. His career then focused on a combination of teaching and culture and the arts. He was the founder and producer of Festival du Monde in Nancy, France, was director of the Nancy University Theatre from 1963 to 1972 and then director of the Palais de Chaillot Théâtre from 1972 to 1974. At the same time he was a professor of international law from 1971 to 1981. He married Monique Buczynski in 1961 and they have two daughters.
Lang entered politics as a Socialist member of French National Assembly from Paris in 1977. He is best known for having served as Minister of Culture (22 May 1981-19 March 1986 and 13 May 1988-29 March 1993) and as Minister of Education (3 April 1992 to 29 March 1993 and 27 March 2000 to 5 May 2002).
In 1981, while Minister of Culture, he created the Fête de la Musique, a massive celebration of music held on 21 June each year, where many amateur musicians give free open-air performances. He is the co-founder and president of the Union of the Theatres of Europe.
In 2000 Lang ran unsuccessfully for Mayor of Paris. While he had planned to run for president in 2007 he decided not to register as a candidate for the Socialist nomination in the name of party unity.
