Laval kicks off the 8th edition of the Games of the Canadian Francophonie

After eight years of absence, the Games of the Canadian Francophonie return in force. From July 15 to 19, just over 1000 young French expression from all the provinces and all the territories will be gathered in Laval to compete in several sports, artistic and leadership events.

The kick -off of the Games of the Canadian Francophonie will be given Tuesday evening at Place Bell during the opening ceremony, where like the Olympic Games, the delegations of each province and territory will parade one by one by brandishing their respective flag.

According to the organizers, this event is “an opportunity for young people to learn about the Canadian Francophonie and to build their own French -speaking identity”.

This is the eighth edition of this trisannual event bringing together Canadian youth of French expression aged 14 to 18.

Due to the pandemic, the last two editions had to be canceled. The first games took place in 1999 in Memramcook, New Brunswick, then they took place in several other cities in the country, including Edmonton, Rivière-du-Loup and Winnipeg, among others.

This initiative was launched by the French Canadian Youth Federation (FJCF), an organization which carries the interests of youth of French expression in a minority environment, from one end to the other in the countryimmediately explains its president, Simon Thériault, from Grand-Sault in New Brunswick.

The Games of the Canadian Francophonie respond to a need for young people of French expression to come together. They allow you to work on identity construction and to build their attachment to the Francophoniecontinues the 22 -year -old young man.

During this edition, 14 disciplines will be on the program. They will be divided into three components: arts, leadership and sports.

Games are intended to be a big event that brings together young people from all walks of life, because it is not all young people who are athletes, who are involved in leadership or in the field of artsexplains Mr. Thériault.

As at the Olympic Games, the host city can add new disciplines. Among the new features this year, the Laval organizing committee added beach volleyball, ultimate, culinary art and survival camp.

It was important to highlight Laval infrastructureunderlines Marc Deblois, Managing Director of the Organizing Committee.

For example, the survival camp event will take place in the center of nature, while beach volleyball competitions will take place on new land built by the city.

However, there are disciplines that are fixesspecifies the president of the FJCF, according to the needs and interests of young people.

Among these predetermined disciplines, note basketball 3C3, in which Liz Sharp, member of the Manitoba basketball team will participate.

I live in an English -speaking district with an English -speaking family. Outside school, I don’t speak French. So coming here, it allows me to reconnect with this Francophonieunderlines the 15 -year -old athlete, who hopes to play basketball at the university level.

It is an event that forces us to speak in French, which encourages us to be part of a French -speaking team.

For his part, Mr. Deblois, who also organized the Quebec Games in Laval in 2020, underlines that he inherited a mandate very interesting.

It is important to raise awareness among Lavallois and Quebecers about this reality of Canadians of French expression who live in a minority environment. The majority do not know what it is to live in linguistic insecurity, does not know the federation of French Canadian youth or the Games of the Canadian Francophoniehe says.

During each edition, the Games welcome a maximum of 1,200 young people and guides. Since the beginnings, nearly 7,000 people have taken part in the event, in more than 4,646 volunteers. The selection of participants is organized by the provincial and territorial delegations.

Last May, the FJCF announced that the next 2028 games will take place in Regina. The Saskatchewanese capital was in competition with the city of North Bay, located in northern Ontario.