Halifax February 5, 2004 Congrès mondial acadien 2004 (CMA) brought together over 40 participants representing host regions of Congrès for a two-day training session in Tatamagouche on February 1 and 2. CMA 2004, a world-class event which gives an opportunity to Acadians from around the world to meet, exchange and celebrate the Acadian culture, felt it was necessary to bring together the communities to create a provincial team.
“This large-scale project has never been attempted in the past in Nova Scotia. We felt it was essential for all groups concerned to come together to exchange their ideas and challenges”, explains Vaughne Madden, General Manager of Congrès. Exchange they did! The participants were treated to a variety of presentations on Congrès, from its history to marketing and logistics strategies. There was also an opportunity for the representatives to share their community’s projects and successes. More than 2,000 individual activities are planned for CMA 2004. Mostly organised by volunteers and community groups. Their content to CMA’s programming is essential.
“We are assured that we have a strong provincial team of knowledgeable and dedicated people working to make Congrès an international success”, continues Ms. Madden. For Megan Moore, Community Development Officer with the Western Valley Development Authority, the experience was eye-opening. “It was a great opportunity to meet and network with the CMA 2004 team and everyone that is working towards making the celebrations a success. I had a wonderful time. It was great to learn what is happening all over the province, we often get too focused on our regions. Getting to see the entire picture was very beneficial.”
One of the greatest successes of the weekend was a greater cooperation between the two linguistic communities of Nova Scotia. Both the French and English communities came together to build a better project. “I can honestly say I think the work we our doing between the two communities is ground-breaking. Congrès will definitely bring together our communities and promote a better understanding of the overall Acadian culture”, exclaimed an enthusiastic Madden. Representatives from all Acadian regions were present, including, Argyle, Clare, Isle Madame, Larry’s River, and Chéticamp. As well, representatives from what are known as historical Acadian communities joined in, including the South Shore, Annapolis Valley, Amherst and Truro.
The team is well on their way to creating the biggest cultural event in Nova Scotia.