January 29, 2008
The Congrès mondial acadien will keep you informed on a weekly basis from now until August 2009!
By Carol Doucet
From August 7th to 23rd, 2009 New Brunswick’s Acadian Peninsula will welcome you! For the past few years, the Congrès mondial acadien team has been preparing this event that will feature a multitude of activities highlighting the richness and dynamic atmosphere of the host region and that is set to be the largest ever held in the history of the area.
Starting today, this weekly column will feature different aspects of the upcoming Congrès mondial acadien be it family reunions, programming, spin-off, promotional activities, personnel needs, youth element, etc.
The Congrès mondial acadien 2009 is a great gathering of Acadians coming from the Maritime Provinces and around the world. It will be an opportunity for people from all over to get to know the area in all its diversity. Adopted Acadians and those interested in Acadie are invited meet a vibrant and welcoming people living in a very picturesque maritime environment.
Events will include large public celebrations, cultural exhibits, themed and community activities, scientific and public conferences, as well as family visits and reunions. In short, the 2009 CMA will have something for every taste and all ages throughout the Acadian Peninsula. The summer of 2009 will undoubtedly be “The summer of the Acadian Peninsula”!
Community and grass-roots programming will be at the heart of the event. Hundreds of activities are already scheduled in most of all the 100 towns, villages and LSDs (local service districts) of the Peninsula. The strengthening of these ties will be a wonderful occasion to celebrate with friends and family, as well as an opportunity for debating common interests and exchanging ideas for building the future. Dozens of families will have their reunions during the event and some families will even host other families interested in Acadie. Theses activities are set to be truly unforgettable and already fifty families are registered to celebrate!
Four key events will mark this 4th Congrès mondial acadien. Three days of festivities filled with symbolism will culminate in a major show featuring numerous artists, notably Acadian artists originally from each of the host areas. These special days will be Opening day on August 7, the National Acadian Day on August 15 and the Closing day on August 23rd. In addition, Espace 2009, the fourth key event, will be held in Pokemouche, the heart of the Peninsula, and will be a hub of entertaining, educative and interactive activities featuring specialties from all Acadian areas.
During the entire Congrès, high caliber events, as well as major artistic, cultural and sporting activities encompassing the theme L’Acadie et ses humeurs (L’Acadie and her moods) will take place throughout the Péninsule and will focus on audio-visual exhibits, plays, shows, nature tours, bicycle tours, sport matches, school projects, radio shows, music, film, business meetings, etc. It will certainly be an opportunity to go out and discover unexpected treasures.
The conference portion of the 2009 Congrès mondial acadien program will reflect the general theme “L’Acadie on the Move”. The conferences and presentations will be aimed at affirming a modern Acadie, one geared toward the future and ready to take its rightful place in the third millennium. These Peninsula-wide lectures and presentations will take different forms such as the Grand rassemblement jeunesse (youth forum), the Sommet des femmes (woman’s summit), Business Routes and many others will be included in the CMA’s assorted and interactive programming.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or comments. Further details as well as the contact information for the team can be found on the ever-evolving CMA website at www.cma2009.ca