June 2007<\/p>\n
2009 World Acadian Congress launches preliminary program<\/p>\n
(Pokemouche, New Brunswick – June 21, 2007) \u2013 The team organizing the 2009 World Acadian Congress (WAC) launched its preliminary program today in front of a large audience in Pokemouche, located in the centre of the Acadian Peninsula. The announcement took place two years and two months before the event that will not only be the largest ever organized in this region of New Brunswick, but also the largest event in 2009 in the Canadian francophonie.<\/p>\n
The event will be held from August 7 to 23, 2009, on the Acadian Peninsula in northeastern New Brunswick. More than 100 communities will offer a number of activities highlighting the richness and dynamism of the host region.<\/p>\n
The World Acadian Congress is a reunion of Acadians and guests from around the world. The 2009 Congress will be an opportunity for people from all over to better acquaint themselves with a unique region known for its diversity and to meet people who are working toward the future. \u201cAcadians by adoption and people interested in Acadie are invited to come meet our welcoming people living in one of the Maritimes\u2019 most picturesque environments,\u201d said Jean-Guy Rioux, President of the 2009 WAC.<\/p>\n
Program 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 WAC will have something for every taste and for all ages throughout the Acadian Peninsula. \u201cThe 2009 WAC on the Acadian Peninsula will be a memorable meeting of people proud to live in their culture and surrounded by magnificent coastal landscapes that are unique to the region,\u201d said Mr. Rioux. \u201cThe summer of 2009 will really be the summer of the Acadian Peninsula.\u201d<\/p>\n
Community programming will be at the heart of the event. More than 225 activities are already on the program in 80 of the Acadian Peninsula\u2019s nearly 100 towns, villages and LSDs. Other community activities will definitely be added between now and the event. \u201cWhether it\u2019s an exhibit on the history of the forced landing of a Russian airplane in Miscou, lobster suppers in Pigeon Hill, clams in St-Simon or eels in \u00c9vang\u00e9line, trips out on the water with Anse-Bleue fishermen, square dancing in Sainte-Rose, workshops on making snowshoes in Saint-Sauveur, boat trips on the river in Tracadie-Sheila, or an exhibit on the first settlers in Val-Comeau, nearly all Peninsula communities will be organizing activities to highlight their can-do attitude,\u201d said Jocelyne Th\u00e9riault, head of programming for the 2009 WAC.<\/p>\n
Big events in all four corners of the Peninsula<\/p>\n
August 7, opening day, will take place in the regions of Lam\u00e8que, Shippagan and Miscou. The day will start with the symphonic sounds of a large group of decorated boats. Residents and visitors will take part in an \u201cAcadian March\u201d that will be both a celebration of origins and of the current vitality of the francophone people in America. An opening lunch and cultural displays will liven up the picturesque area. The day will culminate in a stage show entitled \u201cOcean Roots\u201d that will feature a string of artists, the majority of whom are from this neck of Acadie.<\/p>\n
Greater Caraquet will host the August 15th celebration of the Acadian national holiday. Preceded by a series of country-style luncheons at the wharf in Grande-Anse, the Village Historique Acadien and the Marina de Bas-Caraquet, the 2009 Grand Tintamarre will be a never-before-seen celebration for all of Acadie. The Tintamarre will make its way toward a stage show that will bring together some of the most famous and successful artists from all over Acadie.<\/p>\n
Closing day, August 23, will take place in the regions of Tracadie-Sheila and Neguac under the theme of youth, family and spirituality. Closing day will begin in Neguac with an incredible summer carnival. Themed pavilions will present visitors with a cultural and community experience. The day will culminate with the Congress\u2019 grand finale closing stage show in Tracadie-Sheila, a multi-faceted event that will feature some of the greatest voices of Acadie through the incredibly moving images, music and songs of this francophone people.<\/p>\n
Space 2009
\nFrom August 16 to 20, the Pokemouche region, located in the very centre of the Acadian Peninsula, will welcome \u201cEspace 2009\u201d or Space 2009, an exterior area that will be turned in to a place where the innovation and creativity of Acadie will be highlighted. A variety of festive and interactive activities will take place in this physical and virtual village which will serve as a place to meet, celebrate and entertain, and which has been conceived as a human and technological mosaic presenting Acadie\u2019s strengths. Spaces dedicated to specific areas such as technology, science, economics, cuisine, arts and culture, communities, etc., will allow visitors to discover Acadian ingenuity in all its richness. Stage shows will also be presented.<\/p>\n
Family reunions<\/p>\n
Under the theme \u201cThe Family Is Here,\u201d several dozen family reunions will take place during the event. Some Acadian families will host other families interested in Acadie. These get-togethers, already in the planning stages, will certainly be memorable and will gather Acadians from all over the world.<\/p>\n
Twenty projects on the Acadian Peninsula<\/p>\n
During the Congress, major events grouped under the theme \u201cAcadie and Its Moods\u201d will take place throughout the Peninsula: visual arts, theatre, stage shows, nature activities, bicycle tours of the region, sports, school projects, radio, music, films, business meetings, etc. It will be an opportunity to discover surprising treasures.<\/p>\n
Several major cultural activities are on the program and have been organized by various artistic and cultural groups: the Festival des arts visuels en Atlantique will present an exhibit called \u201cInvincible Roots\u201d; the Th\u00e9\u00e2tre populaire d\u2019Acadie will present \u201cCourtes formes Maritimes\u201d and an opera called \u201cLa metamorphose\u201d; the Comit\u00e9 du Vieux-Couvent de Caraquet will present a sound and light show; the Conservatoire de musique de l\u2019Acadie will hold a Peninsula-wide concert; Cojak Productions will present a film entitled \u201cVoir l\u2019Acadie\u201d; the Groupe Existe and the Centre culturel de Caraquet will present a symposium on modern art entitled \u201cIllumination 2009\u201d and an art project entitled \u201cLes lampadaires de 2009\u201d; the four cultural societies on the Peninsula will present the musical drama \u201cLouis-Mailloux\u201d; the Salon du livre de la P\u00e9ninsule acadienne will publish a guide on Acadian authors or authors who write about Acadie; artist R\u00e9gis No\u00ebl will present an exhibit of great works entitled \u201cAcadie, vent dans les voiles\u201d; and the Hookeuses du Bor\u2019de\u2019lo will present exhibits entitled \u201cWeaving the Acadian Thread\u201d and \u201cLet the Rugs Talk.\u201d<\/p>\n
In activities related to the environment, sports and health, several activities are on the program. \u201cTwo Islands, a Thousand Treasures\u201d is being organized by the Acadian islands regional planning committee of the 2009 WAC (Lam\u00e8que and Miscou); the Amis de la v\u00e9loroute de la P\u00e9ninsule acadienne will be guiding people on various special bicycle tours during the Congress; environmentalists Philip Boucher and Marcel David, as well as the Club des naturalistes de la P\u00e9ninsule acadienne, are organizing various activities and hikes; the Association windsurf kiteboard Shippagan-les \u00celes will be organizing a program of activities around kitesurfing. Youth groups will be organizing various events, such as the Acad\u00e9mie jeunesse internationale presented by the Soci\u00e9t\u00e9 des Jeux de l\u2019Acadie and Radio \u00e9cologique of the \u00c9cole l\u2019Envol\u00e9e.<\/p>\n
GrandeJasette.Com: Conferences and demonstrations<\/p>\n
\u201cAcadie on the move\u201d will be the general theme of the conference portion of the 2009 World Acadian Congress. \u201cConferences and presentations will be aimed at affirming a modern Acadie, one geared toward the future and ready to take its place in the third millennium,\u201d said Robert Frenette, executive director of the World Acadian Congress. Various forms of communication will be used to take on several subjects that will pique the interest of the general public and encourage participation, while avoiding being solely academic in tone. \u201cParticipants will consider various themes, including social, cultural, economic, environmental and political. Conferences will be held throughout the Peninsula and will take on several formats, such as interactive forums with videoconferencing, online chats, artistic approaches, guided tours, displays, outdoor exhibits, research and traditional conferences,\u201d Mr. Frenette said. A Women\u2019s Summit is also planned, as well as a large economic development event being organized by the chambers of commerce. As well, the Great Youth Gathering organized by and for young people, will allow young Acadians and francophones to live an unforgettable identity-related experience during the World Acadian Congress. Finally, the Congress will host several national and international meetings of francophone organizations who will be coming together for conferences or annual general meetings.<\/p>\n
The preliminary program can be found on the 2009 WAC website at www.cma2009.ca. Details on additions to the program will be added to the website as soon as they become available. The World Acadian Congress team is currently working on a new website that will be online in September. The new website will provide information on all facets of the event and the host region.<\/p>\n
Carol Doucet<\/p>\n
Director of Communications and Media Relations<\/p>\n
2009 World Acadian Congress<\/p>\n