- About
- News & Events
- Student Life
- DELF-DALF Exams
- Programs in French
- For Inservice Teachers K-12
PRESS RELEASE
A month of free activities to celebrate “La Francophonie”
Today marks the beginning of the festivities surrounding the 11th - virtual - edition of Le Printemps de la francophonie, organized by Simon Fraser University's Office of Francophone and Francophile Affairs (OFFA).
From March 1 to 31, everyone from coast to coast is invited to participate, free of charge, in some fifteen cultural, academic and professional activities. Under the theme of equity, diversity, and inclusion, Francophones and Francophiles alike will discover the various facets of the Francophonie from here and from abroad.
Lectures will deal with linguistic rights and Wendat sociology with renowned guests: Fernand de Varennes, UN Special Reporter, François Larocque from the University of Ottawa, and Guy Sioui Durand, sociologist and independent curator.
The Radio-Canada program Culture et confiture will join the event to co-host a panel discussion on Saturday, March 20, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am. Topics of adolescent mental health, the welcoming of newcomers to areas outside major urban centers, and the diversity of Francophone communities in British Columbia will be discussed with close to a dozen stakeholders.
A workshop on the importance of diversity in children's literature, available online throughout the event, as well as the bilingual job fair on March 16, will be opportunities to enrich your professional perspectives.
Four "movie times" will be spread throughout the month of March. Following the screening of the film WOMAN on March 4 at 10 a.m. and the documentary Une rivière métissée on March 29 at 2:30 p.m., we invite you to meet the directors and ask any questions you may have.
Residents of the Greater Vancouver area will have the chance to take part in a cultural outing to the visual arts exhibition "Non-essential". Immerse yourself in the visual universe of eight artists in complete safety. Reservable half-hour time slots will be available to limit the number of guests.
This edition will end on a high note with a virtual musical concert by Sarahmée, an artist who has become an essential part of the Quebec rap scene. This performance, specially recorded for the Printemps de la francophonie, will be accessible from March 26 to 31.
"Despite the circumstances, we decided to organize an event, rich not only in the diversity of the activities offered but also in the themes addressed. More than ever, we need discovery, entertainment and escape, and that is what we hope to offer the public with this virtual edition of the Printemps de la francophonie. "said Gino LeBlanc, Director of the OFFA.
Mr. LeBlanc also wishes to thank the community, university and government partners who make this event a not-to-be-missed occasion that goes beyond the borders of British Columbia.
Le Printemps de la francophonie is made possible thanks to the financial support of the Secrétariat du Québec aux relations canadiennes of the Government of Quebec, the British Columbia Ministry of Advanced Education and the Université de Sherbrooke. Special thanks to the various collaborators: Alliance Française de Toronto, Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages, Alberta, British Columbia, Northwest Territories and Yukon Region, Conseil culturel et artistique de la C.-B., Conseil jeunesse de la C.-B., Fédération des francophones de la C.-B., lecollectif - collectif des artistes visuels de la C.-B., Les Rendez-vous de la Francophonie, Radio-Canada B.C. Yukon, Société de développement économique de la C.-B., Department of Justice / Government of Canada, Visions Ouest Production, and at SFU: the Departments of French, History and Political Science, the Faculty of Education, the French Student Union.
OFFA's mission is to coordinate, promote and support the development of programs and courses offered in French at Simon Fraser University. It also organizes scientific and cultural activities in the community to stimulate the development of a plural and inclusive Francophonie.