August 7, 2009
OTTAWA—Their Excellencies, the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, and Jean-Daniel Lafond, along with their daughter, Marie-Éden, will travel to Tracadie-Sheila in the Acadian Peninsula in New Brunswick to attend the opening ceremony of the Grand rassemblement jeunesse 2009, a gathering to celebrate the Acadian history of the province, on Wednesday, August 12, 2009 . Their Excellencies will continue their regional visit in Moncton, where they will take part in the raising of the Acadian flag and host a Youth Dialogue on Friday, August 14, 2009 .
Her Excellency is very proud to be the patron of the Grand rassemblement jeunesse 2009: “As I mentioned at the Université de Moncton in May, I know that here, in Acadia, I am among women and men, young people for whom history is a magnificent lesson in perseverance, and that now more than ever is the time to remember that we have agreed to open borders and reject standardized cultures. It is a great honour to be the patron of the Grand rassemblement and to be surrounded by Acadian youth that is a great source of inspiration for youth across the country and abroad.”
The Governor General will give the opening address in front of 400 young Acadians from the Atlantic provinces and a delegation of young people from across the country and abroad. She will talk about the importance of mobilization and solidarity among young people and salute all the efforts the Acadian people are making to preserve their cultural identity.
Their Excellencies will go to Moncton on Friday, August 14 to honour citizens' accomplishments at a presentation ceremony for the Governor General's Caring Canadian Award—which was created by the eighth Canadian governor general, the late Roméo LeBlanc—and the Duke of Edinburgh's Awards, of which the Governor General is the national chair. Their Excellencies will also take part in the raising of the Acadian flag on the eve of National Acadian Day. As part of the 2009 Youth Dialogues series, the Governor General will host a discussion focusing on building peace and solidarity.
About the Governor General's Youth Dialogues
Having made youth a priority of her mandate, the Governor General inaugurated the Youth Dialogues series in 2007, providing young Canadians with a space to voice their opinions on social transformation, and to pursue this dialogue on the Citizen Voices Web site. The Governor General's Youth Dialogues are part of a nationwide series of high-energy discussions that focus on galvanizing youth across the country to become catalysts of hope. For more information on the Governor General's Youth Dialogues, please visit www.citizenvoices.gg.ca/en/themes/youth_dialogues .
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The detailed itinerary of Their Excellencies' visit to New Brunswick
will be published next week.
Media Information:
Marie-Ève Létourneau
Rideau Hall Press Office
613-998-0287
613-302-0912 (cell.)
meletourneau@gg.ca
www.gg.ca
www.citizenvoices.gg.ca
