Francofête celebrations a success
Five teams of international students who participated in Concordia’s first ever Francofête Rally returned to the Henry F. Hall Building in short order following a visit to the Maison du développement durable on Ste-Catherine Street, the last stop on a city-wide scavenger hunt.
The rally was designed to give international students a chance to explore some of Montreal’s most intriguing sites, tout en français. It was organized as part of this year’s Francofête celebrations at Concordia.
In the end, the six members of the “orange” team arrived first, earning the grand prize of $1,000. “Everyone was really good. Everyone was quick,” says winning team member Kirthan Palaniswany, a master’s student in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. “We each took our paths; like, you find this, and I’ll find that. And then we put together all the clues. It was a team effort.”
Teammate Sara Ayoubi, a PhD student in the Concordia Institute for Information Systems Engineering (CIISE), says she was happy her team won the money because she had just spent quite a lot on a brand new backpack. “I was panicking a bit because it was so expensive,” she says, laughing.
Oui Can Help! Project Coordinator Chanel Bourdon says the rally was a hit among all the international students who took part, and will definitely be held again next year.
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La Foire du terroir québécois
Co-sponsored by Concordia’s Oui Can Help! program and the Département d’études françaises, with support from the International Students Office, la Francofête à Concordia also featured La Foire du terroir québécois, a food fair in the atrium of the Engineering, Computer Science and Visual Arts Integrated Complex (EV Building).
Even though there was a snowstorm that day and some producers had to cancel, the ones who did show up received a lot of visits from the Concordia community, and sales were brisk. An ice wine producer even sold out and had to leave early, says Bourdon. “It was their record for sales at any fair, so they’re going to come back!”
Bourdon and the other members of the organizing committee want to hold the fair over two days next year, so more producers can showcase their wares on campus, and more members of the Concordia community can enjoy the opportunity to sample some made-in-Quebec delights.
Oui Can Help! bursaries
During the final afternoon of the Francofête celebrations, 152 awards of $500 each were given to students who had applied for support from the French-language bursary program. The awards are designed to support students at Concordia looking to acquire “the knowledge and skills needed to enter the Quebec workforce.”
During his closing remarks at the Francofêtes celebrations, Vice-Provost, Teaching and Learning, Ollivier Dyens, announced that the Government of Quebec has agreed to lend its financial support to the Francofête celebrations at Concordia again next year.
He also reminded the assembled students that while it’s important to learn the French language if they choose to stay and work in Quebec, it’s just as important to take the time to discover the richness of francophone culture in Quebec.
“My father’s from Tunisia, my mother’s from Germany. I was born in Rome, and we arrived here when I was three,” he said. “I’m kind of from all over the place. But for me, Montreal is my home, because I always felt welcome here, and I hope you will discover that, too.”
Related links:
• Oui Can Help! program
• “A Taste of La Francofête on campus” — NOW, February 26, 2013
• CIISE
• Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Département d’études françaises