14^th EDITION OF LES RENDEZ-VOUS DE LA FRANCOPHONIE

Here are some of the highlights of this pan-Canadian celebration of the French language:

Spokespersons Boucar Diouf and Jessica Holmes invite all Canadians to join the party. As Boucar says, “I am one of those who thinks that passivity is the best friend of assimilation. Which makes it important to sing the praises of our French experience!”

Up to 1,000 events and activities across the country

This year once again, our national calendar contains hundreds of activities, including: a film tour by the National Film Board of Canada with 152 viewings in 58 cities from coast to coast, a contest sponsored by Air Canada, activities in libraries and cultural centres, not to mention the countless events organized by Francophones and Francophiles in their communities, which constitute the true heart of the RVF. For the full list of activities, check the RVF Web site at www.rvf.ca

This year, La Francophonie will blow your mind!

The École nationale de l’humour (ÉNH) is pleased to join this year’s RVF by contributing, along with its alumni, to the national RVF contest through the production of comedy skits. Visit the RVF’s contest section, where you will find some 20 different comedy skits revolving around linguistic duality. There is a total of five French, five English and ten bilingual skits. Visitors are asked to rate each one, which will enter them up to 20 times in the national RVF contest, every entry being a chance to win the grand prize of a trip for four to Paris on Air Canada.

More visibility on the Web and lots of other contests

In addition to the traditional publicity campaign directed at Francophone TV audiences, and a bilingual Rendez-vous newsletter, one million copies of which are distributed across Canada, the organization has completely revamped its Internet strategy, and now features a promotional campaign on Facebook, which has boosted its number of friends from 800 to 10,000 in a matter of months. The online blog has been running since November 1, 2011, with current and real time information about La Francophonie in Canada and around the world. Thanks to our many partners, visitors to the Web site can enter a total of four contests, with prizes totalling $20,000:

• “La Francophonie will blow your mind”, sponsored by Air Canada, in collaboration with the ÉNH, for a chance to win a trip for four to Paris.
• “Ecris---moi sans fautes”, a spelling contest with $1,000 for the winner.
• The Via---Rail contest, with $2,500 travel points for the winner.
• The “Understanding builds a better future” contest for agencies that list activities with the RVF, with a chance to win $500.

A theme with a call to action

In 2010, the RVF adopted a three-year action plan that identified a theme that would evolve over three years with the purpose of fostering closer ties and dialogue among Canada’s different communities: Discovery stimulates interaction in 2010, and Interaction leads to understanding in 2011. In 2012, the final phase of the action plan kicks in with the theme of Understanding builds a better future, which includes activities that bring together Canadian and Francophone communities around the world. The goal is to build bridges among cultures, and to showcase the dynamism and vitality of Canada’s Francophonie on the international stage. Understanding builds a better future also includes a campaign that targets youth through humour and the social media.

From March 9 to 25, let’s get on board the RVF and celebrate. For the first leg of this great get-together, click on www.rvf.ca!


Since 2005, Les Rendez-vous de la Francophonie has been organized by the Canadian Foundation for Cross-Cultural Dialogue. This annual event built around Journée internationale de la Francophonie promotes initiatives by Francophones and Francophiles across the country. The Foundation works to promote and sustain dialogue and bring together Francophone and Acadian communities and the many different components of Canadian society.