History

1997

• Mr. John Ralston Saul and Ms. Lisa Balfour Bowen founded French for the Future
• First Local Annual Forum held in Toronto: 200 students from 8 high schools in the Toronto area

1999

• Second Local Annual Forum in Toronto: 215 students from 20 Toronto high schools

2000

• Local Annual Forums held in Toronto, Halifax, Vancouver, and Calgary: a total of 597 students from 60 high schools attend the forums
• Introduction of satellite broadcasting technology to link the forums

2001

• Local Annual Forums added in Fredericton and Winnipeg: a total of 1,040 students from 90 high schools attend the forums
• National Office is established in Toronto

2002

• 3 more Local Annual Forum cities are added:  Whitehorse, Saskatoon, and St. John’s : more than 1,500 students from 141 schools attend the forums
• 500 additional students in more than 25 remotes sites are able to watch the live satellite broadcast of the local forums

• The Horizon Project is introduced: students come to Montreal for several days of cultural events and excursions
• The Franco-Nord Youth Project is introduced: students from across the north gather in Whitehorse
• 3 more Local Annual Forums are added:  Charlottetown, Montreal, and Sudbury : a total of 2,700 students from 184 schools in 12 cities participate in the forums (including live satellite feed participants)

• 3 more Local Annual Forum sites are added:  Edmonton, Kelowna, and Yellowknife
• Yellowknife hosts the second annual Franco-Nord Youth Forum
• The Horizon Project develops into the National Ambassador Youth Forum, held in Calgary and moderated by John Ralston Saul

• 3 more Local Annual Forum sites are added:  Iqaluit, Ottawa, and Regina
• Ottawa hosts the National Ambassador Youth Forum, broadcast live from Rideau Hall
• Iqaluit hosts the Franco-Nord Youth Forum
• The First National Essay Contest is launched. Theme: The advantages of being bilingual

2006

• Kelowna and London are added to the list of cities hosting Local Forums
• The National Ambassador Youth Forum is held in Fredericton
• The 2006-2007 National Essay Contest theme : The responsibilities of living in a country with two official languages

2007

• Local Forums are held in Calgary, Fredericton, Halifax, London, Montreal, Ottawa, Regina, Toronto, Vancouver, and Winnipeg
• The National Ambassador Youth Forum is held in Toronto, on the Glendon campus of York University
• The 2007-2008 National Essay Contest theme : Youth voter apathy

2008

• Local Annual Forums are held in 14 cities
• The National Ambassador Youth Forum is held in Toronto, on the Glendon campus
• The 2008-2009 National Essay Contest theme : Ta Cause... Ta Chance!
  

2009

• Local Annual Forums are held in 14 cities.
• The National Ambassador Youth Forum takes place in St-Boniface, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
• The 2009-2010 National Essay Contest question is: In your opinion, is competition useful?

• Local Annual Forums are held in 14 cities.
• The National Ambassador Youth Forum takes place in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
• The 2010-2011 National Essay Contest question is: Imagine that you have the authority to declare 2011 the International Year of _____ (fill in the blank)!  What theme would you choose?  Why?

• The National Ambassador Youth Forum takes place in Quebec City, from February 25 to March 1^st.
• A new program, the Franconnexion Sessions, is officially lauched in September 2011.
• The 2011-2012 National Essay Contest question is: How do you see the world in 15 years from now?
• French for the Future is preparing to celebrate its 15^th anniversary!