As part of the Quebec week of intercultural meetingswhich was held from November 4 to 10, the Center for Assistance to Immigrants and Their Families (CAPIF) organized its third edition of the Night of Integration and Talent, in collaboration with the organizations Liaison Femmes immigrantes Chaudière-Appalaches, Lien-Partage and the Cercle des fermières de Sainte-Marie, Saturday, November 9, at the Sainte-Marie Recreation Center.
More than a hundred families from several countries including Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Mauritius, Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Colombia, Lebanon, Tunisia, Canada etc. took part in this event, the godmother of which was Léa Kaba, originally from Gabon and a teacher at the Cégep de Beauce-Appalaches in Saint-Georges.
This activity aimed not only to discover cultures from here and elsewhere, but also to create a space for networking and promoting talent while highlighting the involvement of a few people who stand out for their openness to diversity. cultural and living together.
After visiting the premises of the Cercle des fermières which allowed participants to benefit from a knitting and weaving workshop, the participants were treated to an intercultural dinner provided by Maria Razo Mexican cuisine and to a series of activities including a poetry competition on the theme “ Quebec in common », musical performances orchestrated by Uriel Esnault, originally from Gabon and the group La Mifa, originally from Mauritius, a fashion show which featured international outfits, the presentation of distinctions all concluded with a dancing evening .
Promote the French language
The members of the jury composed of Jean-Marc Labbé, president of the Richelieu Club of Sainte-Marie, Karell Blais and Hope Ibyimanishaka, both entrepreneurs, selected three finalists in the poetry competition aimed at promoting the French language. Their choice was therefore Grace Oulai, originally from Ivory Coast, followed by Chantal El Helou, originally from Lebanon and Sabrina, originally from Madagascar.
These three candidates produced a great performance according to the members of the jury. On the sidelines of this competition, a poem written by the writer Esse Daouda Achille was presented by Karell Blais, president of the jury and given free of charge to the CAPIF organization.
Several prizes were awarded that evening:
– Ambassador of Diversity and Living Together Awardawarded to Marco Côté, municipal councilor in the City of Sainte-Marie and Political Attaché to Martine Biron, Minister of International Relations, Francophonie and the Status of Women who was honorary president of Festi-cultures, 2024 edition. “ This recognition goes straight to my heart and I will continue to ensure that Beauce is a beautiful and large multicultural family. », affirmed the recipient.
– Ambassador Award for Diversity and Living Togetherawarded to Aline Carrier, former director of the arts education program at Laval University (2022-2023) and has 40 years in teaching, including 20 years as a lecturer at Laval University, in theater and French. She was also director of the Color of the World Festival and the godmother of the Festi-cultures, 2024 edition.
– Golden talent awardawarded to Johanne Grondin, in the visual art category, member of the CAPIF board of directors and professional visual artist who produced artistic works during the 2023 and 2024 editions of Festi-cultures.
Claude Hervé Kouassi receives a trophy from LFICA
Liaison Femme Immigrant Chaudière-Appalaches presented a trophy to Claude Hervé Kouassi during the Night of Integration and Talent to recognize his exceptional commitment to the integration of immigrants in the region. Through his actions and his involvement, he has contributed to strengthening the links between immigrant communities and the host society. Her work has helped promote the recognition and inclusion of people with immigrant backgrounds, while highlighting their talents and successes. By awarding him this trophy, the organization wanted to highlight not only his active role in accompanying and supporting new arrivals, but also his positive influence in promoting cultural diversity and the professional and social integration of immigrants. in Chaudière-Appalaches.
« It is with great enthusiasm and great humility that I receive this award. I didn’t expect it. It’s truly a surprise and it’s heartwarming to see the efforts being recognized and supported by the community. Thanks to LFICA for this recognition », underlined the founder and general director of CAPIF.
