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The Citadelle, Wednesday, June 4, 2008
It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the Citadelle. Located high atop Cape Diamant, where the majestic St. Lawrence River narrows, as the Amerindian meaning of the word “Quebec” suggests, this military fortification is the only one of its kind that remains intact in North America.
It is a place brimming with our collective heritage, a jewel of this magnificent city, whose 400th anniversary we are celebrating.
Four hundred years.
Four hundred years of strong and continuous presence.
Four hundred years of settlement.
The history of the French language and culture in the Americas is one of resistance, and yes, one of stubbornness.
And I believe that this language and culture, everywhere that they have flourished, are now more than ever a bastion against the uniformity plaguing our world.
Make no mistake: this sense of linguistic belonging that we have in common is not and could never be inward looking; on the contrary, it is an opening up. For language is first and foremost a meeting place, a vehicle for solidarity, and a celebration.
Language is a unique way to understand and interpret the world. Seen in that light, La Francophonie is not a mental construct, but rather a melding of the minds. And, I might add, of the hearts.
La Francophonie is you and I, we who believe in its importance, in its vitality; we who want nothing more than to see it thrive here and around the world.
It is every person who shares the French language and the desire to speak it, write it, sing it, share it with others and enrich it with a multitude of viewpoints on the world.
I am delighted that the 400th anniversary of the founding of the City of Québec has given all of us, sisters and brothers in language and culture, the opportunity to reflect on La Francophonie as a space rich in ideas, creation and solidarity between peoples.
My husband and I want to open up the institution we represent to thought, dialogue and sharing. This Art Matters forum has allowed us to do so, and we are eager to hear what you have to say.