March 19, 2010 

Message from Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean,
Governor General of Canada, on the occasion
of Journée internationale de la Francophonie 

OTTAWA—Today, the Canadian Francophonie is celebrating its membership in the international Francophonie. 

Francophones throughout the country have built schools and community centres, founded newspapers and theatres and developed broad networks with Francophone communities at home and abroad, and with an increasing number of Francophiles. 

We need tenacity and creativity to defend and promote this language that we share and love wholeheartedly. The survival of the French language must not just concern Francophones and Francophiles, it must concern everyone. 

Because we are so keenly aware of how much our language means to us, we realize all the more how important it is to preserve cultural and linguistic diversity for the greater good of the human heritage. 

Let us hope that all of the efforts to promote the use and visibility of the French language form a legacy to preserve and cultivate. Long live La Francophonie! 

                                                            Michaëlle Jean

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The Journée internationale de la Francophonie
is on March 20, 2010.

Media information
Marie-Ève Létourneau
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