October 30, 2008

by Her Excellency Michaëlle Jean

From October 16 to 19, member countries of La Francophonie met in the City of Québec for its 12th summit. Naturally, the fallout from the current global economic crisis were the focus of their concerns. But the summit also provided the backdrop for discussions on other crucial issues such as the environment, democracy and governance, co operation, and a commitment to promoting the French language. What emerged left no doubt that La Francophonie is evolving well beyond a simple gathering of countries that share a heritage in the French language and culture. La Francophonie is increasingly becoming a broader, more diversified organization of communities seeking to amalgamate their ideas, vision and values.

The summit brought together heads of State and government, ministers and ambassadors, but also numerous representatives from the civil societies of the 55 member countries and 13 observer countries.

On October 19, 2008 at the Citadelle, I hosted a special ceremony in which representatives of the Conseil international des organismes des jeunes de la Francophonie (CIJEF) presented an official declaration to the administrator of la Francophonie, Mr. Clément Duhaime; the Premier of New Brunswick, the Honourable Shawn Graham; and me. Entitled “Francophonie Youths’ Call to Action,” the document outlined a persuasive vision for a stronger Francophonie in which youth ideas and aspirations resonate clearly. I was delighted to receive CIJEF and to see them once again engaged in the extremely rich and dynamic exchange we began back in June, when I invited them to the Citadelle for their annual general meeting.

I invite you to read through it. You will find that it contains the very essence of the commitment of youth from Francophone countries in the North and the South. In it, they reiterate the importance of civic and citizenship education; they call for better integration of youth into the democratic process and governance; they underscore how urgent it is to respect rights and freedoms, especially in areas of conflict; they hope that economic strategies and partnerships will be put in place to support entrepreneurs and provide employment opportunities to youth; they consider education, the sharing of expertise and the transfer of knowledge as priorities; and they reaffirm their environmental concerns for sustainable development. The reflection that gave rise to this call to action is supported by the concrete action they are taking right now, in their respective countries. Their declaration speaks to a profound desire to pool their efforts and speak as one within La Francophonie.

The Secretary General of La Francophonie, President Abdou Diouf, and I are committed to ensuring that the vital contribution of youth is recognized and that their voices are heard. The Premier of New Brunswick, the Honourable Shawn Graham, was also impressed by the energy of these young delegates, especially since the Unité jeunesse de la Francophonie [Francophonie youth unit] was created in his province at the Moncton summit in 1999.

At the same time, on October 19, and for the first time in the history of the Francophonie summits, we welcomed and honoured two journalists who had received awards presented jointly by Reporters Without Borders, Radio France Internationale and the OIF. Mr. Virgil Houessou (Benin) had been recognized for his report “Dans l’univers de la MACA” (Maison d’arrêt et de correction d’Abidjan), and Mr. Cheick Yvhane (Ivory Coast) for his article “Des bébés prisonniers à l’hôpital.” I encourage you to read and listen to these stories, because beyond the narratives and information, everything about the way these journalists work deserves our admiration. Consider, for example, the few resources available to them compared to what we have here and in other countries in La Francophonie. And yet it would seem that nothing can shake their conviction that their efforts will raise consciousnesses and transform society. I am always struck by the courage, by the temerity, of journalists who do what they do in regions of the world where misery, conflicts and horror hold sway.

These young journalists and CIJEF delegates are making the most of today’s communication tools at their disposal (media, Internet). For them, these tools are a powerful medium for action and awareness. Through their reporting or the Web portal for Francophone youth, they are showing us that, beyond a shadow of a doubt, they are determined to take action to strengthen solidarities, create new opportunities for co-operation, and work together to find solutions to the issues and challenges of the day.

These eager youth have found in La Francophonie an expression of solidarity that knows no bounds. They are continuing to work hard at home and are already gearing up for the next summit in 2010 in Madagascar. In the meantime, there is work to be done.