Festivities begin for Toronto’s Francophonie Week
Over a ten-day period, Francophonie Week offers all area Francophones and Francophiles a number of cultural, artistic and literary events throughout the city, many of which are free of charge.
The program includes:
- March 20 – Cocktail launch event (by invitation)
- March 21 – ‘Celebrate Québec cinema!’ at the Carlton Cinema
- March 21 – The film C.R.A.Z.Y. at the Alliance Française de Toronto
- March 23 – Family Day! ‘Grand Bazaar Franco’ at Collège Boréal
- March 23 – ‘Carine au Micro’, world music concert at the Alliance Française de Toronto
- March 24 – The Gabrielle Roy Spelling Competition at the Alliance Française de Toronto
- March 26-30 – Exhibition: Three Women from Quebec at the McMichael Museum
- March 28 – FrancOpen Mic at the Rivoli
- March 29 – Paul Meslet with Oliver Moret, Tania Gill and the Chat Gris Quartet at the Heliconian Hall
- 30 mars – Comedian Rosalie Vaillancourt performs at the Alliance Française de Toronto
- 31 mars – Concert: Tales from the Wind at the Alliance Française de Toronto
Under the theme “Celebrating what unites us,” Francophone Week invites all Francophones and Francophiles to come together to enjoy the French language in all its richness and diversity.
Members of the Steering Committee:
- Collège Boréal (coordinator)
- Bureau du Québec à Toronto
- Ontario Ministry of Francophone Affairs
- Centre francophone de Toronto
- Francophonie en Fête
- Glendon University College
- Alliance Française de Toronto
- Oasis Centre des Femmes
- Consulat Général de France à Toronto
Quick facts on La Francophonie
- French ranks fifth among languages most spoken throughout the world: 300 million people in 102 countries speak French. The number of Francophones has risen by 10% since 2014 and by 2065, there will be more than one billion Francophones throughout the world.
- 32 states and governments have French as an official language.
- In Ontario, there are approximately 622,000 Francophones and more than 1.5 million people speak French, for a total of 11.5% of the province’s population.
- Ontario’s Francophone community is the largest in Canada outside of Quebec.
About La Semaine de la Francophonie
La Semaine de la langue française et de la francophonie (Francophonie Week) is an annual cultural event held on International Francophonie Day on March 20 or thereabouts throughout the world, including many provinces and cities in Canada, with the support of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie.
Toronto’s Francophonie Week began in its current form in 2001. Annually, a steering committee grouping local Francophone institutions invites the community to develop a series of cultural, artistic, literary and scientific events in the spirit of celebrating and sharing the city’s French dimension in all its forms and all its diversity.
