News Release

MONCTON (CNB) - Dieppe will welcome the Francôdome and artists from the Francoforce project cultural program from Aug. 28 to Sep 1. The New Brunswick host committee and Memramcook-Lakeville-Dieppe MLA Bernard LeBlanc, made the announcement today.

"The Francoforce project is a co-operative pan-Canadian intergovernmental and community project developed as part of Quebec City's 400th anniversary celebrations, and we are happy to contribute to it," LeBlanc said.

LeBlanc attended on behalf of Minister of Wellness, Culture and Sport Hédard Albert, who is also minister responsible for La Francophonie.

Launched in Quebec City on March 20, the Francoforce project brings together a dozen artists from across Canada to present, with the support of local artists, a portrait of francophone Canada in a dome structure 21 metres in diameter and three stories high. The dome can accommodate up to 450 spectators.

"The Government of New Brunswick is particularly proud of the involvement of New Brunswickers in developing this project," LeBlanc said. "Jac Gautreau and René Légère, who were hired to carry out the initiative, are well-known Acadians, and the delegation that will be touring nationally includes many artists from our province."

New Brunswick's Francoforce host committee is made up of representatives from the provincial and federal governments, the arts world, youth, communities, and the City of Dieppe.

The Forum de concertation des organismes acadiens is also involved in the project.

"By collaborating in the organization of this event, the Forum de concertation is helping to achieve an important element of the Plan de développement global de l'Acadie du Nouveau-Brunswick (Acadian New Brunswick's global development plan), which is to strengthen the influence of the Acadian community within the Francophonie," said Willie Lirette, president of the Forum.

"Artists play a major, fundamental role in contributing to the influence, development, and vitality of l'Acadie," said host committee president Marie-Thérèse Landry, who spoke on behalf of the Conseil provincial des sociétés culturelles and the Association acadienne des artistes professionnel.le.s du N-B. "I am thrilled that the richness and excellence of our artists' work will be so well represented from coast to coast."

The Francoforce tour will start May 29 in Saint-Boniface, Man., and will end Sept. 6 in St. John's, N.L. The Francodôme is in Moncton for a three-week rehearsal period.