Halifax, December 11th, 2001 – Allister Surette will continue to serve as President of Société Acadie Nouvelle-Écosse.  He has been President of the Society since its inception in 1999.  The Society’s Board of Directors, which is responsible for Congrès mondial acadien 2004, elected Mr. Surette on December 8th in Halifax.  Mr. Surette will occupy the position for another one-year mandate. 
     During this important first meeting in Halifax, the Board of Directors also proceeded to elect the other members of the executive committee. In addition to the appointment of Mr. Surette, Napoléon Chiasson of Chéticamp will assume, for a third mandate, the responsibility of Vice-President and Georgina Aucoin of Halifax will serve as Secretary/Treasurer for the group. 
     Three new members also joined the Board of Directors of Société Acadie Nouvelle-Écosse: Georgina Aucoin of Halifax, William (Billy) Joyce of Petit-de-Grat (Isle Madame) and Jean Melanson of Clare.  The new members were elected during the annual general meeting held in November.

     Halifax, December 18th, 2001 – The organizers of Congrès mondial acadien 2004 are pleased to announce that they have signed a partnership agreement with Les Rendez-vous de la Francophonie. The three regional program coordinators for CMA 2004 will also act as coordinators of Les Rendez-vous de la Francophonie. Their role will be to disseminate the information of Les Rendez-vous in Nova Scotia.
     Les Rendez-vous has the mandate to promote French language, culture and community relations throughout Canada, as much through community and human relations as through social activities and celebrations. The annual event will begin its fourth year of activity in 2002.
     The new partnership between the two organizations will make it easier to communicate the events of Les Rendez-vous throughout the province of Nova Scotia with the help of the coordinators.  In addition, the partnership will make it possible for CMA 2004 to convey its information with the assistance of a network of 40 coordinators across the country. 
     The regional coordinators have been working with CMA 2004 for the last month.  They have now established permanent offices in Nova Scotia.  Mildred Comeau manages the Southern Region of the province, while Daniel Comeau occupies the Central Region and Lisa Berthier the Northern.  To get in touch with the regional coordinators, please see the following information:

     Halifax, December 20th, 2001 - Ginette Arsenault, Programs director of Congrès mondial acadien 2004, has set up a committee to look after the development of academic and public conferences during CMA 2004. 
     The committee is made up of six members, representing different sectors of the Acadian community. Gerald C. Boudreau was named president and Neil Boucher was named vice-president; Donna Doucet, Gabriel LeBlanc, Julie Oliver and Napoleon Chiasson also become permanent members of this committee.
     The temporary theme for the conferences is: Acadie a vibrant culture 400 years later. The goal of the conferences is to analyze the current situation of Acadia and to better define what the future might hold. The conferences sector will comprise of two parts: an academic component and a community-based component. The community-based discussions will take place in all the Acadian regions based on the communities' interests. In fact, the community-based discussions will be organized by people and groups who choose to do so. The groups interested in organizing such a conference should submit their project to the conferences' organizing committee to be included in the conferences' official program. 
     The Congrès mondial acadien 2004 conferences will take place August 8, 9, 10 and 11 2004 at l'Université Sainte-Anne in Church Point, Nova Scotia.
     The Congrès mondial acadien 2004 is a world-class event which gives an opportunity to Acadians from around the world to meet, exchange and celebrate the Acadian culture. 

     Halifax, October 19, 2001 - The Société Acadie Nouvelle-Écosse 2004 is pleased to announce the nomination of three regional program coordinators for the Congrès mondial acadien 2004.
     The Northern region of the province will benefit from Lisa Berthier's expertise. Presently residing in Petit-de-Grat. Ms. Berthier brings to the organization a wealth of knowledge in the field of research and in the management of special projects. Among her achievements, her research work for the Collège de l'Acadie, as well as her work on the political scene in New Brunswick, will definitely be of benefit to her employment. Lisa Berthier also has a bachelor in Social Sciences with a major in Political Science and a Minor in Business from Université de Moncton. Ms. Berthier will begin working in Isle Madame on November 5th, 2001.
     Daniel Comeau of Halifax will coordinate the Central region. Well-known in the Acadian and French-speaking community of Nova Scotia, Daniel Comeau has several years of experience in the field of public relations. In fact, Mr. Comeau has worked as General Manager of Canadian Parents for French as well as Regional Coordinator for the Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse. Originally from Baie Sainte-Marie, Daniel Comeau has always been involved in the activities of the Acadian community of Nova Scotia. Mr. Comeau will be working at CMA 2004 starting December 3rd, 2001. 
     Finally, the Southern region of the province will be under the guidance of Mildred Comeau of La Butte, Digby County. Mrs. Comeau's thirteen years of experience as Regional Coordinator of Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse will certainly benefit the region. In fact, Mrs. Comeau brings with her experience in event organization and community development. Furthermore, her involvement in the Acadian community will certainly be an asset in her work with CMA 2004. Mrs. Comeau will begin working on November 5th, 2001.
     Allister Surette, President of the Société, is very pleased by the hiring of the regional coordinators. "The Acadian regions of Nova Scotia will play a fundamental role in the Congrès mondial acadien 2004. In fact, these regions will be welcoming the thousands of tourists during the activities of 2004. The regional coordinators will allow a direct contact between the areas and the provincial office. We are delighted to welcome these three coordinators to our team", concludes Mr. Surette.
     The first task for the new coordinators will be to establish their regional offices. In the meantime, please address all questions pertaining to the coordinators to Ginette Arsenault, Director of Programming, at the provincial office of the Congrès mondial acadien 2004.

     Halifax (N.S.) The CMA organizing committee has announced that opening ceremonies would be held on July 31, 2004 in the Acadian region of Clare.  It will be designed to celebrate the early days of Acadia.  On August 7-8, Acadians from around the world will experience Acadian culture and arts in region of Cheticamp in northern Nova Scotia. On August 15, the National feast day for Acadians, activities (including a religious ceremony) are planned at the Grand Pre National Historic Site.  In Halifax, a musical celebration will commemorate the founding of Acadia and the start of French colonization in the New World.  Allister Surette, President of the organizing committee states, "These events will be the anchors of CMA 2004. Our goal is to showcase the vitality and vibrancy of Nova Scotia’s Acadie to the world”. 
     For more information contact: Vaughne madden, General manager, 1657 Barrington Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2A1 Tel: (902) 424-7104 or e-mail < vmadden@cma2004.com >.

Dartmouth, (N.S.)  The Board of Directors of the World Acadian Congress 2004 (CMA2004) confirms the dates for the upcoming major Acadian gathering.  The CMA2004 will take place on July 31st until August 15th, 2004, in Nova Scotia. 

The Board of Directors, following an intensive work session with council expert, Robert Frenette, on June 12th and 13th, has set the dates, 2000, in Dartmouth.  "I am very satisfied with our last meeting.  There was an abundance of energy from all the participants involved, representing very well the Nova Scotia Acadian community," explained Allister Surette, President of the Board of Directors of the World Acadian Congress 2004. 

This fundamental decision on the date is part of the developmental plan moderated during the meeting by Mr. Frenette.  This plan, which will soon be confirmed by the Board, will develop a working structure, a list of principal strategic steps, and budget estimates for the World Congress.

The Board of Directors of CMA2004 is now considering possibilities of financing by the provincial and federal governments.  This would allow an organisational structure to be put in place in the area of administration, programming, and communication by the end of the summer, 2000. 

Tuesday, April 11, 2000

Meteghan River, NS -- The Board of Directors of the World Acadian Congress 2004 has received financing from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) in order to implement a development plan to begin preparations for Nova Scotia’s turn at organizing this large Acadian gathering.

This development plan will primarily be used to establish the necessary organizational structure and calendar of principal strategic stages and budgetary estimates for the Congress.

The CMA 2004 Board of Directors retained the services of Robert Frenette in order to develop the plan.  Among Mr. Frenette’s responsibilities was the participation in the co-ordination of the Village de la Francophonie in the town of Dieppe, New Brunswick in 1999.  Moreover, he was Secretary General of the organizing Committee of the World Acadian Congress in New Brunswick and author of the feasibility study for this first World Acadian Congress. 

"I firmly believe that this development plan will be a fundamental tool to carry out the organization of the Acadian World Congress 2004," underlined Mr. Allister Surette, chairman of the board of the World Congress.

Mr. Frenette, who will work closely with the CMA Board, expects the plan will be complete by the end of May 2000. 

Mr. Surette will be one of the guest speakers at tonight’s open house at all five Nova Scotia Collège de l’Acadie learning centres.   The doors open at 7 p.m. and the press is welcome to attend. 

     An organizational meeting by Ron Bourgeois and Vaughne Madden for CMA 2004 was held in Dartmouth [Acadie Nouvelle-Écosse 2004, 73, promenade Tacoma, suite 203, Dartmouth, Nouvelle-Écosse B2W 3Y6] on Nov. 19-20, 1999.  There were 120 people there.  Leonard Goguen talked about CMA 1994 and Eddie Richard spoke about CMA 1999.  From 26 applications submitted, a 10-member Board of Directors was elected at that meeting.  They are: Neil Boucher, Jennifer Bourque, Napolean Chiasson, Jos Cottreau, Michel deNonCourt, Harley d'Entremont, Pauline d'Entremont, William Girroir, Julie Oliver, and Allister Surette  The responsibilities of the Board were also approved. 
     The Board had a meeting on Dec. 8 to work on the organization of CMA 2004, financing, and to select the executive committee. They are:

   The beginnings of European colonization in North America and the role Nova Scotia played at that time will all be reflected by the anniversary dates of Champiain's arrival in 1604 and the establishment of Port Royal in 1605. The 400th anniversary of the arrival of French settlers on our shores and the history which spans from it, the 350th anniversary in 2003 of the village of Pubnico foundation, the 250th anniversary in 2005 of Acadian Deportation and Grand Dérangement, as well as Nova Scotia being the cradle of old Acadie are all excellent reasons to celebrate.

   Come rediscover your family roots in L'Acadie. Here, visitors will be delighted by the ear-pleasing, rich Acadian dialect.  The tricolored flag which is flown proudly everywhere is a testimony of each community's loyalty to its French province of origin. The Acadian and francophone communities of Argyle, Cheticamp, Clare, Pomquet and Richmond, as well as the Annapolis Valley and the cities of Sydney and Halifax will welcome you in their own local way. But Grand-Pré will undoubtedly be one of the key stopping points, a pilgrimage place by excellence for Acadians in search of historic and spiritual links to their past.

   From August 1st to 15th, 2004, a non-stop marathon of provincial and community cultural events will make L'Acadie shine forth across the world. Opening and Closing Ceremonies, National Acadian Day Extravaganza, Family Reunions, Dynamic Conferences, Summits, Mi-Carême Celebration in summer; Seafood Festival, Choir; Traditional Dance and Amateur Theatre Festivals, Arts and Crafts Exhibits, Genealogical Exhibits are but a few of the events not to miss.

   This is just an overview of what L'Acadie can offer you: come and enjoy memorable moments in Nova Scotia!

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