An eclectic Team Canada for Games like no other!
Department of Canadian Heritage – From July 21 to 30, 2017 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, Team Canada will participate in the VIIIes Games of La Francophonie.
A huge event for young people held every four years, bringing together close to 3,000 young athletes and artists, the Games of La Francophonie are the only international games to feature both sports and cultural competitions in one event where the French language takes center stage.
Intended for athletes and artist from 18 to 35 years of age from the 84 member and observer states and governments of La Francophonie, the uniqueness of these games should draw your interest as well as the interest of Canadians from across the country.
I therefore invite you to follow these Games and more specifically, the preparation and participations of Team Canada. These young artists and athletes who are getting ready to face the best of their peers in a context where La Francophonie is showcased deserve to be known.
For the 2017 Games, Team Canada will be represented in the following cultural events:
- Visual arts – sculpture: Guillaume Boudrias-Plouffe (Montreal)
- Visual arts – painting: Karine Fréchette (Montreal)
- Photography: Michelle Bui (Montreal)
- Song: Les poules à Colin (Montreal)
- Original dance: Freya Björg Olafson (Winnipeg)
- Literature – new: Gabriel Marcoux-Chabot (Saint-Nérée-de-Bellechasse)
- Storytelling: Benoit Davidson (Saint-Rémi-d’Amherst)
- Street arts – hip hop dance: Mix Mix Dance Collective (Toronto)
- Street arts – giant puppets: Collectif Pi (Montreal)
- Street arts – freestyle ball: Freestyle Soccer Inc. (Toronto)
- Digital creation: Sabrina Ratté (Montreal)
- Sustainable development creation: Jeux Wasa (Montreal)
*you can watch a video montage showcasing these artists here and their respective bios and social media presence here
For the 2017 Games, Team Canada will be represented in the following sport disciplines:
- Track and field
- Track and field – handisport
- Judo
- Olympic wrestling
- Table tennis
*athletes will be listed here
Let’s remember that the Games of La Francophonie have boosted the careers of former Team Canada members who are well-known today.
On the cultural side, there are storytellers Stéphane Guertin, François Lavallée and Fred Pellerin, the band Karkwa and singer Marie-Jo Thério.
In the sporting field, there are Derek Drouin, Bruny Surin, Jean Pascal, Perdita Felicien, Chantal Petitclerc and Donovan Bailey.
To learn more about these games, please don’t hesitate to contact us, read the attached document (English version available on demand) or go through the links below:
Department of Canadian Heritage
Comité international des Jeux de la Francophonie (CNJF)
Les Jeux de la Francophonie – MÉDIAS
Comité national des Jeux de la Francophonie (CIJF)