Friday is Francophonie Day, a day dedicated to celebrating the French language and Francophone culture worldwide.
In Niagara there’s an estimated 15,000 French speakers, many of them in Welland. Mayor Frank Campion says it’s a big part of the culture locally.
Campion adds that the city has a few ways it’s going to mark the occasion, starting with a ceremony at 11:00am at City Hall.
From a municipal standpoint, Mayor Campion says it’s important to have resources available in French as well because of such a big part of Welland’s population speaking it as a first language.
In recognition of Francophonie Day, the City has also received a letter from the Honourable Caroline Mulroney, Ontario’s Minister of Francophone Affairs, acknowledging the importance of celebrating Francophone culture and communities across the province.
A French-language section on the City’s website provides a history of Welland’s Francophone culture, and can be found here.
(Written by: Matt Latour)