First edition of the Joie de vivre festival: an event organised by the AFIO
Sonia Roy
numbers to its Joie de vivre festival, which will take place at the Agora and at the Parc Central du Plateau on Saturday, September 24, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. This initiative is an opportunity to promote intercultural rapprochement and break isolation, in addition to supporting a social cause. For this first edition, the organization Leucan, which helps children with cancer and their families, has been designated to receive a portion of the profits generated by the event. This cause was chosen by AFIO, which explains: "We support the cause of children with cancer because the joy of living is also the joy of collaborating, giving and helping each other”. The festival, which is free and open to all, is described by the organisers as "festive, friendly and educational", and aims to perpetuate the joy of living and living together in a jovial and community atmosphere. More than 22 cultural communities will be involved in the Joie de vivre festival, which expects some 2,000 festival-goers on Saturday 24 September. On the program: inflatable games, folk dances, traditional fashion shows, face painting, storytelling for children, sweets and much more! A raffle, for which tickets are currently on sale for $10, will be held at the Agora, which will be equipped with a performance stage for the event.
What is AFIO?
The non-profit organization Accompagnement des femmes immigrantes de l'Outaouais provides support for immigrant women in the region, notably through community projects (including the Joie de vivre festival) and personalized services. AFIO offers, among other things, documentation and assistance with the integration process, workshops to prepare for the citizenship exam, French courses, meeting groups and tips for parents (preparing for the start of the school year, the ABCs of snowsuits and school materials, and support groups). AFIO is also in partnership with OPEQ (Ordinateurs pour les écoles du Québec), which offers parents and children newly arrived in Quebec access to computer equipment at reduced prices. Finally, AFIO's ICI Femmes project helps immigrant women by offering prevention and personalised support in cases of domestic, sexual or family violence.
Discover AFIO!
Address: 109 Wright Street, Unit 9, Gatineau, Quebec, J8X 2G7
Telephone: 819 776-6764
Email: info@afio.ca / ICI Femmes intervention@afio.ca
Website: www.afio.ca