The city marked Franco-Ontarian Day on Wednesday with celebrations that included 300 students creating a human Franco-Ontarian flag at Confederation Park.
Organized by the ACFOMI, the event featured a flag raising ceremony with official speeches and singing of the Franco-Ontarian anthem.
This was followed by festive music, featuring Franco-Ontarian signer Justin André, and students of local French-speaking schools creating the human flag. Also in attendance were Kingston Mayor Bryan Patterson and MPP for Kingston and the Islands, Ian Arthur.
.@cityofkingston a aussi participé aux célébrations franco-ontariennes! 300 étudiants de la ville étaient sur les rives du lac Ontario pour hisser le drapeau franco-ontarien en matinée, avec le maire, @MayorPaterson , et le député provincial, @IanArthurMPP. #onfr pic.twitter.com/tY3MvtNdER
— ONFR+ (@ONfr_TFO) September 25, 2019
Thrilled to be out today for Franco-Ontarian Day – celebrating our incredible Francophone community in #ygk! pic.twitter.com/RdxyjeSTic
— Bryan Paterson (@MayorPaterson) September 25, 2019
The Franco-Ontarian flag was first raised on September 25th, 1976 in Sudbury and became the Franco-Ontarian community’s official emblem on June 21st, 2001. Featuring the colour green to reprsent our summers and white for our winters, the Franco-Ontarians celebrate the anniversary of the flag each September 25th.
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario proclaimed September 25th as the official day of Franco-Ontarians in 2010. Every year, this day recognizes the contribution of the French-speaking community to the province’s cultural, historical, social, economic and political life.
Photo: Jason Paris (cc)
