A thousand and more reasons to celebrate

At Place d’Youville, on New Year’s Eve, some 50,000 people gathered to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the old capital. The celebration was a prelude to the festivities that will liven up the city and the whole country for almost six months. There’s a lot of heritage to celebrate!

Native roots

Archaeological digs have shown that the St. Lawrence Valley may have been populated by aboriginal peoples as long as 10,000 years ago. The contribution of aboriginal peoples will in fact be properly recognized during the celebrations. The Huron-Wendat Nation invites visitors to discover its rich culture during a full range of events when it hosts the festivities of Québec City’s 400th anniversary.

A pan-Canadian celebration

Québec 2008 will be the perfect occasion to remember the city’s unique history. The foundation of the city is an historically significant event and is one of the milestones of European settlers and French culture arriving in North America. So Quebeckers won’t be the only ones celebrating this year! As Michel Boucher states in his article, festivities will take place across Canada and will particularly call on the participation of Francophone communities outside Quebec.

A rich Anglophone heritage

The Québec City of today is a symbol of the French presence in America. The Francophone image of the city sometimes relegates to the sidelines the Anglophone community, established in the city since colonists first arrived. Celebrating the city’s 400th will provide a special opportunity to underscore the contributions of the Anglophone community and to look back on the history of positive exchanges between the city’s two official language communities. Louisa Blair, author of The Anglos: The Hidden Face of Québec City, discusses the history of her community.

Worldwide ripples

Designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985, the only fortified city in North America welcomes millions of tourists every year. In an interview with Le Devoir (In French Only), France Lessard, of Québec City Tourism, indicates that her office foresees an increase in the number of tourists in 2008 by 6.6% from 2006.

One reason for the increase is that Québec 2008 scheduling includes a number of international events, among which are the 2008 IIHF World Championship in May, the 49th International Eucharistic Congress in June, and the 4th World Youth Congress in August.

Celebrations will draw to an end in October with the Sommet de la Francophonie, a gathering that will have some 70 heads of state in attendance. Discussions will focus on issues of interest for all countries of the Francophonie, such as governance and democracy, the French language, and the environment.