Celebrating Francophones and Francophiles is Cortes Radio’s contribution to the NCRA’s Rendevous de la Francophonie marathon on March 20, 2018.

by Francesca Gesualdi 

In her written description of Celebrating Francophones and Francophiles, Francesca wrote:

“During a recent visit to L’Association des Francophones de Campbell River, Francesca interviewed Francophones and Francophiles to discuss the relevance of shared community spaces that support language, culture and connection.

“Over a delicious home made community lunch prepared by volunteers, particpants share their experience of the center, its resources to the francophone community, its library, and its role as a place of social well-being.”

Francesca Gesualdi
Celebrating Francophones and Francophiles by Francesca Gesualdi

Francesca Gesualdi, lives on Quadra Island and will also be producing an exploration of the oral tradition of storytelling called IReads for CKT.

The National Campus and Community Radio Association’s (NRCA)Rendez-vous de la Francophonie (RVF)initiative had been going for three years, when Cortes Radio came on board in  2017. When the program was originally launched, it consisted of  two minute audio capsules of the Francophone experience broadcast over nine participating NCRA radio stations. Rendez-vous de la Francophonie now broadcasts half hour programs from coast to coast. Seven British Columbian stations are participating this year:  CIVL (Abbotsford); WDCR (West Kelowna), CJLY (Nelson), CFRO (Vancouver), CICK (Smithers), CFUZ (Penticton) and CKTZ (Cortes and the Discovery Islands).

CKTZ’s Rendez-vous de la Francophonie Program

In our first locally produced program, Danielle Arcand introduced listeners across Canada to six Francophones and Francophiles living on Cortes Island and Campbell River. After Danielle moved to Quebec, the NRCA arranged for us to sponsor Victoria Fenner’s story of an Anglo-French family which almost forgot its French heritage.

On March 20, 2018, 20 NCRA stations are airing 20 documentaries to celebrate the 20th anniversary of RVF. Quadra Island resident Francesca Gesualdi produced CKTZ’s contribution. 

Rendez-vous de la Francophonie is produced by participating stations across Canada and broadcast on CKTZ Wednesdays, from 9:30 - 10: AM. (Access podcasts of previous RVF programs here)