Neyva Abbasi, a 17-year-old Moose Javian, is one of 35 Grade 10 and 11 students selected by French for the Future to take part in the National Ambassador Youth Forum in Halifax, NS, from August 13 to 18.
Abbasi was one of 150 candidates who sent in an application demonstrating their passion for the French language. She will spend a week immersed in a French-speaking environment and will collaborate with her fellow youth ambassadors in activities promoting bilingualism and the importance of Canada’s French heritage.
Ambassadors will also receive training in event management so they can create their own francophone events next school year, as a way to help build future French-speaking Canadian leaders.
French for the Future is a non-profit founded in 1997 that is devoted to promoting Canada’s official bilingualism, and engages with students in grades 7 through 12 across the country. The organization’s National Ambassador Youth Forum is intended to strengthen participants’ sense of belonging to Canada’s Francophile community.
All the costs associated with the forum are covered for the 35 participants.
“It doesn’t even feel real. I’m so, so excited,” Abbasi told MooseJawToday.com.
Abbasi said she is excited to live in a totally French-speaking environment for a week. She has been in French immersion since kindergarten and is fairly fluent when it comes to listening, reading, and writing — speaking French is where she needs to improve, she said, and events like these are the best way to do that.
“We live in a town that is primarily English-speaking, I’m surrounded by English all the time, and me and my friends only speak English when we’re in class, so speaking French more is something I’m actively trying to do,” she explained. “I think there should be more events and programs like this, because there are so many people who want to learn languages, but they have to rely solely on books and apps for that.
“But you need that in-person connection. You need to speak with people to actually develop the language, to get better at it and see the benefits of learning it.”
Abbasi said her dream after graduating from French immersion is to live and/or work somewhere she can use French in everyday life. She hasn’t yet picked out a particular destination, but there are plenty of options, such as France itself, Belgium, Lebanon, Senegal, and of course many places in Canada.
“Honestly, it would be cool to go to all of those places,” she laughed. “It’s just fun to be exposed to different cultures and get to know different kinds of people.
“With French culture, a lot of the events I’ve been to have been, like, celebrations and just fun, joyous activities. I think they have a different mode de vie or way of life, and it’s a nice perspective.”
