UNIVERSITÉ SAINTE-ANNE
Student Twinning Project Between Université Sainte-Anne and the University of Veracruz

Students enrolled in Université Sainte-Anne's « Integrated French Immersion Option » are preparing to experience a full year of cultural exploration as part of an exchange with the University of Veracruz in Mexico. They will participate in a twinning project that will enable them to have meaningful and authentic experiences with students from Mexico, all while perfecting their French.

This exchange is made possible thanks to Professor François Bélanger, director of the "Integrated French Immersion Option" program, who obtained a grant from the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF). This 5,000 ($7,500) grant will enable the development of varied programming with the goal of encouraging cultural exchanges in French between the participating groups.

Université Sainte-Anne students Mykkaela Lutes, Connor Fraser, Lauren Acorn, Émilie Gagné and Emily MacNeil will participate in the project, accompanied by Professors François Bélanger and Irène Costantin.

The Université Sainte-Anne students will participate in the exchange with a group of students from the University of Veracruz in Mexico, accompanied by their professor, Lucia Imelda Cruz Cardenas.

In January, the groups began exchanging messages and photos via email and as part of a private social media group. An evening Skype discussion was held on February 4 so that the participants could talk directly and get to know each other better. Other remote exchanges will take place throughout the year, including a presentation by the Mexican students on the Day of the Dead and participation in a review of the film Coco.

In addition, some of the participants will fly to Mexico and others to Canada. First, three students from Université Sainte-Anne will travel to Mexico from February 19 to 26 to spend four days in Poza Rica and two days in Mexico City, accompanied by Professors Bélanger and Costantin. The students will be hosted by their Mexican counterpart in order to be fully immersed in Mexican culture and everyday life. A precise itinerary is already planned to allow the group to visit as many cultural and historical sites as possible.

Then, 6 students from Mexico, accompanied by Professor Lucia Imelda Cruz Cardenas, will travel to the Church Point campus from July 5 to 26 to complete the first 3 weeks of the summer immersion session.

"The objective of the project is to increase cultural awareness and facilitate exchanges between the student populations of our two institutions. In a globalized world, it is becoming increasingly important to encourage openness to other cultures and ways of life. Our students are fortunate to be able to participate in this enriching project and we are delighted to be able to offer them such an opportunity," explained Professor Bélanger.