Greeted at the residence of the Ambassador of Greece to Canada, Dimitrios Azemopoulos, the Group of Francophone Heads of Diplomatic Mission accredited in Canada (GAF) presented a check for 5,000 Canadian dollars to help complete the excellence fund of the Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO) for Canadians of Haitian descent.

Recall that after the earthquake of January 2010 in Haiti, the Haitian Community of Outaouais had mobilized to set up a scholarship program of excellence for students from their community. Supported by a Steering Committee, this program led to the creation of two $100,000 Memorial Scholarships at the University of Ottawa and the Université du Québec en Outaouais.

At the University of Ottawa, the scholarship is named after Dr. Saint-Firmin Monestime, a native of Haiti, and the first black to be elected mayor of a Canadian municipality (Mattawa, Ontario, 1964). This scholarship was completed by the family of the late Dr. Monestime in conjunction with the Town Council of Mattawa for $25,000. The purpose of the Firmin-Monestime Fellowship is to encourage excellence among Canadian citizens from the Haitian Community of Outaouais and/or from Mattawa.

The other scholarship, established at the Université du Québec en Outaouais, pays tribute to Mauril-Bélanger, a Member of Parliament who played a major role in the service of the Haitian Community of the Outaouais (1955-2016). It is designed to support excellence among Canadian citizens from the Haitian Community of Outaouais. After the GAF donation, it remains to find $25,000 for this scholarship to be complete.

Photo : Johan VERKAMMEN, Ambassador of Belgium to Canada, handing over the $ 5,000 check to Mrs. Bettyna BELIZAIRE, Director of the UQO Fund of Excellence.

IH/ iciHaiti