Cameroon Goodwill Association celebrates International Children's Day 2008

Residents in and around Montreal are discovering the diversity of one of its visible minority groups-the Cameroonians from the Gulf of the Central Region of Africa. The five year old Cameroon Goodwill Association based in LaSalle and with its friends came out as one family to celebrate International Children’s Day 2008 in grand style at the LaSalle Hayward Park.

The International Children’s Day celebrated under the United Nations theme “worldwide fraternity and understanding between children and activities promoting the welfare of the world's children” was animated by the Cameroonian born growing animator Mr. Bawe. Activities began with a soccer friendly pitting Goodwill FC and the Pearson Adult Career Centre (PACC) soccer team, followed by children presentations, singing and dancing, presentation of children gifts, BBQ and drinking etc.

Speaking during the presentation of gifts to Goodwill Kids and Goodwill, the representative of the LaSalle Montreal Police department Giovanni Di Legge remarked “there is always a choice to make in life, the right choice will lead to happiness while the wrong choice has something else waiting for you that is not going to make you happy”. Some police officers interacted with the kids making them understand that a police officer is a friend and not an enemy.

The President of the Cameroon Goodwill Association Mr. Fidelis Folifac, called on parents to teach the kids the core ethics, principles and values of humanity in a dynamic Canadian society by examples. The Chair of the organizing committee, Mrs. Plebius Ngalla, praised the kids for the show of talents. Present were Mr. Pierre Rousseau, the Commander of the Police Station 13; Representatives of the LaSalle Black Resource Centre and PACC, and Mr. Paul Ayah, President of the Association of Cameroonians in Canada (ACC).

The Cameroon Goodwill Association was officially recognized this year by the LaSalle Borough Council and the Lord Mayoress of LaSalle received Goodwill Women Forum, kids and men for breakfast at the city hall on March 8, 2008 International Women’s Day. The Association will be commemorating its 5th anniversary from July 19 to August 16 2008 with activities that includes cultural events, soccer tournament, and round-table discussions and debates and much more.

Visit us at www.goodwillmontreal.com or contact us at infos@goodwillmontreal.com