Congrès Mondial Acadien Finale on Sunday

Two weeks of family reunions and cultural events of the Congrès Mondial Acadien will climax on Sunday, Aug. 15, with a mass in Grand Pré and a concert on Citadel Hill in Halifax.

Nova Scotia's Minister of Acadian Affairs is inviting all Nova Scotians, especially Acadians, to the final events.

"The Congrès is clearly the success that everyone hoped it would be, and a triumph of organization, hospitality and enthusiasm," said Chris d'Entremont. "The mass and the concert on Citadel Hill will provide a fitting end to this wonderful event."

The mass will be celebrated by bishops from all over l'Acadie at the pilgrimage site of Park Grand Pré. Mass will begin at 11:30 a.m., with the official closing ceremonies following at about 12:30 p.m.

The concert at Citadel Hill will begin at 4 p.m., with the televised concert starting at 9 p.m., and will include performances by Zachary Richard, Wilfred LeBoutilier, Edith Butler, Blou and Grand Dérangement. The final concert is scheduled to end at 11 p.m.

"The Congrès mondial acadien is strengthening Acadian culture -- and Nova Scotia's culture -- with every family encounter, every story, every song, and it's happening thousands of times every day," said Mr. d'Entremont. "Acadians are learning about their families and their shared history, and they're having a wonderful time doing so."

Six thousand people helped launch the Congrès mondial acadien at a ceremony in Church Point, on July 31. By the time the Congrès ends this Sunday, 2,000 activities will have taken place in traditional Acadian regions and in some predominately English speaking areas throughout Nova Scotia.

A parking and shuttle service will be available for those interested in attending the festivities in Grand Pré. For a fee of $5 per person, participants s can park at one of five sites, and use a return shuttle to the Grand Pré site. Parking lots at the Windsor Exhibition Grounds and Fort Edward Mall (Windsor), County Fair Mall and Walmart (New Minas), and Horton High School (Grenwich) will open at 7 a.m.

For concert ticket information or further details on the Aug. 15 events see the Congrès website at www.cma2004.com .