La Saint-Jean-Baptiste à Saint-Léonard comme vous ne l'avez jamais vue! avec AHQAD

Saint-Léonard Celebrates Saint-Jean-Baptiste Under the Sign of Cultural Diversity and Unity

The Haitian-Canadian-Québécois community marked Quebec’s national holiday with a celebration centered on sharing, culture, and inclusion. Organized by the Association haïtienne Canado-Québécoise des Parfaits, the event brought together families, artists, entrepreneurs, and political representatives around a common goal: celebrating Quebec identity in all its diversity.

Founded in 1981, the association has continued for several decades to pursue its mission of bringing communities together. For its president, Mr. Mairol, Saint-Jean-Baptiste represents an important opportunity to strengthen the bonds between the different communities that make up Quebec.

“Every year, we celebrate Quebec’s national holiday. It is a moment for us to bring the community together, to express and celebrate unity, our culture, especially the French language and the richness of our diversity in Quebec,” he explains.

At the heart of the event was the desire to create a space where people from all backgrounds could meet and connect. The program included family activities, cultural moments, artistic performances, and a sharing of food traditions highlighting several cultures.

“The message is always to bring all cultures, all people together, to come together so we can move forward,” emphasizes the association’s president.

The celebration was also marked by the presence of local figures, including Member of Parliament Philomena Rotiroti and Saint-Léonard Mayor Michel Bissonnet, who took part in the activities, including the traditional cutting of the national holiday cake with the children present.

A National Celebration Open to All Identities

The inclusive dimension of the event was also highlighted by Adnan Najaï, Parti Québécois candidate in Jean-Talon, who emphasized the importance of recognizing the contribution of all citizens to the development of the province.

“Happy national holiday to all Quebecers, regardless of their origin, regardless of the color of their skin, regardless of where they come from. We are all Quebecers,” he states.

According to him, integration also involves embracing Quebec culture and the French language.

“We have made Quebec culture our culture, the French language our French language, and its values our values,” he adds.

Entrepreneurs Committed to Their Community

The celebration also highlighted several local entrepreneurs who came to share their expertise. Among them was Enzo, a young barber, who used the opportunity to share a message of perseverance.

“If you have dreams, continue pursuing them. I started being a barber one year ago, and I didn’t really know that I would find myself in a position like this, but I kept pursuing it, and now I am where I am,” he says.

His team also offered free haircuts to participants as a way of giving back to the community.

“We try to give back as much as possible to the community. The message is always to keep moving forward, never stop, just do what you have to do,” he explains.

Culture as a Tool for Bringing People Together

Painter and event organizer Aida Matlot also participated in the celebration by highlighting the importance of cultural exchanges.

“The message is really to encourage social gathering and diversity. We have exchanged our cultures and learned how to live together peacefully,” she says.

She highlights the cultural richness visible throughout the event, where flags and traditions from several countries were represented alongside the Quebec flag.

“You can see different cultures everywhere. We draw the Quebec flag, but next to it we also see the flags of Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco. It’s really cool,” she adds.

Haitian Cuisine at the Heart of Sharing

Food played an important role in this community gathering. Cassandra, a representative of Ismada Cuisine, came to share Haitian flavors with visitors.

“It is to show that Haitians are here, that we have a sense of community. We come to share our culture, our food, so that people can taste it,” she explains.

Originally from northern Haiti, her business presented several traditional specialties, including griot, pâtes codées, and diri collé.

Awareness and Citizen Engagement

The event also welcomed the Canadian Red Cross, represented by Oscar, who used the gathering to raise awareness among citizens about emergency preparedness.

“Today, we are preparing for emergencies. We are talking to Montrealers about preparing for floods, residential fires, and being careful,” he explains.

Young Talents Take the Stage

Music and artistic performances also shaped the day. Chloé Chamend, a young artist, delivered a singing performance in front of the audience.

For her, this experience represents an important step.

“It is a very different experience to perform on stages like this. It is a learning experience. You feel a lot of emotions, a lot of nostalgia in front of an audience,” she says.

She also shared a message of unity:

“All united in Quebec, all immigrants, all Quebecers, we are better. We make this province a better province.”

Other artists, such as Jules Cousino, contributed to the program with traditional folk performances.

“I wish a beautiful Quebec celebration to everyone in Quebec, everyone without exception. We forget no one,” he declares.

A Celebration Where Cultures Meet

For participants, this Saint-Jean-Baptiste celebration represented much more than a national holiday: it was a space where different communities could meet and connect. The NBY association, present at the event, summarized this philosophy through a simple message: “Unity makes strength.”

Between music, Creole cuisine, Quebec traditions, and cultural exchanges, the celebration showed that Quebec identity continues to evolve thanks to the contributions of all the communities that make it up.

As Carabalo, a member of the organizing association, summarized: “Everyone enjoys the celebration today because it happens once a year. We have to celebrate as much as possible.”

A Saint-Jean-Baptiste celebration marked by sharing, where Haiti, Quebec, and many other cultures came together around the same idea: diversity as a collective strength.