Twinning between the Université de Moncton and Université de Ouagadougou Delegations

''Twinning is contained in these words: What can we do together, that we would not do in the same way and with the same strength, with the same speed, and which could have an impact in distant places such as Acadia and Burkina Faso?.''

Jean-Louis Roy, President of Rights & Democracy
Speech presented at the inauguration of the first international twinning of the Rights & Democracy Network in Moncton and Ouagadougou, November 25, 2004.

Launched in the fall of 2004, the internationalization phase of the Network has led to a first twinning initiative between the Delegations of the Université de Moncton in New Brunswick and the Université de Ouagadougou, in Burkina Faso. This partnership was formed during the Xe Sommet de la Francophonie.

In collaboration with the university professors and administrators who have supported the students in their efforts, the following dignitaries supported this initiative, which fosters solidarity among young people with respect to promoting human rights and democracy:

• His Excellency, the Canadian Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Denis Briand;
• The Honourable Jacques Saada, Minister responsible for the Francophonie
• The Honourable Percy Mockler, New Brunswick Minister of Intergovernmental and International Relations;
• Monique Ilboudo, Minister for the Promotion of Human Rights of Burkina Faso.

A first pilot project: observation of the Burkina Faso presidential elections (November 2005)

After reflection and discussion, the students submitted a project proposal to the Network team entitled “Coup de coeur démocratique pour le Burkina Faso” (Democratic Discovery in Burkina Faso).