KANADA – QUEBEC

KANADA – QUEBEC
Philip Belanger
16 years
“Hockey un jour, hockey toujours” (Mirabel)
Maude Caouette-Gaucher
15 years
“Le bec sucré, les doigts collants” (Saint-Eustache)
Anaïs Menard
16 years
“Marguerite d'Youville façonnée dans notre patrimoine” (Châteauguay)
Laura-Kim Vachon
15 years
„Un pas à la fois... “ (Sept-Îles)
Mathieu Nyarai
13 years
“L'histoire sous la neige” (Pierrefonds)
Fanny Vollant
16 years
“La tente” (Maliotenam)
What a magnificent Experience this international contest has proven to be! What an
example of openness to the world and its heritage!
For the thirteenth year running, Quebecers have taken part in The Photographic Experience
of Heritage, and we are just as enthralled as ever to discover the photographs of contest
participants, whose numbers continue to increase year after year. These young people were
coached and supervised by representatives from the educational, municipal or cultural
sectors as well as devotees of heritage and photography. All in all, some 2,000 young people
roamed cities, towns and landscapes in search of an architectural detail, a symbol or simply a
certain place that would trigger in them a moment of awakening and insight.
This rewarding experience enabled all our budding photographers to record the era they live
in and, at the same time, to leave their imprint on it. Our young people are destined to
become the stewards of heritage and this contest is a sign of their interest in this field. With
more than 13,500 photos being submitted, the 2012 edition has proven to be quite a
success. Whether the subject was a tradition, a landscape or an atmosphere, the contestants
wowed viewers with the authenticity of their vision. In addition, our 6 award-winners
captured, brilliantly and movingly, those little details that mean so much to us.
To an ever growing extent, the Aboriginal peoples of Quebec have been taking part in the
Experience, a vehicle enabling youth to pass on their culture and way of life as well as the
values specific to their community (Cree, Innu, Inuit, etc.). Theirs is a more sensitive
approach to heritage, for it stands in closer relationship to the ancestors; their need to bear
witness is manifest. Let’s congratulate these young people on their perseverance and
encourage them to take up the torch so as to perpetuate Aboriginal cultures.
In fall 2012, an exhibit of the winning entries from all the participating countries will be
staged at the Musée de Charlevoix in La Malbaie, thanks to the collaboration and support of
this museum.
These photographs constitute a fresh, vital view of the world around us. Through them, we
are able to get a feel for the history, ways and customs of various individual countries.
Indeed, we are able to appreciate more fully the wealth of our entire planet’s heritage. The
Photographic Experience of Heritage project is a valuable opportunity to build awareness
and to highlight vestiges of the past, thereby contributing to efforts to preserve the memory
of our civilizations.
Organized and coordinated by Action patrimoine, this wonderful project was made possible
in Quebec thanks to the financial support of the Fondation québécoise du patrimoine, the
Quebec ministère des Relations internationales and the Association québécoise pour
l'enseignement en univers social (AQEUS).
We thank all participants for allowing us to discover their treasures!
Blandine Clerget
Co-ordinator, Educational Activities
Action patrimoine