Committed French-speaking women: their voices for the planet

In parallel with the exhibition “Éclaireuses” (Scouts), dedicated to portraits of women scientists committed to environmental preservation, the Alliance Française d’Ottawa is organizing a round table discussion honoring four women from the region who are also committed to the environment.

On International Women’s Day, we felt it was essential to celebrate inspiring journeys and to remember what feminist struggles have made possible: allowing women today to become fully engaged, to defend causes that are important to them, and to make their voices heard.

It was in this spirit that the idea was born to organize a roundtable discussion dedicated to environmental issues, giving the floor exclusively to female speakers. The objective is twofold: to echo the exhibition hosted in our premises since December, while also aligning this meeting with the Alliance Française d’Ottawa’s desire to develop a cultural program committed to environmental issues.

On Saturday, March 7, 2026, four women from diverse backgrounds will share their experiences. They will discuss their commitment to the planet, as well as the specific challenges they face as women involved in the public sphere. The Francophone dimension will also be at the heart of the discussions: how to promote a commitment to French in a predominantly English-speaking city.

The French-speaking dimension will also be at the heart of the discussions: how can we promote French-language engagement in a predominantly English-speaking city? What additional obstacles might this present?

Each of the speakers embodies a form of concrete action:

–    A young master’s graduate, co-founder of an association working for climate justice and social equity.

–    A former engineer in the nuclear sector, now committed to sharing knowledge about self-sufficient vegetable gardening in order to promote local, sustainable, and resilient food systems.

–    The third speaker is an active administrator of an Ottawa association that works to develop soft mobility and expand cycling infrastructure in the city.

–    Finally, the fourth speaker is a facilitator for “Fresque du Climat” (Climate Collage), and works with schools, colleges, and businesses to raise awareness of climate issues.

Through these voices, this round table aims to highlight the many forms of female engagement and the obstacles that still need to be overcome.

This meeting will be moderated by Donia El Hakour, RSO civic service at the Alliance Française d’Ottawa, which initiated this event.