Omar Samad, Afghan Ambassador to Canada spoke to more than 2000 members of the Force operationelle interarmee Afghanistan due to be deployed to Afghanistan as part of Operation Athena (rotation 4) in July.

Present were members of the soldiers' families and, civil and military dignitaries. The event started with a message from H.E. The Right Honourable Michaelle Jean, Governor General of Canada.

Following the inspection, which included the national anthems of both countries, the speakers, including Hon. Pierre Duchesne, Lt. Governor of Quebec, Hon. Jean Charest, Prime Minister of Quebec, Hon. Gordon O'Connor, Minister of National Defence, Hon. Josee Verner, Minister of International Cooperation, Gen. Rick Hillier, Chief of Defence Staff and Madame Andree Boucher, Mayor of Quebec City, expressed their support of the mission in Afghanistan, and wished the members of the famed Van Doos a successful and safe tour of duty. Lt. Gen. Andrew Leslie, Chief of Land Staff, and Brigadier Gen. Guy Laroche, Commander of the new deployment were also present.

The following is the Afghan Ambassador's remarks at the ceremony at the Centre des Congres on June 22.

Ottawa - The photo exhibit "Voices on the Rise: Afghan Women Making the News" was opened at the Alliance Française in Toronto on Thursday by the Ambassadors of France and Afghanistan to Canada.

At the opening ceremony, Amb. Danielle Jouanneau dedicated the exhibit to the memory of Afghan women journalists who have been killed by extremists and terrorists over the past five years.

The Conference co-sponsored by the Government of Afghanistan and Aga Khan Development Network in partnership with the World Bank, The United Nations Development Programme and the Asian Development Bank was opened by H.E. President Hamid Karzai and His Highness The Aga Khan. At the inaugural session, HE Dato Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the Prime Minister of Malaysia addressed the conference via video link, and HE Shaukat Aziz, the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan addressed the closing session during a visit to Kabul.

The conference attended by Afghan and international business, governmental, civil society and NGO communities came up with an action plan after discussing a wide-ranging set of topics such as developing the legal frameworks, access to finance, developing economic infrastrucutre, improving access to land, streamlining regulations and goverment decision-making, encouraging civil society, addressing human capacity and accelerating social development issues.