This year marks the 25^th anniversary of the Family History Society of Newfoundland and Labrador (FHSNL), and to celebrate, the society is hosting Connections, a symposium focused on family history in Newfoundland and Labrador. The event will be held Saturday, October 17, at The Rooms.

The Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, will attend a luncheon at Saturday�s event, to congratulate the FHSNL for its years of dedicated service preserving and promoting the province�s family research records.

"Genealogical research has become a popular pastime for an increasing number of people," said Minister Jackman. "Not only is this symposium focused on celebrating the great strides made in this area over the past 25 years, it is also about remembering the importance of how our ancestral roots define us, and unite us, as a people."

Donald Tarrant, President of FHSNL, said it is tremendous to see what the society has done, and continues to do, in an effort raise the awareness of family history research in this province.

"For a quarter of a century, the Family History Society of Newfoundland and Labrador has helped residents and visitors to research and learn about their family history through our extensive collections," said Mr. Tarrant "With this event, we are coming together to celebrate the significance of how family heritage and traditions, along with our connections to the homes of our forebears, play a role in understanding family life in the province."

For more information about the FHSNL, visit: www.fhsnl.ca.

Budget 2009, Building on Our Strong Foundation, provided the FHSNL with $7,500 in operational support through the Culture Economic Development Program (CEDP). CEDP projects are selected on the basis of economic impact, professional involvement, project objectives, partnerships and interpretive content. For more information on the guidelines, visit: www.tcr.gov.nl.ca/tcr/heritage/cedp/index.html 

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