French

« We are never given a dream without also having been given the power to accomplish it. »

Author unknown

Summer, 1994 - Two students from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Montreal, St-Hyacinthe, fly off to Morocco, a universe of contrasts. Feet sometimes in the sand and face always towards the wind, they hoped to define the relationship that exists between Animal and Man. Camera lens focused, they meet with the players on both sides of this intricate relationship: animal, man, rich and poor. Upon returning, they share their experiences. Défi Vet-Monde- Global Vet Challenge- was born.

Winter, 2009 - Each summer over the past 15 years , new teams of adventurers have explored this Human-Animal relationship in different corners of our beautiful planet through a variety of unique veterinary internships. In order to participate, each team must create a project and convince project alumni that they share the same vision, and in particular that their project can contribute to the growth of Défi Vet-Monde… Project originality stems from the choice of destination, finding contacts within the country selected, developing a budget, finding sponsorship and other fundraising activities, and preparing an itinerary, not forgetting visas, vaccines, etc. Preparing for selection, and eventual departure, is a big task within a short timeline. It is the race to destination Défi Vet-Monde!

The challenge of this project is that there is no underlying organization or committee. Rather, it is the taste for adventure, for travel and simple curiosity that motivate students from one generation to the next to contact one another for advice and guidance. Défi Vet-Monde is a project created by students, for students.

Contrary to what one might think, the end of the experience is on home ground, in Québec. Such an adventure, rich with knowledge and charged with emotion, needs to be shared. A multimedia, or « multi-sensory », conference is prepared in the goal of describing the discoveries made by these young travelers. Not only discoveries of animals and their health, but also of human populations whose lives are often shaped by these animals and the role that veterinary medicine takes to preserve this balance. Various media coverage is encouraged upon return, from magazine articles to television appearances. The flame is thus passed to future generations of students…

This site is a journal of these many travels, a sharing of moments. We hope that it will help to preserve the authenticity of Défi Vet-Monde, marked by enthusiasm, energy and the naivety of youth. It also may serve as a reference for future interested students with a love of animals and helping others, and in particular for dreamers…

So dive in and take your own journey…

Marc-André d'Anjou and Martin Lavoie (founders) and all those who have seen this project to completion.

The voyages...