Saturday, November 11 in Silver Spring (Maryland, USA), after a tribute evening organized at the National Pantheon Museum (MUPANAH) on November 9 in honor of Jean Claude Joseph, aka "Papa Pyè" star comedian of "Lavi nan Bouk", Limond Toussaint, the Minister of Culture at the head of a delegation of officials from the Ministry and the National Theater of Haiti, attended and represented President Moïse at the Funeral of the late Haitian comedian "Papa Pyè" , died on October 18 in Orlando https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-22444-haiti-social-haiti-mourns-the-death-of-papa-pye.html

The ceremony, celebrated by Reverend Father Mike Petit-Homme, was held at the Riderwood Village Chapel in Silver Spring, in the presence of relatives, friends and colleagues of the deceased as well as Haitian officials including the President of the Commission of Culture and Communication of the Chamber of Deputies, Caleb Desrameux and executives of the Embassy of Haiti in Washington, including the Minister Counselor, Weibert Arthus.

In his funeral oration, the Minister Toussaint said that his presence "reflected the testimony of gratitude of a whole generation of young people with regard to an icon who knew, by his talent, his art and his intelligence, as a comedian, win the hearts of more than one by the magic of the theater," adding "Permit me, on behalf of the Administration Moïse-Lafontant, to tell you that Jean Claude Joseph may be struck by death but as for Papa Pyè, that name will never die. Men of this stature do not die," he said.

For her part, Micheline Pierre, the sister of the deceased, was satisfied with what his brother did as an artist and thanked his compatriots for the love they had shown towards "Coucoude" as she affectionately called him, throughout his career. "Papa Pyè was a great artist, but there is no success without the audience. I would like you to help us keep his memory alive," she asked, thanking the Moïse-Lafontant Administration, which she says, through the Ministry of Culture and Communication, has accompanied the family in all the details concerning the funeral of his brother.

Other showbiz personalities working in the Haitian diaspora in the United States also attended last respects including Raynald Delerme aka "Baba", Jean Gardy Bien-Aimé and comedians such as "Pè chabi," Geraldine, to mention only those.

"Papa Pyè" was given a last moment of meditation at the "Gates of Heaven Cemetery" of Silver Pring where he was buried around 3 pm.

Jean Claude Joseph, was the founder of the troupe "Papa Pyè" and creator of the series: "Lavi nan Bouk", "The adventures of Papa Pyè", "Cric-Crac", etc... After leaving Haiti in 1985, Jean Claude Joseph has obtained roles in three (3) feature films: "Fly People", "Djab Baba" and "The Green Card".

HL/ HaitiLibre