Winnipeg, MB - To encourage Canadians to take action against racism, a partnership, led by the City of Winnipeg and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR), today unveiled details of ONE: The Mayor’s National Summit on Racial Inclusion to be held September 17-18 in Winnipeg.
The focus of the inaugural ONE Summit, supported by the Province of Manitoba and the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, is to begin the process of building an extensive network of leaders and thinkers dedicated to generating “ideas of inclusion” that can ultimately be embraced by individuals and organizations across the country.
“To encourage profound change, the ONE Summit has got to be more than a discussion group,” said Winnipeg Mayor, Brian Bowman. “It has got to identify initiatives that are already working and develop new and sharable ideas to encourage respect and embrace inclusivity across our nation.”
Bowman said he very much sees this as a stepping stone process and is proud to be a part of encouraging what he considers the most necessary change in Canada today.
In hosting the event at the Canadian Museum of Human Rights, newly appointed President and CEO, Dr. John Young, president and CEO of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, agreed that racial inclusion is an issue of national significance. “We are pleased to host this event and facilitate discussion and dialogue about how to move forward. The Museum is a place for people to hold these important conversations.”
The ONE Summit will include a panel discussion that will be no cost to the public on Thursday, September 17th, featuring keynote speaker, Scotiabank Giller Prize winning author Joseph Boyden. A series of workshops will follow on Friday, September 18th that include recognizing racism, promoting healthy race relations, and moving forward toward inclusion and reconciliation. Pre-registration for Thursday’s events is required to attend and costs to register for Friday’s workshops are $50, $25 for students.
“Racism is an all-too prevalent problem in our society, and this summit will bring advocates, researchers and decision makers together around the table to work on real solutions that promote social inclusion and combat intolerance,” said the Honourable James Allum, Minister of Education and Advanced Learning.
The Canadian Race Relations Foundation’s Executive Director, Anita Bromberg said, “The ONE Summit will highlight the collective efforts of government and community organizations in furthering pluralism, inclusion and Canadian values, while bringing all sectors together to meet the challenges of managing diversity and race relations in an environment of rapidly evolving demographics.”
“We’re more than excited by the calibre and commitment of individuals who have agreed to help us bring our first ONE Summit to life,” said Mayor Bowman. “With just 31 days remaining in our countdown, I encourage Manitobans and Canadians wishing to attend to register quickly at 1winnipeg.ca.”
Summit summary
- Renowned Canadian author Joseph Boyden will give the keynote address at the free evening kickoff event on September 17 (7 p.m. to 9 p.m.). Boyden is the Giller-prize winning author who created the story behind “Going Home Star”, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s production about Indian Residential Schools. His keynote will be followed by a discussion with civil rights leader Dr. Gerald Durley from Atlanta, Georgia, a personal friend of Martin Luther King Jr.; Treaty Commissioner of Manitoba James Wilson; and Nigerian-born Canadian personality and speaker Aisha Alfa. Online pre-registration is required through 1winnipeg.ca.
- On Friday, September 18, workshops focus on the themes of recognizing racism, good practices in promoting healthy race relations and moving forward toward inclusion and reconciliation. Cost: $50 per person/ $25 for students.
- Panellists include the Very Reverend Stan McKay, former moderator of the United Church in Canada and the first Aboriginal leader of a Canadian Protestant church; Charlene Hay, former executive director of the Edmonton-based Centre for Race and Culture; Angela Sterrit, journalist and filmmaker from Gitxsan First Nation in B.C.; among others. Ry Moran, director of the National Research Centre for Truth and Reconciliation at the University of Manitoba, will act as a moderator, along with Aisha Alfa.
- A French panel discussion, “Contre Racisme: Améliorer le respect de la diversité”, will be moderated by Radio-Canada’s Martine Bourdeleau and includes Montreal’s Dalila Awada, who has been the face of the hijab for many in Quebec’s Muslim community; Winnipeg’s Ibrahima Dialo, who has become a voice for Franco Manitobans since immigrating from Senegal; and Haitian-born Alix Jean-Paul, a Winnipeg educator and community development worker.
About Mayor Brian Bowman:
Mayor Bowman is dedicated to addressing the priorities of Winnipeggers. He is committed to building a City Hall that works: with an open and transparent City Hall, a growing, thriving more modern city that we are all proud to call home, and a city that receives its fair share through a funding model that works as we grow.
About the Canadian Museum for Human Rights:
The Canadian Museum for Human Rights is the first museum in the world solely dedicated to the evolution, celebration and future of human rights. Using multimedia technology and other innovative approaches, the CMHR creates inspiring encounters with human rights for all ages, in a visitor experience unlike any other.
About the Canadian Race Relations Foundation
The CRRF is a Crown Corporation and Canada’s leading agency dedicated to eliminating racial discrimination and promoting harmonious race relations. Its mission is to provide independent, outspoken national leadership, to inform national policies and public conversations, and to act as a resource and facilitator to advance Canadian identity in the pursuit of positive race relations, equity, fairness, social harmony and dignity for all Canadians.