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World Interfaith Harmony Week is an annual event observed during the first week of February (February 1–7) after General Assembly designation in 2010. Recognizing the imperative need for dialogue among different faiths and religions to enhance mutual understanding, harmony and cooperation among people, the General Assembly encourages all States to spread the message of interfaith…
In their public conversation on Jan. 26 entitled “Homelands: Exile and Return,” Amyn Sajoo and Kamal Al-Solaylee will delve into that feeling of belonging and the yearning immigrants have about returning to their homelands. Al-Solaylee will look to unpack these restless quests, including his own. Sajoo, a term lecturer and scholar-in-residence at SFU, and Al-Solaylee,…
I grew up in Peru, and often visited my grandparents in the Andes mountains. My grandmother was a wise woman. She didn’t know how to read or write, but she was rich with traditional knowledge. We hiked together to find medicinal plants. I helped her deliver babies. She impressed upon me the power of nature and…
Will the rabbit bring in a tamer year? Associated with peace, longevity and prosperity across Asia, the rabbit is a symbol of hope. The Lunar New Year has been celebrated at the time of the new moon since 104 BC, during the Han dynasty, when a date on the traditional Chinese calendar was chosen to…
Released last December, a new study, entitled Perceptions of shared values in Canadian society among the immigrant population, compares the proportions of Canadian-born people and immigrants who believed that Canadians share values to a significant extent. These values represent the democratic norms or standards that provide a basis for social inclusion in a diverse society, providing…
There is little doubt that society is politically polarized over many dimensions of environmental protection. There has been a widening gap in recent years between conservative and liberal voter support for government spending on environmental protection, belief in climate change and support for climate policy. Research suggests conservatives tend to be more enamored of capitalism…
At the LEVEL Youth Policy Program, youth learnto shape policy on issues that matter to them What does it look like to level the playing field when addressing racial inequity? For the LEVEL Youth Policy Program, it means investing in the leadership and capacity of Indigenous and racialized migrant and refugee youth to give them…
Last October, MOSAIC launched the Accessibility for Newcomers Program, an innovative new program that will enhance accessibility for immigrants, refugees and newcomers in the Lower Mainland. Funded by the City of Vancouver in accordance with their new Accessibility Strategy, the innovative program will connect newcomers with disabilities to employment and disability support services while working…
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly touching every facet of our society, including transportation, the stock market, dating, and health care (where I focus my work). As AI makes its way into medical devices, hospital readmission algorithms, iPhone apps that scan moles to determine if you should see a dermatologist, etc., the public is being increasingly…
People with disabilities – one billion people – are one of the most excluded groups in society. Annually, on Dec. 3, Vancouver joins cities around the world to mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities. This year’s theme, Transformative solutions for inclusive development: the role of innovation in fuelling an accessible and equitable world, continues…
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced that the Governor General appointed Dr. Margo Greenwood as an independent senator to fill a vacancy for British Columbia. Dr. Greenwood is an internationally recognized and highly respected Indigenous scholar of Cree ancestry. She is a researcher and author with over 30 years of experience in health fields.…
Young adults in Canada are less likely to own a home and more likely to live with their parents than they were a decade ago, according to recently released census data.But statistics only tell one part of the story. Umay Kader (she/her), a PhD candidate in sociology at UBC, wants to understand the other part.…
“Canadians came ashore at Juno Beach as part of the most ambitious military operation that the world has ever seen and in turn, helped liberate a continent. The story of Juno Beach and the Battle of Normandy, and the brave folks who fought there, represent a vitally important chapter in our history. This agreement will…
