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Vancouver Public Library’s (VPL) relatively new (2022) Indigenous Considerations for Newcomers to Canada (ICNC) program is designed to educate newcomers about Canada’s Indigenous history and culture. Taking the innovative program one step further and hoping to reach out to Vancouver’s broader Chinese community, VPL will be hosting the program in Cantonese for the first time…
As Vancouver’s multicultural landscape continues to evolve, the Lebanese community has woven itself into the city’s fabric, leaving a remarkable legacy. With the return of Lebanese Heritage Month in November, Dr. Nick Kahwaji, the honorary consul at the Honorary Consulate of Lebanon in Vancouver, believes language is the key to preserving cultural heritage. “Language is…
National Grief and Bereavement Day returns on Nov. 19., encouraging discussion around access to grief and bereavement support. For Jason M. Brown, Simon Fraser University’s (SFU) first ecological chaplain, grief is a normal part of the lived experience. “Grief is a companion,” he says. “It is not something you have to pathologize…. but [something] to…
With the third annual return of Hindu Heritage Month in November, Neeraj Kumar, founder and president of the India Cultural Association of Vancouver (ICA) is looking forward to sharing the cultural values of Hinduism to those within the community and beyond. Part of this work involves developing the first South Asian cultural museum or centre…
Learn about the history of Indigenous veterans and participate in local Indigenous community events, encourages Randi Gage, a Vietnam-era veteran and the founder of Indigenous Veterans Day. This Nov. 8 marks the 30th anniversary since the day’s first commemoration. “Don’t be shy. Go there and find out what it’s all about,” she says. “It’s like…
Canada has made significant strides in advancing gender equality over the years, and one of the key milestones we commemorate is Persons Day, celebrated on Oct. 18. It recognizes the 1929 decision from Canada’s highest court of appeal to include women in the legal definition of “persons,” laying the foundation for women’s greater political participation.…
Simon Fraser University’s (SFU) Department of World Languages and Literatures, in collaboration with the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Canada – West, is hosting Italian Culture and Books: The World Between the Lines on Oct. 18 at SFU Venture Labs. Celebrating the 2024 Week of Italian Language in the World and Italian Design Weeks, this…
For Indigenous artist, facilitator, speaker and curator Christine Mackenzie, art workshops have the opportunity to connect communities through teaching about Indigenous culture and artwork and healing intergenerational trauma. To that end, the Kwakiutl Nation, Eagle Clan artist will be hosting Finding Your Voice: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a free workshop at the Place…
Millions across Canada and beyond will lace up this month to partake in the 44th annual run to commemorate Canadian legend Terry Fox. Yet, few are aware of Fox’s Métis heritage, or the Fox family’s embrace of their Métis identity in their advocacy for Cancer research. According to Lorelei Lyons, founder of the organization 2…
The International Day for People of African Descent serves as an opportunity to highlight the experiences of the African diaspora around the world. Celebrated annually on Aug. 1, the UN-recognized date offers a chance to showcase and reflect on those experiences, including those with Vancouver and British Columbia as a whole. Like most things in…
As war rages on in Ukraine, an annual day to celebrate the country’s independence approaches. Ukrainian Independence Day has been celebrated annually on August 24 since 1991, the first anniversary of the Ukrainian parliament’s declaration of independence from the Soviet Union. Since that time, both residents of Ukraine and its diaspora have marked the day…
Founded in 1996 by the Canadian Government, the Canadian Race Relations Foundation (CRRF) was created as part of the Japanese Canadian Redress agreement, and meant to reaffirm the principles of justice and equity for all throughout the country. In that time, the organization has sought to affirm those principles through a variety of workshops, action…
S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Foundation supports immigrants by helping them receive opportunities to start their life in Canada. As a recent report from Statistics Canada shows, temporary foreign workers in Canada are more consistently transitioning into permanent residency, compared to previous cohorts in years prior. As such, organizations like S.U.C.C.E.S.S. look to play a key role in enabling…
