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The Greater Vancouver Bangladesh Cultural Association (GVBCA) has been promoting the Bangladeshi national culture and heritage in Vancouver since 2002, when several organizations merged to create a unitary association, with a variety of events such as concerts, annual picnics, an Independence Day celebration, International Mother Language Day and the Bengali New Year, which will be…
Most of us have never given a second thought to wood waste but one organization is working to improve that. Uproot a zero-waste, wood-salvaging social venture was founded last year with the goal of making what is known as a “circular economy” more accessible, starting with re-purposing wood waste. What is the circular economy? Kevin…
There is a First Nations belief that you carry your language within. You always possess it, but you just have to find it. Valerie Bob, a member of the Hul’q’umi’num’ peoples, is embarking on a four-year PhD study to improve knowledge of the relationship between traditional Coast Salish music and the endangered Salish language Hul’q’umi’num’.…
The Armenian Cultural Association of British Columbia (ACA) will be hosting a benefit concert on April 8 at Performance Works for Syrian-Armenian refugees arriving in Vancouver. The event is raising funds for 30 families, and will feature pieces by composers such as Khachaturian, Babajanian, and Gomidas. As the Syrian refugee crisis continues to escalate, various…
Gold Mountain is very much alive today, says a historian who specializes in Chinese history. The Chinese people who crossed the Pacific Ocean in hopes of finding wealth at Gold Mountain, contrary to popular belief, did not leave simply because of war-torn conditions. Henry Yu notes that people who were dislocated by war didn’t travel…
The Canadian Polish Congress (CPC), initially created under the name Federation of Polish Society in 1933, was founded to join the various Polish groups in Canada, as well as to acknowledge notable Polish lifetime achievements. According to the 2011 census, the CPC caters to 1,010,705 people of Polish descent and their mandate is to consolidate,…
Life coach Claire Yeung wants to help women become the heroine in their lives. She didn’t become the heroine in her own life until just recently. She will be speaking at the Canadian Immigrant’s first Multicultural Women’s Conference and Fair, which will be held Mar. 31 at the Croatian Cultural Centre. In September 2012, she…
David Pennington will hit the road from the Mexican border for the Ocean Rescue Run on April 18. The Canadian will run over 2,700 kilometres, reaching Vancouver in about 44 days. This journey begins with a life shift that not only includes Pennington but also Indonesia and its ecological struggles. Born in Prince George, Pennington…
The first day of spring marks the Iranian New Year, Norouz, a time of festivities to celebrate the rebirth of the Earth. For the past seven years the Canadian Iranian Foundation (CIF), a significant resource for newly arrived Iranian immigrants, has hosted and celebrated the Norouz festival. The CIF, based in North Vancouver, began in…
The topic of cultural appropriation pops up from time to time in local and international media, sparking various reactions and debates. The complexities of cultural appropriation will be addressed at Simon Fraser University’s Aboriginal Lecture Series Indigeneity, Cultural Property and Intangible Heritage at the Djavad Mowafaghian World Art Centre, Goldcorp Centre for the Arts (Wed,…
Taking the oath of citizenship is often a second step in immigrants and refugees’ settling process. The Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC), in partnership with Citizenship and Immigration Canada, operates a national program aiming to ease citizenship procedures for the 1500 plus applicants each year and help them connect to their new community. Their volunteer-run…
With only seven fluent speakers left in the Squamish Nation, Khelsilem is in a hurry to prevent his language from becoming extinct. Khelsilem is the program director and founder of Kwi Awt Stelmexw, a not-for-profit society for the Squamish Nation. He hopes that the new Liberal government will carry out its commitment through the Truth…
Upon discovering that the Government of Canada’s counter-terrorism strategy is built around the concept of resilience, Michelle LeBaron, professor at UBC’s Peter Allard School of Law, took action through the arts. Four years ago, LeBaron discovered that resilience was central to national security and was intrigued. She decided to study this concept deeper in the…
