Tuesday, 21 March 2017, 8:45am to 8:45pm
Rotunda, Kitchener City Hall

(even by Skype – that can be arranged)

Cross Culture’s
annual commemoration of the

UN International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination 2017

in our 16th year

a FREE public event

8:45 am

Opening Ceremony

Elder Jean Becker
&
O’Canada
dignitaries bringing greetings

theme for this year:

Our Home ON Native Land

• speakers
• multimedia presentations
• panel discussions
• essays on various related topics
• booths

Inspector Mike Haffner

Mike Haffner is the WRPS Executive Officer to the Chief and is there on behalf of the Chief – will give acknowledgement of our indigenous peoples land

Hate Crime Presentation

WRPS

Kristin Little is an extremely valuable civilian member of our police service. She is an Open Source Analyst with the Hate Crime and Extremism Investigative Team. She monitors social media for 15 different police services in Ontario. She will be talking about hate crimes and the different types, hate incidents, why people commit hate crimes, types of extremism and the importance of reporting hate crimes

Our Home ON Native Land

• are indigenous people history and culture being taught in your school? If so, by whom?
• where are you getting your information from?
• what do you need to inform yourself ?
• what is your extent of awareness, your experience, your interaction with indigenous people and in what capacity ?

The Winemaker

Narsiesse

Narsiesse a First Nation writer, director, and filmmaker will open up about THE WINEMAKER film series and discuss some elements of the film’s origins that cover many of his passions, including First Nation mythos. Narsiesse will show phase one of THE WINEMAKER film series, then will share various artwork created by artists from around the world, who were inspired by THE WINEMAKER imagery and many of its First Nation themes and symbols. An interactive discussion and an opportunity to speak with Narsiesse and other members of THE WINEMAKER cast follows

Two videos

Home To Me & Outsiders

two lovely music videos done my First Nations, Metis and Inuit students in Canada followed by group discussion(led by Marianna Worth & Tammy Webster)

Presentations by

Islamic School of Cambridge & others

Unity banner

to include all students signing

Closing remarks

Bring your own lunch

schools usually attend from the morning till approximately 2:00pm when they need to return to their respective schools
however . . . students are welcome to stay and attend .. but at their own responsibility or accompanied by their own adults

Afternoon Session
2:00pm – 7:00pm

we continue with
more speakers & interactive dialogue

discussions around
discrimination against “other”
the emerging / surfacing biases and fear of unknowns

2:00 pm

The different labels attached to Muslim women

Fauzia Mazhar

2:15 pm

Skypeing with Wendy Goldsmith

A social worker and mother of three from London Ontario

As a social worker she has worked with many marginalized and traumatized individuals, families and communities and began her work in Palestine after Operation ‘Cast Lead’ and saw through photos and direct accounts of the horror and devastation inflicted by Israel on Gaza. Wendy is a member of the steering committee of Canada Boat to Gaza, a representative at Freedom Flotilla Coalition and on the Media team for the Women’s Boat to Gaza. Wendy recently returned from Barcelona, Spain, Ajaccio, Corsica and Messina, Sicily where she participated in the sailing of the Zaytouna

2:30 pm

The Political Meaning of Teaching Introductory Psychology to Indigenous Students

Dr. Richard Walsh

A retired professor of psychology at Wilfrid Laurier University, where he specialized in community psychology and in the history, philosophy, and ethics of psychology. He is the lead author of the 2014 book, A Critical History and Philosophy of Psychology, published by Cambridge University Press. In 1999 he received Laurier’s outstanding teaching award.
Richard is an active member of a local faith community; he sings in its choir and in Inshallah, the local interfaith choir
Richard was the Green Party candidate for Waterloo in the 2015 federal election. He serves as critic for mental health in the Green Party of Canada Shadow Cabinet. He is also the critic for poverty reduction in the Green Party of Ontario Shadow Cabinet
Locally, he is a founding member of the Alliance Against Poverty

3:00 pm

Bridges to Belonging

Cameron Dearlove – executive director
Carmen Sutherland – community relations

“Bridges to Belonging ‘s vision for “a Waterloo Region where everyone belongs- where we value meaningful relationships, honour choices and dreams, and celebrate the uniqueness of each person”. How do we get there? How does inclusion and belonging interact, and how are they different? How can you build bridges to belonging in your community?”

3:45 pm

Wasai Rahimi

Current president of the Afghan Association of Waterloo Region, Wasai was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, and for over 22 years has served with numerous non-profit organizations, here in Canada and overseas and has been living in Kitchener for the past 14 years

• he is serving at the Safe and Healthy Community Advisory Committee, at the City of Kitchener
• he is representing Kitchener residence at the Safety-Kleen Public Liaison Committee
• he is a Board member of Bridges to Belonging Waterloo Region
• he is founder and Executive Director of iHelp International
• B A -Kabul University diploma – Conestoga College in Electrical Engineering Technology where he also studied Civil Engineering and Management

4:00 pm

The Laurier Friendship Dinners

The Laurier Friendship Dinners brought forty Laurier students, fourteen Syrian newcomer families and 40 community members together for a series of celebratory, welcoming dinners in the fall of 2016. Come and listen to a group of students, Syrian newcomers and community members share what they learned about refugee realities and building cross cultural friendships through this initiative in which students and community members collaborated through family visits, menu planning, grocery shopping, cooking Syrian feasts and celebrating together

Syrian refugees — newcomers — integration

…the existing homelessness & poverty
the concerns of a community split between prioritizing:

• addressing the existing poverty and homelessness
  vs
  being sensitive to fellow human suffering
• hospitable
  vs
  suspicious
• resentful of the funding allocated to accommodating and integrating refugees
  vs
  contributions and benefits to the economy of bringing newcomers
• and whatever more comes up in the discussions

5:00 pm

Political Policies for Indigenous Peoples

Bob Jonkman

Resolutions passed by the Green Party at last year’s Special General Meeting.

5:15 pm

The Disconnect

Dimitri Lascaris

Dimitri Lascaris is a lawyer, activist and journalist. He is the former justice critic in the shadow cabinet of the Green Party of Canada. In 2012, he was named by Canadian Lawyer Magazine as one of the 25 most influential lawyers in Canada, and in 2013, Canadian Business Magazine named him one of the 50 most influential persons in Canadian business. He is currently a board member and correspondent of The Real News Network, based in Baltimore, Maryland.

Dimitri will discuss the disconnect between Canadian public opinion and the Canadian government’s unqualified support for the government of Israel.The International Court of Justice has held unanimously that Israel’s settlements constitute a grave breach of international law. Virtually the entire international community, including Canada’s government, agrees with this assessment. Yet the Canadian government continues to support Israel lavishly. A new poll leaves no doubt that Canadians do not agree with its government’s approach to Israel. Why does this disconnect exist?

6:00 pm

Mino Ode Kwewak N’gamowak

Good Hearted Women Singers

Mino Ode Kwewak N’gamowak (Good Hearted Women Singers) are an Indigenous and non-Indigenous women’s drum circle following the teachings of Community Elder Jean Becker and led by Songkeeper, Kelly Laurila. Our outreach and singing in public has much to do with building positive relations with Settler peoples. Although Canada is in a process of reconciliation, colonization and assimilation policies still permeate the lives of many Indigenous peoples today. In addition the water, mother earth and our environment need everyone’s help. We believe that building relationships with one another can help us understand one another and work towards the good of all peoples.

All My Relations

Kelly Laurila
Songkeeper

Songs our drum circle will sing:

Kip Carpenter

I am from Ontario and grew up along the mazina’iga-ziibi/Missinihe-ziibi (Credit River) and the springs of the Naadaw-zaaga-ziibi (Nottawasaga River). As far as I know my ancestors are of Irish and English decent. I have relatives from Pimicikamak Cree Nation, known as Cross Lake, and other connections to the original people of Turtle Island. My given name is Kip Matthew Carpenter.

The first time he met Mino Ode Kwewak N’gamowak it was a true honour to offer a poetic blessing to these Good Hearted Women. Having been born on Turtle Island it is deeply humbling for him to be able to express support in anyway possible for the international day to end racism. Much of his time has been spent in what is now known as Ontario and if there is ever a chance such as this to express and pray for more progress or healing, it is with deep gratitude he offers much more than his words. He will and does listen. He hopes semaa will keep him strong as he offers this same blessing again to all today. Acknowledging this land was taken in broken treaties, his support to the best of his ability is freely offered, he currently lives in Guelph and his given name is Kip Carpenter.

G’chi miigewetch, Kip

PEACE VIGIL

followed by the

PEACE concert

and the visual artists extravaganza …

Brenda Lewis

Brenda Lewis is a professional musician – Jazz Soul & Roots vocalist, publicist and human rights advocate, longtime Guelph resident she was most recently featured in The Jazz Room’s celebrated concert series in Uptown Waterloo, and currently performs with some of Canada’s finest musicians, including Margaret Stowe, Tony Quarrington, Jeff Bird, John Zadro and Gayle Ackroyd in this region, Toronto and across Ontario in acclaimed venues and festivals. Her CDs have been played on CBC, BBC and Jazz.FM and her new jazz release “Far & Near” (her third) is quickly garnering critical praise

Rhythms in Steel

Rhythms in Steel have been playing for about 3 years as a six piece acoustic Steelband in Waterloo Region. Band members include

• Lisbeth Haddad on the tenor pan and vocalist
• Murchison Callender on the tenor pan
• Wendell Claxton on double seconds
• Carol Taylor on the guitar pan
• Karen Asumang and Chloe Callender on percussion

The band’s repertoire has a Caribbean flavour of reggae, soca, calypso and folk songs of the Caribbean. They perform at Parties, Churches, Retirement homes, Schools, Community Festivals and Fundraising Events for Charities.

Dance Performance

by students from the African UBUNTU kids club
Acoustic Steel is a six member acoustic steel band. The musicians are:

• Carol Taylor on first pan (melody)
• Cheryl Dietrich on double seconds (harmony)
• Rob Hartung on cello (bass)
• Sam Ogilvie on electric bass
• Dick Smith and Kerren Asumang on djembe

The band started playing together seven years ago and play a diverse selection of songs suited to the unique sound of the Steel drum and rhythms of the Caribbean. Events at which the band has been invited to play include
Community Festivals, Charitable Fundraising Events, Weddings, private parties and Corporate functions

Brenda Hodge
Sylver Dragon

• demo on how to do a memory bracelet … they are fun and fairly quick
• poem

Canoes Eye View

one of the regular participants over the years will be performing as a three piece this year

This is always a work in progress … it grows as you:

• contact us saying you will participate
• present, have a booth, etc
• help us spread the word among your contacts…

please feel free to call or email me to participate

• present / share
• have an information booth
  and
• for further details