As a key event during the Indigenous Week of Welcome (Sept. 11鈥�14), UVic is launching its first Indigenous Plan. "The plan places Indigenous students, faculty, staff and their communities at its heart and will guide our work over the coming years," says UVic President Jamie Cassels.
UVic ethnobotanist Nancy Turner, as part of her legacy and the 2015 Pierre Elliott Trudeau Fellowship, is leading a four-day ethnoecology symposium at UVic (now full to capacity), which will also feature a keynote address on May 3 by renowned essayist John Ralston Saul.
Reflections by Maxwell Nicholson, second-year economics student, on the Converge 2017 conference鈥攚here leaders, students, politicians and university executives came together to develop a vision for Canada's future.
鈥婳n Saturday, the Indigenous versions of the Douglas Treaties鈥攏ever before available in the local languages鈥攚ill be presented in a ceremony at the Songhees Wellness Centre (during a three-day gathering) to the Royal BC Museum to be kept in perpetuity.
The presentation of the first-ever translations in the local Indigenous languages of the original Douglas Treaties of the colony of Vancouver Island is a pivotal element in a historic event taking place Feb. 24-26 in Victoria as part of UVic's Canada 150 celebrations.
Adult learners are a "missing generation" in Indigenous language revitalization. The majority of fluent speakers are 70 years of age or older and although young children in immersion are speaking their languages in increasing numbers, many Indigenous adults aged 18 to 60 do not. Onowa McIvor (Indigenous education) and Peter Jacobs (linguistics) just wrapped up the first study of the Mentor-Apprentice Program for Indigenous adult language learners in BC.
Indigenous Education at UVic joins a growing number of communities, schools, First Nations and local governments in Canada by honouring Orange Shirt Day on September 30鈥攊n recognition of the harms the residential school system did to children's sense of self-esteem and wellbeing, and as an opportunity to come together in the spirit of reconciliation and hope for generations of children to come.
Mavis Gillie, an effective advocate for Aboriginal rights and reconciliation, particularly in Canada鈥檚 North and British Columbia, will be granted a UVic honorary degree. The university鈥檚 highest honour will be presented to Gillie, 88, at a special convocation ceremony on March 9 in the University Club of Victoria.
Mavis Gillie, an advocate for Indigenous rights and reconciliation, will be granted an honorary degree tomorrow from the 番茄社区.
This year, a week-long celebration in sunny Ottawa marked the formal conclusion of a six-year nation-wide process. June 2015 brought the unveiling of the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission鈥檚 work and the issuing of 94 recommende鈥�
When the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released its final 11-page set of recommendations, one of the commission鈥檚 overarching goals loomed so large, it seemed poised to walk right off the document. 鈥淭he idea is that all we have learned is not to become stored and dusty,鈥� explains Commissioner Marie Wilson. 鈥淚t is a call to action.鈥�
The goal of UVic's annual Diversity Research Forum is to explore and discuss how research benefits social justice. This year鈥檚 theme is 鈥淐ritical Conversations: Reconciliation and Resurgence.鈥�
Shared values and aspirations bring celebrated broadcaster to UVic Nationally recognized broadcaster Shelagh Rogers, OC, was announced today as the next Chancellor of the 番茄社区. The popular national radio host, witness and champion of reconciliation for Aboriginal people, long-time advocate for adult literacy and mental health awareness and an acknowledged 鈥渧oice鈥� of the country will become the university鈥檚 11th Chancellor next year.
