CRRF initiating timely discussions in Vancouver and Richmond about race relations

The Canadian Race Relations Foundation (CRRF) is hosting events in Vancouver and Richmond on Jan. 19 and Jan. 21 to connect people across Canada in a timely conversation about race relations, citizenship, diversity and inclusion.

“This is an opportune time to have discussions about race relations in light of the recent attack where a man pepper sprayed newly-arrived Syrian refugees in Vancouver,” said Anita Bromberg, Executive Director, CRRF. “It’s imperative we bring people together to continue working towards a more inclusive society, as our cities are becoming increasingly diverse.”

The CRRF is proud to hold “The Urban Agenda: Vancouver” on Jan. 19, a Roundtable event that will focus on the challenges and promises of diversity in Canadian urban settings. This will be the fourth in its Urban Agenda Roundtable series held in partnership with the City of Vancouver, The Laurier Institution and Simon Fraser University. The stellar panel will be facilitated by Kory Wilson, Executive Director, Aboriginal Initiatives and Partnerships, British Columbia Institute of Technology.

The event will explore the various ways the City of Vancouver – which has the fourth largest percentage of foreign-born residents in the world – can work towards its official mission statement of becoming a “great city of communities, which cares about its people, its environment, and the opportunities to live, work and prosper.”

The conversation continues in Richmond on Jan. 21, when the CRRF will host the “Richmond Living Together Symposium” at the John M.S. Lecky UBC Boathouse, facilitated by Peter MacLeod, Co-Founder and Principal, MASS LBP and Robert Daum, Fellow, Diversity and Innovation, Simon Fraser University’s Centre for Dialogue.

This event is an opportunity for individuals, community and faith leaders, academics and diversity champions to explore Canadian values and identity, and contribute a vision for Richmond, where about 70 per cent of the population is a visible minority, according to the 2011 National Household Survey.

“The attack on Syrian refugees is the most recent in a string of concerning racist incidents in the region that makes it clear Canada must continue to find ways to unite people of different religions, culture and ethnicities, so that we can live together harmoniously,” said Albert Lo, Chairperson, CRRF and B.C. resident. “The incident demands swift response from the police, but also from individuals and communities, as it is everyone’s responsibility to contribute to a welcoming and inclusive society.”

To register for the  Urban Agenda: Vancouver on Tuesday January 19, 2016 click here.

To register for the Richmond Living Together Symposium on January 21, 2016 click here.