The Michaëlle Jean Foundation is pleased to announce the Live Streaming of the National Black Canadians Summit
OTTAWA, ON, July 12, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ – The Fondation Michaëlle Jean Foundation is pleased to announce that it is offering Live Streaming of the National Black Canadians Summit (#NBCS2022) through the generous partnership of Enbridge, making the Summit more accessible to more Canadians.
“Enbridge is proud to sponsor the NBCS Summit, which is bringing together Black Canadians from all ages, sectors and walks of life to raise awareness about the actions that can be taken to eliminate racial discrimination”
– Pete Sheffield, Enbridge’s Chief Sustainability Officer
The live stream is an opportunity for the public to take part in a suite of sessions, to hear the presenters and interact with panelists at the Summit. The three-day live stream program will showcase the Opening ceremony, youth-focused workshops, keynote addresses, roundtable discussions and the Halifax Declaration.
Not only is Enbridge our NBCS Live Streaming partner offering a custom-designed interactive platform, the company will also introduce a session on Day 2 at the Summit entitled Blacks in Science and Tech, a much-anticipated panel highlighting the interests and successes of Black professionals and students. Many industry professionals will reflect on how to dismantle barriers, through reflections on their lived experience.
Access to the entire live stream summit costs $45 with complementary modules to enhance the online experience. Be a part of the Summit movement – register at: https://www.blackcanadiansummit.ca/.
“The Summit provides a valuable opportunity to share even sensitive issues. This brave and safe space where Black communities will come to share their stories and do so with a concern for truth is a powerful circle of speech, pride, awareness and mobilization. We have come a long way, but there is still a long way to go.”
– The Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean
With the Halifax Declaration, at the birthplace of Black presence in Canada, all delegates will want to bear witness to the perspectives and expectations of Black communities, challenging the status quo, a legacy of colonial and racist policies which have been harmful to historically excluded and marginalized peoples. We join our spirits and voices to proclaim and share our collective history and to demand action toward a truly just and equitable Canada. Our Summit being under the auspices the International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024) – Recognition, Justice and Development proclaimed by the United Nations, Dr Natalia Kanem, the United Nations Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of the UN Population Fund, is eager to participate with an entire UN delegation to attest the major mobilization in Canada for the eradication of systemic racial discrimination.
The National Black Canadians Summit would not be realized without the tremendous support of many partners. The Foundation is deeply grateful to its presenting sponsor, TD Bank Group through its TD Ready Commitment. We also thank our valued partners: Enbridge, Canada Housing and Mortgage Corporation, African Nova Scotian Affairs and the province of Nova Scotia, Canadian Commission for UNESCO, Export Development Canada, Majda International, Canadian Race Relations Foundation, Sobeys, Dream Legacy Foundation. The Foundation is also thanking its precious allies, the Federation of Black Canadians, the Canadian Race Relations Council, the City of Halifax, Canada Council for the Arts, Definity, Black Business Initiative and the Delmore “Buddy” Day Learning Institute. We would also like to acknowledge the generous personal contributions of Robert and Maria Peck, as well as that of John Beck, our “Youth Champion Delegate”, who is sponsoring the participation of 400 youth at the Summit. The Foundation thanks CBC/Radio-Canada, the national public broadcaster, as the 2022 Summit media partner.
The Michaëlle Jean Foundation was born out of the actions taken to focus specifically on youth-led civic initiatives across Canada by the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean throughout her mandate as the 27th Governor-General of Canada in collaboration with the unwavering commitment of her husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond, philosopher-filmmaker and writer. The Foundation, created in 2011, is a national charitable organization that uses a unique model of intervention, based on social change, dialogue, innovation, education, creative and social entrepreneurship, to empower young Canadians across the country who are experiencing exclusion.
The presence of Youth will be prominent at the Summit – as such, the online audience will be able to hear their perspectives and initiatives that are strongly committed to the eradication of racial discrimination, and participate in the Interactive Arts expression along with the Anti-Black Racism Toolkit workshops. The Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission and the Canadian Race Relations Foundation will present the Human Rights Roundtable highlighting mobilization efforts carried out by the Black Canadian communities.
Delegates and the online audience will be officially welcomed at the Opening ceremony, with a special greeting by the Honourable Arthur J. LeBlanc, Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia. Keynote remarks will be given by The Right Honourable (TRH) Michaëlle Jean and activist Vanessa Hartley. Their inspirational words will set the tone for the Summit.
Day will start with an Opening Plenary session with the Summit co-chairs, Vanessa Fells and DeRico Symonds. Followed by a Conversation with Canadian changemakers, Stephan James and Shamier Anderson, co-founders of the Black Academy, hosted by Fabienne Colas, founder of various film festivals. Afterward, the Summit will get into full swing with these sessions: Let’s talk Black Health, Breaking barriers in Education (Primary – Grade 12), Black Business Roundtable, Black Identity and Creative Expression, Blacks in Science and Tech, Black Lives Matter and Beyond and What if… Reimagining the future of affordable housing for Black Canadians Roundtable.
The culmination of the Summit will be the adoption and proclamation of the Halifax Declaration which will bring together the crucial points of the discussions, deliberations, recommendations and expectations complemented by remarks from TRH Michaëlle Jean. This exceptional live stream will be witnessed all across Canada with the UN Special delegation in attendance to ensure it is heard around the world.
SOURCE Fondation Michaëlle Jean Foundation
