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Press Releases UNA-Canada brings together Canadians to discuss "Integration & Belonging" Ottawa, 1 February 2005 - The United Nations Association in Canada (UNA-Canada), in partnership with the Department of Canadian Heritage, is pleased to announce the occasion of the National Forum for Integration & Belonging taking place in Ottawa from February 4 - 6, 2005. This event will bring together community representatives elected in five cities at the regional community roundtables in Calgary, Saskatoon, Kingston, Montreal and St. John's, and will and provide an open platform for participants to discuss the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in a multicultural society. The National Forum begins with a panel discussion featuring distinguished guests from organizations such as the Metropolis Project, Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization, Citizenship and Immigration and the Globe and Mail, each discussing particular aspects regarding the Canadian multicultural landscape, integration of individuals and communities, and the social environment required to ensure a true sense of belonging of all residents of Canada. Following that, a two day roundtable will continue the dialogue around these themes, while focusing on the solutions and experiences found in communities across the nation. Integration & Belonging engages Canadians of different backgrounds, different regions, religions, or occupations, willing to engage each other in discourse about the social arrangements which hold us together and order our lives. By bringing representatives of all Canadians to the table, this uniquely Canadian initiative will develop an innovative model, through a process of gathering best practices and lessons learned, that will be used to define, understand and promote "integration" and "belonging" in order to strengthen communities. UNA-Canada is a 13,000 people strong, membership-based, charitable organization supporting a network of fourteen volunteer branches and a professional staff team based in Ottawa. The organization is also home to the Canadian Corporate Leadership Council of the UN, which seeks to support Canadian leadership in corporate social responsibility. Celebrating its 60th anniversary next year- along with the UN itself - its mandate is to engage Canadians in the work of the UN and the critical global issues which affect us all. Media are invited and encouraged to attend the panel discussion. Any interviews or questions can be directed to the contacts below. Contacts: For further information on the project, click here.
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