Press Release
14th Annual Awareness Week for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination: UQAT shows its colors by teaming up with the Val-d’Or Native Friendship Centre
Val-d’Or, March 7, 2014 – Again this year, the Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT) teams up with the Val-d’Or Native Friendship Centre (VDNFC) for the upcoming 14th Annual Awareness Week for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, an activity that has long become a key-event in the year. "Education and knowledge are crucial to the development and preservation of harmonious relations among peoples. It is all the more important that UQAT takes position and part in this collective effort, for the positive intercultural dynamics observed on our campuses provides a forum for students and staff members from different cultures to meet, discuss and share ideas in a harmonious climate," says Nancy Crépeau, Coordinator of UQAT First Peoples Services.
UQAT First Peoples Services on the Val-d’Or campus organizes several activities open to everyone and intended to bring students and the population in general to get to know each other better and thus to understand each other better.
A week of action and reflection
Sunday, March 16: All the students of the UQAT Val-d’Or campus are invited to enjoy an outdoors intercultural day. The participants will get an opportunity to try snowshoeing and ice fishing, but also to taste bannok bread baked on an open fire and share a meal of traditional Native and Quebec dishes. The students and their children will create a banner in preparation for the Gabriel-Commanda Walk.
Tuesday, March 18: For Wapikoni Mobile’s 10th anniversary, a retrospective of this wonderful adventure will be broadcasted at UQAT, an adventure in which some 3,000 youths from 25 Aboriginal communities have participated in and which have led to the production of 600 films that demonstrate their talent: an exceptional cultural heritage. Furthermore, the UQAT First Peoples Services will broadcast awareness messages to the entire university community, both students and employees.
Wednesday, March 19: At 4 p.m., the film Québékoisie (in French only)will be presented at the Multi-purpose Room (MPR) of the UQAT Val-d’Or campus. This 80-minute documentary feature explores the relationship between non-Aboriginal Quebecers and the First Nations in Quebec. After travelling the world, 30-year-old Mélanie and Oliver, came to realize that they have maintained friendships with people in about every corner of the world but have never been to an Aboriginal community in Quebec to attend a Pow-wow. They decide to take their bike and hit the road to Côte-Nord to discover a reality totally new to them. From chance encounters to scheduled ones, they question the notion of living together and the social fabric of Quebec.
Thursday, March 20: A Native Speaker’s Luncheon with Florent Vollant, Innu singer, songwriter and composer who grew up in Maliotenam, Côte-Nord. Our guest will share his vision on relations among peoples and make a short music performance. Exceptionally, the conference with start at 11:30 a.m. The entire population is welcome to attend, but reservations must be made with Patricia Martin (patricia.martin@uqat.ca). Bring your own lunch.
Friday, March 21: The entire population is invited to participate in the Gabriel-Commanda Walk organized by the Val-d’Or Native Friendship Centre. Many university community members will take part in the event and proudly show their colors.
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Source:
Laurie Chabot, Information Officer
Communications and Recruitment
Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue
819 874-8728 ext. 6304
