This article is part of an ongoing series highlighting plans in the works for 国民彩票鈥檚 200th anniversary celebrations in 2018. For more information on Dal 200, visit听.
What does it mean to truly belong? A seemingly straightforward question 鈥� but one with many possible answers, often deeply personal.
听
Dal hopes to help share, discover and showcase new perspectives on that question next year with the launch of an initiative called the Year of Belonging, one of several signature programs that will shape the university鈥檚 200th-anniversary celebrations.
听
Built around a series of forums, workshops, volunteer opportunities and a legacy lecture series, the year-long program aims to expand and elevate conversations around diversity and inclusiveness at Dal and beyond by engaging the campus, alumni and the broader community in a year of discussion and action.
听
鈥淭his is one of the most important conversations of our time, one the whole world is having,鈥� says Catherine Bagnell Styles, Dal鈥檚 assistant vice-president of Communication and Marketing and Dal 200th planning chair. 鈥淭he 200th offers us a chance to really elevate that discussion in a way that we believe will resonate with our community. We鈥檒l hear and learn from some very compelling and inspiring voices.鈥�
听
The initiative will build on Dal鈥檚 commitment to fostering a culture grounded in diversity and inclusiveness as laid out in the university鈥檚 Strategic Direction and its new Diversity and Inclusiveness Strategy.
From public forums to days of action
A series of public 鈥淏elong Forums,鈥� held throughout the year, will kickstart discussions by bringing internationally respected thinkers to campus to share their unique global perspectives.
听
鈥淭here will be a piece of that that鈥檚 about not just leaving things hanging. We鈥檒l try to connect those people鈥檚 thoughts to what鈥檚 happening locally here,鈥� says Law Professor Kim Brooks, one of the authors of the 2015 Belong report and a member of the cross-campus committee working on the Year of Belonging.
听
To that end, a one- to two-day symposium will bring together students, academics and community leaders to collaborate on putting some of those ideas into action locally and building a more inclusive, diverse and engaged community in the process.
听
The symposium, to be organized and facilitated by Student Affairs in conjunction with the Centre for Learning and Teaching (CLT) and Human Rights and Equity Services (HRES), will serve as a professional development opportunity for students, staff and faculty aimed at improving intercultural fluency, Indigenous cultural awareness and equity, diversity and inclusion competency. Panels and workshops featuring guest speakers will help participa