Thought-Provoking Online Conference Returning in January 2023
Credit to Author: Staff Writer| Date: Mon, 14 Nov 2022 21:14:13 +0000
“Music and food are the things that should be the most universally shared and celebrated amongst cultures,” says two-time Grammy Award winner Christopher Tin. Tin is a featured guest for the third edition of Threads: Cultural Conversations, an annual online conference that attracted close to 1,500 registrants from 39 countries last January. This is just one nugget of wisdom shared in the multitude of conversations recorded over the past year by a dedicated, culturally-diverse team of fewer than a dozen people who are responsible for the virtual event.
On January 25 and 26, 2023, Threads will stream presentations by artists and speakers from across Canada and around the world. Registration is now open for the free two-day online conference.
Hosted by the Saskatoon Open Door Society (SODS), the third edition of Threads: Cultural Conversations features a lineup of exciting speakers including Zaib Shaikh,the General Consul of Canada in Los Angeles, known to most for his starring role in the television series Little Mosque on the Prairie, former Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia Mayann Francis, Knowledge Keeper Willie Ermine, and over 30 other presenters from nearly all continents and various cultures.
“Attitudes and perceptions evolve from exposure to different discourses and exchanges,” says Ali Abukar, CEO of the Saskatoon Open Door Society. “I am pleased that there will be seven Indigenous speakers from seven different nations that will be sharing their stories with us, because I believe that in the current Canadian context of reconciliation, it is critical for Newcomers to hear directly from the Indigenous community.”
Launched in 2021, Threads aims to expand cultural understanding by creating more positive encounters between people of different cultures. Past speakers include Governors General Adrienne Clarkson and Michaëlle Jean, award-winning writers Kim Thúy and Kamal Al-Solaylee, and people from all cultures and walks of life.
Through knowledge talks, storytelling, artistic performances and more, Threads explores the challenges and desires of Newcomers, Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. In the past, participants discussed the meaning of belonging and becoming. Perceiving is the theme for the upcoming event.
“As more and more refugees and immigrants arrive in Canada, it is important for us to learn how people from different cultures perceive the world,” says Anahit Falihi, Director of Settlement and Community Support Services at SODS. “Through sharing our experiences, understanding each other’s perceptions, and perhaps changing our own perceptions, we can start to build a more diverse and inclusive society.”
Located on the Canadian Prairies, the Saskatoon Open Door Society is the biggest settlement agency in Saskatchewan. Its range of services includes settlement and resettlement support, employment, language instruction, and childcare to help newcomers to connect, integrate, and build relationships within the local community and with Indigenous communities.
Go to www.threadsconversations.ca and sign up right now to save your spot for the third edition of Threads: Cultural Conversations. And don’t forget to subscribe to the ever-expanding Threads Library for access to materials from past editions, with a donation of $50 or more, at https://threadslibrary.ca.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding registration or subscription, please email threads_registrations@sods.sk.ca.
The post Thought-Provoking Online Conference Returning in January 2023 first appeared on Canadian Immigrant.
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