Aboriginal Symposium

The Institute for Global Citizenship & Equity organized an Aboriginal Symposium on December 10th, 2009. The symposium, Beyond the Apology: Looking into the Future - 2040, presented an opportunity for dialogue about the future for Aboriginal people beyond the Canadian government's residential school apology.

The Keynote Speaker and Workshop Leader for the symposium was Commander John Bennett Herrington whose talk was titled "Living Your Dream". Commander Herrington is the first Native American Astronaut to walk in outer space. He discussed how to create a path to a vision for the future.

Other speakers included:

• Mr. Sal Ferreras, Dean of the School of Music and Centre for Design at Vancouver Community College whose presentation was titled "Aboriginal Drum, Song and Dance: Journey to Inclusion". He shared some of his experiences developing partnerships with the Aboriginal communities in British Columbia.
• Dan and Mary Lou Smoke discussed the traditions of Aboriginal song and dance and shared with participants how to create a path to the future using one's own talents.