The Georgia Straight recently featured Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society’s First Families, First Stories project in the Best of Vancouver 2013 edition.

Best multicultural project under way for 2014

Many minority communities in Greater Vancouver trace their roots to the 1960s, when Canada removed race as a criterion for immigration. Unlike pioneering Chinese, Japanese, and South Asians, who started arriving in larger numbers in the 19th century, these have a young history that is largely unexplored and untold. The Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society is working with these various groups to chronicle and share stories about their early beginnings. Through the First Families, First Stories project, this process will provide communities a voice in the ongoing dialogue about Canada’s complex cultural fabric. The project will produce timelines reflecting the collective memories, struggles, and progress of these settlers. Exhibits will be mounted in May 2014 during Asian Heritage Month, a yearly celebration recognizing the rich history of Asian Canadians and their contributions to their new homeland.

In the 2013 Vancouver Human Rights Lecture Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond will cover a range of topics including a description of living conditions and statistics on Aboriginal children in BC, and how we might go about addressing these unacceptable statistics. She will discuss recent work of the Representative’s Office – reports on Audit of Plans of Care and the government’s role in Aboriginal services over the past ten or so years. She will also look at education past and present and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission as related to the rights described in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Time: Thursday 7:00PM

September 12, 2013
Place: Modern Green Auditorium
Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability
UBC Point Grey
2260 West Mall V6T 1Z4

Please visit www.thelaurier.ca for more details.

On October 23rd, 2013, 6:30 pm at the New Westminster Public Library, World Poetry will celebrate the official launch of its International Peace Poetathon and its Fourth World Poetry New Westminster Night-out Celebration.  It will begin a one year initiative on focusing, creating and maintaining peace around the world.

Why is the World Poetry Canada International Initiative focusing on peace?

Our brains are not hard wired for peace. However, they are hard wired to fight or flee. Peace is a learned skill that needs to be focused on, learned and practiced. The poets, writers, musicians, dancers and artists of the world can make a difference. We are a world family and can use our combined and creative powers to build changes for peace.

How will it help the world?

Research has shown that nothing is more powerful than thought waves. They can go through solid metal, wood and even cement. Like thought waves attract each other, positive or negative

Imagine a steady stream of peace positive, thought waves from hundreds of participants flowing around the earth and the result of all the combined power of all those peace poems focusing on peace, meditating on peace, drawings, dances, writing for peace. Words are created by thoughts and when directed toward building peace they attract like thoughts. Positive peace thoughts will hook up with others creating a link that travel around the world.

The benefits:

Less conflict, less crime, less domestic violence, less greed, less jealousy and fewer quests for power of others… A continued focus will create more harmony and balance in the world.

How will it help me? It will give you the opportunity to create a new neuro-pathway in your brain. A pathway that will provide a third alternative to fighting or fleeing. You will still use the hardwired responses but will be able to apply a third one as needed, not be in a situation where an automatic response of fighting and anger do not work well or have terrible consequences.

Some examples of events: A poet in the wilderness of Alaska, reading peace poems to his sled dogs, an astronaut reading a peace poem on the space station, a Peace Poetry party for friends and neighbours, a Peace Picnic in a park, a stadium, a University program, school programs-the sky is the limit! We need you to come up with exciting ideas, projects and events!

What needs to be done to make it happen:

1. Volunteer poets and other artistic disciplines from all countries/areas. All religions and political persuasions will be welcome to focus on peace only.
2. Volunteer directors from each country/area will communicate with individuals and groups in each country and promote the activities whenever possible.
3. Time keepers and witnesses: Volunteers from each country/areas to time the event, reading or performance and send the information to: poetathonwp@gmail.com
4. Researchers with an interest in statistics to monitor crime levels, conflicts and any other indicators and send the information to:
5. If we have enough response and concise record keeping, the Guinness Book of Records is interested in this project.

If you are interested in joining this call to peace, please fill out the appropriate online  registration form below and remember to enclose your idea:

• General Registration Form
• Statistician Registration Form
• Record Keeper Registration Form

(If you prefer doing forms manually, you can print and complete the printable forms below and submit them by regular mail.)

• General Registration Form
• Statistical Registration Form
• Record Keeper Registration Form

Please note that you do not need to be members of World Poetry but you do need to compile with the regulations and not solicit or accept money for any World Poetry Canada International Peace Poetathon event.