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Category: Upcoming Events

Exploring Faith Series: “Sikhism: All in One and One in All” – Oct 10

Exploring Faith Series: “Sikhism: All in One and One in All”

IDI GTA invites you an interactive presentation on Sikhism. 
Discover the basics and unique concepts of Sikhism and how it can help you in your life.

Venue:

Multi-faith Centre, University of Toronto

Koffler Institute,569 Spadina Avenue, Toronto, ON

Date/Time

Wednesday,October 10, 11:45 AM to 1:45 PM

*Lunch will be served.

Exploring Faith Series of event aims to increase religious literacy, break down the myths about religious traditions, create a positive engaging learning environment with the participation of adherents from faith or no-faith background. 

Speakers: 
Davinder Dhanoa is an Interfaith and Community Leader serving with the Toronto Area Interfaith Council in the Poverty Reduction Committee. Davinder also serves 3 different temples in supporting their Leadership in Community service projects. He has done various lectures on Eastern Faith Traditions (Hinduism and Sikhism) and Mysticism in High Schools, Universities and Interfaith Events. With over 20 yrs of working with different Faith Traditions and Charities to serve humanity, he feels that Faith In Action is the call for today.

 

Guru Fatha Singh Khalsais an insightful and inspiring teacher of Kundalini Yoga, and one of the world’s leading authorities on the teachings of Yogi Bhajan. Guru Fatha has written several authoritative books and published a number of historic transcripts and recordings of these empowering teachings. He is an outspoken advocate for human rights, peace, and a healthy environment. Guru Fatha Singh is also involved in ground-breaking research into the transformative effects of Kundalini Yoga on practioners’ health and well-being.

 

Book Club: “Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life” by Karen Armstrong – Sept 27

IDI GTA cordially invites you to its Book Club. 
Let’s share ideas over a cup of coffee and treats about our first book club choice.

featuring

“Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life”

by Karen Armstrong

(Author of the The Case for Good)

In this important and thought-provoking work, Karen Armstrong—one of the most original thinkers on the role of religion in the modern world—provides an impassioned and practical guide to helping us make the world a more compassionate place.

Participants of the book club are expected to read 100% of the book.

Day/Time 
September 27, 2018 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm

Location

Toronto Public Library – Pleasant View Library
575 Van Horne Ave, North York, ON M2J 4S8

Registration Fee: $5

*You can find more information about the book and the author below.

**Please note there are only 25 parking spots available at the library but there is a strip mall at the Victoria Park and Van Horne Ave, 7 minutes walking distance.

ABOUT TWELVE STEPS TO A COMPASSIONATE LIFE
In this important and thought-provoking work, Karen Armstrong—one of the most original thinkers on the role of religion in the modern world—provides an impassioned and practical guide to helping us make the world a more compassionate place.

The twelve steps she suggests begin with “Learn About Compassion,” and close with “Love Your Enemies.” In between, she takes up self-love, mindfulness, suffering, sympathetic joy, the limits of our knowledge of others, and “concern for everybody.” She shares concrete methods to help us cultivate and expand our capacity for compassion, and provides a reading list to encourage us to “hear one another’s narratives.” Armstrong teaches us that becoming a compassionate human being is a lifelong project and a journey filled with rewards.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Karen Armstrong is the author of numerous books on religion, including The Case for God, A History of God, The Battle for God, Holy War,Islam, Buddha, and Fields of Blood, as well as a memoir, The Spiral Staircase. Her work has been translated into 45 languages. In 2008 she was awarded the TED Prize and began working with TED on the Charter for Compassion, created online by the general public, crafted by leading thinkers in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. It was launched globally in the fall of 2009. Also in 2008, she was awarded the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Medal. In 2013, she received the British Academy’s inaugural Nayef Al-Rodhan Prize for Transcultural Understanding.  

 

http://toronto.interculturaldialog.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/InterculturalDialogueInsituteBookClub_Twelve_Steps_to_a_Compassionate_Life.jpg

MEET YOUR NEIGHBOUR PROJECT: Pre-Thanksgiving Dinners

Intercultural Dialogue Institute cordially invites you to participate in a unique experience at your “neighbour’s home”. Don’t miss this opportunity!

The Meet Your Neighbour Project is designed to give participants the opportunity to share or experience the special observances of other cultures and faiths. These dinners take place in an intimate family setting with a home cooked meal which provides the best setting for learning about other faiths and cultures firsthand.

Featuring now:

Pre-Thanksgiving Dinners

Any date between October 1 & 4

Canadians are generous and welcoming people! Our Pre-Thanksgiving Dinners are an opportunity for Canadians of different backgrounds to meet new people, share their traditions, and learn about different cultures, families, and experiences. Some might have travelled to other countries and experienced the hospitality of those diverse cultures while some might have heard from friends who enjoyed their hosting experience. Others understand how it might feel to be in a new place and want you to know you are welcome. Therefore, we invite Canadians to host newcomers for a Thanksgiving experience! While many countries around the world have harvest festivals, North Americans have really created a great holiday around Thanksgiving, and we’d love for hosts to share their traditions with newcomers.

Are you interested in sharing a Thanksgiving dinner with guests who want to learn about Thanksgiving tradition and Canadian culture? If so, let us know how many people you can host and what demographic is best appropriate for your family.

You may have heard of Thanksgiving, you may even know the specific connotation behind it, but have you ever experienced a meal with a family who has been celebrating it every year? Please visit  meetyourneighbour.ca  to get more information and to register as a host or guest.

Host registration deadline(Extended): Monday, September 24th, 2018
Guest registration deadline: Tuesday September 25th, 2018

*If you would like to learn more or have questions, please send an email to jkovacs@idialogue.ca or call 647 502 6565.

Why Meet Your Neighbour?

Food brings people together and with this simple idea in mind, the Intercultural Dialogue Institute is proud to introduce to you the Meet Your Neighbours Project.  This initiative aims to provide space for people of differing religious and cultural traditions to get-to-know one another in the cozy intimacy of each others’ homes. Meet Your Neighbour dinners seek to build community through sharing between members of the various faith and cultural traditions throughout Canada.

Abraham, “Friend of Allah” (c.f. Q4:125) and beloved patriarch for Christians, Muslims and Jews alike, is seen as a leading model of moral and ethical conduct.  The biblical tradition illustrates the value of “hospitality” in the story of Abraham at Mamre (Gen. 18:1-33) where Abraham selflessly provides food, shelter and comfort to three unknown travellers in his and his wife Sara’s humble tent.  Over the centuries, each of the three traditions has developed a unique cultural and theological expression of this value.  Now our kitchens and living rooms provide the same space for hosting temporary gatherings of inter-religious and intercultural encounter.

Meet Your Neighbour programs are get-togethers filled with both gifts of hospitality and conversation with the goal of relationship building between various ethnic and religious communities in Canada Through these dialogues, communities can be built and engaged in order to develop relationships based on mutual respect and trust. After all, the sharing of a meal is a sacred space where ripples of change can occur and Meet Your Neighbour aims to spearhead the grassroots effort to rid our communities of intolerance and fear and to foster understanding and respect.

 

Meet Your Neighbour – Enjoy a Ramadan Dinner at a Muslim Family

MEET YOUR NEIGHBOUR PROJECT – Ramadan Edition

Iftar(Fast-breaking) Dinners

Come and Explore Different Faiths and Cultures!

Intercultural Dialogue Institute cordially invites you to participate in a unique experience at your “neighbour’s home”. Don’t miss this opportunity!

The Meet Your Neighbour Project is designed to give participants the opportunity to experience the special and sacred observances of other faiths. These dinners take place in an intimate family setting with a home cooked meal which provides the best setting for learning about other faiths and cultures firsthand.

Featuring now:

Iftar(Fast-breaking Dinners) Dinners

Any date between May 16 – June 14

When Ramadan comes, IDI Toronto’s “Meet Your Neighbour” program takes a new turn with the arrival of iftar dinners. The program is year-around, however the interest triples when Iftar dinners are there. For Muslims, the iftar (breaking-of-fast) dinners are a crucial part of the holy month of Ramadan, and they try their best to avoid eating alone. So they either host a friend, relative or a neighbour; or they are hosted by one of these. We live in one of the friendliest and neighbourly city in the world, how lovely it is to break your fast with a neighbour you just met…

Please visit the following webpage for photos from previous years’ family iftars we’ve organized in the GTA: Meet Your Neighbour Initiative

Are you interested in sharing your Iftar dinner with a guests who want to learn about Islam and your tradition? If so, let us know how many people you can host and what demographic is best appropriate with your family.

You may have heard of  Ramadan and Iftar, you may even know the specific religious connotation behind it, but have you ever experienced a meal with a family who is observing it? 

Please visit meetyourneighbour.ca to get more information and to register as a host or guest.

*Would you like to learn more or have questions, please send an email to jkovacs@idialogue.ca or call 647 502 6565.

Why Meet Your Neighbour?

Food brings people together and with this simple idea in mind, the Intercultural Dialogue Institute is proud to introduce to you the Meet Your Neighbours Project.  This initiative aims to provide space for people of differing religious and cultural traditions to get-to-know one another in the cozy intimacy of each others’ homes. Meet Your Neighbour dinners seek to build community through sharing between members of the various faith and cultural traditions throughout Canada.

Abraham, “Friend of Allah” (c.f. Q4:125) and beloved patriarch for Christians, Muslims and Jews alike, is seen as a leading model of moral and ethical conduct.  The biblical tradition illustrates the value of “hospitality” in the story of Abraham at Mamre (Gen. 18:1-33) where Abraham selflessly provides food, shelter and comfort to three unknown travellers in his and his wife Sara’s humble tent.  Over the centuries, each of the three traditions has developed a unique cultural and theological expression of this value.  Now our kitchens and living rooms provide the same space for hosting temporary gatherings of inter-religious and intercultural encounter.

Meet Your Neighbour programs are get-togethers filled with both gifts of hospitality and conversation with the goal of relationship building between various ethnic and religious communities in Canada Through these dialogues, communities can be built and engaged in order to develop relationships based on mutual respect and trust. After all, the sharing of a meal is a sacred space where ripples of change can occur and Meet Your Neighbour aims to spearhead the grassroots effort to rid our communities of intolerance and fear and to foster understanding and respect.

Intercultural Community Engagement Iftar(Fast-Breaking) Dinners – 2018

Every year Intercultural Dialogue Institute GTA in collaboration with various local partners hosts a series of Ramadan intercultural and interfaith dinners in different parts of GTA. These dinners bring together people of various faith and ethno-cultural backgrounds and serve as a means of fostering dialogue and cross-cultural awareness in our multicultural society. They address various topics related to common teachings and values of different faith traditions and cultures. Each of these dinners has received many attendees from all walks of life; including government representatives, MPs and MPPs, diplomats, bureaucrats, professionals, business people, representatives from media and academia, as well as religious and community leaders.

Please click the posters below to learn more and register to the upcoming dinners:

Theme:

A Sanctuary in the City, a Safe Place for All

Speaker:

Rabia Khedr, Commissioner, Ontario Human Rights Commission

Venue: Metropolitan United Church, 56 Queen St E, Toronto, ON

Date: May 24, 2018, 7pm

Theme:

Embracing the Richness of All

Speaker:

Keith Neuman, Executive Director, Environics Institute

Venue: Japanese Cultural Centre,

6 Garamond Ct, North York, ON

Date: May 28, 2018, 7pm

Theme:

Empathy and Social Cohesion: Values, Relationships and Practice in a Changing World

Speaker:

Mary Gordon, Founder/President, Roots of Empathy

Venue: Devi Mandir, 2590 Brock Road, Pickering, ON

Date: June 1, 2018, 7pm

Theme:

Chaplaincy: Faith-inspired Public Service, its Challenges and Opportunities

Moderator: Councillor Joe Mihevc

Speakers:

Habeeb Alli, Federal Chaplain, Correctional Services Canada

Captain Audrey Brown, Chaplain, 32 Signals Regiment

Rabbi Ronald Weiss, Director of Chaplaincy Services at Jewish Family and Child Services
 

Venue: Holy Blossom Temple, 1950 Bathurst Street, Toronto, ON

Date: June 6, 2018, 6.30pm

 

Theme:

Cognitive Bias, Mindfulness, Emotional Intelligence and Enlightenment: The Intersection of Human Service Delivery, Critical Pedagogies and Eastern Ways of Knowing

Venue: Aurora Cultural Centre, 22 Church Street, Aurora, ON

Date: June 11, 2018, 6.30pm

 

Supported by

 

 

 

Tradition in an Age of Modernity – May 6, 2018

York Centre Multi-faith Council held a panel discussion and musical performances with the theme

“Tradition in an Age of Modernity”

from the Perspectives of Judaism, Christianity and Islam

 

IDI GTA in collaboration with Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue, Revival Time Tabernacle , Nile Academy and Tanenbaum Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto co-organized an afternoon of music and exchange between Jewish, Christian and Muslim youth.

Program included performances by Jewish, Christian and Muslim youth choirs, panel discussion and reception.

To get more information., please call the following numbers:

Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue: (416) 633 3838

Revival Time Tabernacle: (416) 630 9346

Intercultural Dialogue Institute: (647) 568 2434

 
 

 

Abrahamic Dialogue Series: “Inclusion and Equity”

Abrahamic Dialogue Series

with the theme

“Inclusion and Equity”

A Jewish, Christian and Islamic Response

Learn and share with outstanding scholars about best practices and lessons learned. Each speaker will discuss how the front line work of their faith community incorporates and represents their values and beliefs. We will share our experiences, issues we face, and how we can learn from each other.

Speakers:

Aaron Rotenberg

Multidisciplinary artist and community builder, Aaron serves as the Spiritual Leader of Annex Shul and was named as one of the 24 Jews Who Are Changing the World by the Canadian Jewish News in 2015.

Julia de Boer

Julia de Boer is pursuing a PhD in philosophy at the Institute for Christian Studies, and is the Latin teacher at a local Classical elementary school.

Kofi Achampong

A lawyer and political adviser by profession, Kofi is a co-organizer of the Black Muslim Initiative, a grassroots advocacy organisation that focuses on issues at the intersection of anti-black racism and Islamophobia.

Date:

May 3, 2018, 7:00pm – 8.30pm

Place:

Majid Toronto – 168 Dundas St. W, Toronto, ON

Organizers:

 

To register, please go to the Events page of www.cjdt.org For more info: info@cjdt.org

 

Panel Discussion: Confronting Hate & Prejudice: Jewish-Muslim Relations – Apr 25

On April 25th, IDI held a panel discussion on Jewish-Muslim relations in North America, “Confronting Hate and Prejudice” with the effort of strengthening solidarity and exploring bridge-building among rising bigotry against both Muslims and Jews.

The moderator for event was Yoni Goldstein, Editor of the Canadian Jewish News. The speakers included, Rabbi Debra Landsberg from Temple Emanu-El; Doctor Ingrid Mattson, Chair of Islamic Studies at Huron University College; Rabbi Daniel Korobkin, Senior Rabbi at Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto; and Imam Abdullah Antepli, Chief Representative of Muslim Affairs at Duke University and adjunct Faculty of Islamic Studies.

Rabbi Korobkin began the event by emphasizing that it was important for people to see that Muslims and Jews, from different perspectives, can dialogue and disagree and still be friends at the end of the evening.

Imam Antepli pointed out that circumstances are forcing a healthier and more sophisticated conversation, but that Muslims and Jews were still struggling with the basics. “If hate goes unchallenged, it corrupts the community it comes from,” he said.

Dr. Mattson explained that upon her return to Canada after 20 years, she was shocked at the dismal relations between Muslims and Jews. She mused that the reason interfaith activities in Canada weren’t stronger might be because of its more secular approach. In Rabbi Landsberg’s opening remarks she stressed that it is important to give respect to individuals independent of their community.

When the moderator asked the speakers what they or their communities found to be the concerns and trepidations with this kind of dialogue, there were some similarities. Rabbi Landsberg mentioned a fear that exists that there is something inherent and that their words can’t be trusted because they don’t speak for the majority.

Dr. Mattson mentioned the events at Yonge and Finch, echoing the remarks by Rabbi Landsberg that there exists a litmus test. “I’m not guilty today, but if the driver had been Muslim, would I be guilty?” she asked, even though in either context she had nothing to do with it.

Imam Antepli pointed out that it was important not to conflate moral disagreements with political disagreements. Rabbi Korobkin, for his part, pointed out that Facebook did a disservice to these kinds of conversations. There are members who reject that anything redeeming can be found, but online platforms like Facebook and Twitter amplify these minority voices—communities are complicated.

On the topic of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, there were many different views and caveats for this complex subject. The speakers, though, ensured that they approached the topic calmly and with sincere and open dialogue. It highlighted that the topic is something different to different people, from the reasons for the conflict to the importance of the topic, and served to show how it can be engaged productively.

 

“Confronting Hate and Prejudice: Jewish-Muslim Relations in North America”

We live in an era of rising bigotry against both Muslims and Jews. As such, there’s hardly been a time when the need for more solidarity, good faith, and bridge-building has been more immediately felt. While it is crucial to build trust, respect, and understanding in ways that honor the ideals of both communities, it is important not to be blind to the difficulties and tensions that have often divided these communities. The panel discussion aims to shed light on historcial and contemporary issues, and articulate a broad vision for the future of Muslim-Jewish relations in Canada–one based on mutual respect and good faith.

Moderator:

Yoni Goldstein, Editor, Canadian Jewish News

Speakers include:

Rabbi Debra, Landsberg, Vice-Chair of the Canadian Rabbinic Caucus and Senior Rabbi at Temple Emanu-El

Dr. Ingrid Mattson, Chair in Islamic Studies, Huron University College

Rabbi Daniel Korobkin, Senior Rabbi, Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto

Imam Abdullah Antepli, Chief Representative of Muslim Affairs, Duke University

 

Date/Time:

April 25, 2018, 7pm-9pm

Venue:

Hart House, Debates Room

7 Hart House Circle, Toronto, ON M5S 3H3

Confronting Hate and Prejudice:Jewish Muslim Relations in North America

GTA Public Heroes Award Ceremony & Dinner- 19 April 2018

Public Heroes GTA 2018 Awards Ceremony & Dinner

On April 19th, 2018, IDI held its annual Public Heroes awards ceremony to recognize the excellent work of seventeen First Responders and Armed Forces do in their community. This year’s awards ceremony was held again in Toronto, after ceremonies in York, Peel and Durham regions. The evening’s MC, Brad Bowie, mentioned the goal of organizing the award ceremony in York Region next year. The charity partner for the evening was Camp Oochigeas, which is a camp dedicated to given children with cancer the opportunity to experience camp while also providing for their medical needs.

The evening was well attended with a number of dignitaries and community leaders present including, Gerri Lynn O’Connor, Regional Chair for Durham; Pat Malloy, Deputy Mayor of Uxbridge; Ingrid Svelnis, Chief Administrative Officer of Uxbridge; Commander Mike Griff, Toronto Paramedic Services; Inspector Don Halina, RCMP; Daryl Ewan, Director of Operations at ORNGE; Deryn Rizzi, Deputy Fire Chief with Vaughan Fire and Emergency Services; Inspector Cathy Bowden, Durham Regional Police; Michael Wasylyk, South Detention Centre; Vince Hawkes, OPP Commissioner; Robert Johnston, Commander in the Canadian Armed Forces; Matt Pegg, Chief of Toronto Fire Services Chief; Peter Yuen, Deputy Chief of Toronto Police Services; Mark Andrews, Deputy Chief of Peel Regional Police; Phil Alexander, Fire Chief of Uxbridge Fire Department; Tim Beckett, Chief of Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services; Jim Wall, Chief of King of Fire and Emergency Services.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Vince Savoia, Founder and Executive Director of The Tema Conter Memorial Trust, for his work in mental health and peer support. He was recognized by CAMH as a Difference Maker, and one of the 150 leading Canadians for Mental Health.
Senator Gwen Boniface was the keynote speaker for the evening. She began by congratulating
the awardees and spoke of her time as Deputy Chief Inspector of Ireland’s Garda Síochána
Inspectorate and her work in transnational crime with the United Nations, as well as the lessons
it taught her.

Senator Boniface then shared an anecdote a colleague had once told her of a boy in Haiti. Shortly after the earthquake, her colleague travelled to Haiti to help with rescue efforts. He always carried around hard candies for the kids, he explained. He gave one to the smallest boy one day, who proceeded to hit the candy with a rock and share it among his friends. Senator Boniface explained that these are the moments that make First Responders continue their work.

Senator Boniface shared another anecdote of her time teaching the police force in Kabul, and she explained why she would be observing the moment of silence on November 11. She didn’t require any of her students to observe it with her, but they did anyway and thanked her afterwards for the work that Canada does.

Following the Keynote address, the Public Heroes Awards were presenters to the awardees. Please see the list of the award recipients and list of presenters below.

 

  Service Presenter Award Recipient
1 Toronto Police Services Deputy Chief Peter Yuen Anthony Saffioti and Nikolaos Maicantis 
2 Toronto Paramedic Services Commander Mike Grife Troy Van Overdijk and Brian Annette
3 Toronto Fire Services Chief Matt Pegg Rick Berenz 
4 OPP Commissioner Vince Hawkes Adam Davidson
5 RCMP Inspector Don Halina Wajih Ansari 
6 Canadian Armed Forces Commander Robert Johnston, Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship York Cara Habayeb and Kevin Vuong 
7 Correctional Services Brad Tamcsu, Deputy Superintendent, Toronto South Detention Centre Paul McMaster 
8 Tema Conter Memorial Trust Seyfi Sun Vince Matthew Savoia, M.S.M.
9 Peel Regional Police Deputy Chief Marc Andrews Joy Brown 
10 Peel Regional Paramedic Services Chief Peter Dundas Sean Large 
11 Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services Chief Tim Beckett Luigi Davoli 
12 King Fire & Emergency Services Chief Jim Wall Shayne Maglay 
13 York Regional Police Superintendent Heidi Schellhorn Lindsay Newlove 
14 Uxbridge Fire Department Chief Phil Alexander Andrew Allison 
15 Durham Region Police Service Inspector Cathy Bawden Liza Serra 

 

Keynote Speaker:

Senator Gwen Boniface
Former Commissioner of the OPP, and the Past President of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police

Lifetime Achievement Award:

Vince Matthew Savoia

Vince Matthew Savoia, M.S.M.
Founder and Executive Director, Tema Conter Memorial Trust

Charity Partner:

Date:
April 19, 2018, 6.30pm

Venue:
Parkview Manor, 55 Barber Green Rd, Toronto, ON

*List of award recipients and their services are listed below:

Public Heroes 2018 Nominations Flyer

Public Heroes 2018 Program

 

IDI GTA has been giving Public Heroes Awards since 2011 to recognize the outstanding service of Toronto Police, Fire and Paramedic Services in maintaining public safety in the city of Toronto. In 2014, upon recommendation from its advisory board, IDI GTA has decided the extend the scope of the awards to whole Greater Toronto Area (GTA). 

The goal of the awards is to recognize the dedication and excellence of individual members or team members of police, fire and paramedic services in GTA (including RCMP, OPP, ORNGE and Corrections Ontario) for delivering their services in an ethnically and culturally diverse environment. 

Award recipients are selected by a hosting & selection committee based the following three criteria: “Altruism”, “Dedication” and “Community Involvement”.

Members of the Hosting & Selection Committee

Armand La Barge    Retired Chief, York Regional Police Service
Bill Blair   Member of Parliament, Scarborough Southwest
Bruce Farr    Retired Chief, Toronto Paramedic Services
Bruce Newton    Superintendent, Toronto Paramedic Services
Chuck Mercier    Former Mayor, Township of Scugog
Colin Carrie    Member of Parliament, Oshawa
Dave Ralph    Retired Commander, Toronto Paramedic Services
Deryn Rizzi    Deputy Chief,  Vaughan Fire Department
Johnny Bobbili    Constable, Toronto Police Service
Mike Ewles    Retired Chief, Durham Regional Police Service
Peter Yuen    Deputy Chief, Toronto Police Service
Rahul Bhardwaj    President & CEO, Toronto Community Foundation
Rose Buhagiar Director, Toronto South Detention Centre
Tony Warr    Retired Deputy Chief, Toronto Police Service
Usha George    Dean, Faculty of Community Services, Ryerson University

Nominations, Selection Process and Awards
One staff member or a team from each service in all four regions of GTA (Peel, York, Toronto, Durham) as well as members of RCMP, OPP, ORNGE and Correctional Services will be awarded with Public Heroes Award.  Nominations can be submitted online by members of the public. Selection committee will cast their votes online to determine the award recipients.

Click here for Public Heroes Awards Ceremonies from previous years…

Public Heroes GTA Awards Ceremony 2017

 

Public Heroes GTA Awards Ceremony 2016

Public Heroes GTA Awards Ceremony 2015

Public Heroes GTA Awards Ceremony 2014

Public Heroes GTA Awards Ceremony 2013

Public Heroes GTA Awards Ceremony 2012

Public Heroes GTA Awards Ceremony 2011

 

Creative Minds Viamonde Awards Ceremony – March 27, 2018

 

On Tuesday March 27th, 2018, IDI GTA partnered with Conseil Scolaire Viamonde to host the 2nd Annual Creative Minds Youth Contest’s awards ceremony. The Master of Ceremony for the evening was Serge Paul, Community Liaison Officer at Conseil scolaire Viamonde, who kept attendees well entertained. The Land Acknowledgement was given by Sylvie Gravel, who spoke of the importance of the theme: Empathy – Walking in Someone Else’s Shoes.

IDI’s National Director, Ahmet Tamirci, gave the welcome speech on IDI’s behalf, highlighting two goals of IDI: a platform on which to engage in good dialogue and to work with youth in different ways. The Creative Minds contests represent meeting points. Director of education for Conseil Scolaire Viamonde, Martin Bertrand, gave his welcome speech on behalf of the school board and highlighted the quality of the exceptional art, essay, and video works.

 Mario Hinse was the keynote for the evening. He is from COPA, an organization that is dedicated to working with and preventing violence against children and vulnerable societies. Speaking on the topic of empathy, he advised that just because we empathize with a person, doesn’t mean we necessarily understand everything about them and their lives. He also highlighted the importance of youth voices, even though sometimes they’re not heard as much as they should be.

Finally, the students were presented with their awards by Jean Grenier Godard, Executive Director of Alliance Française; Gabrielle Fortin, Executive Director for Français pour l’avenir; and Hugues Kamga Wambo, Principle of École secondaire Jeunes sans frontières.

 

CLICK BELOW TO SEE THE FINALIST POSTERS, ESSAYS & VIDEOS

Winners%20%26%20Finalists

 

ART CATEGORY

Award Student School Grade
1st Emiliya Stolyarova École secondaire Norval-Morrisseau 11
2nd Charelle St-Aubin École secondaire Georges-P.-Vanier 12
3rd Catalin Bacalu École secondaire Jeunes sans frontières 11
Finalist Divine Udobor École secondaire Jeunes sans frontières 11
Finalist Seth Stoddart-Walters École secondaire Jeunes sans frontières 11
Finalist Jenny Ho École secondaire Jeunes sans frontières 11
Finalist Zakaria Lahroussi École secondaire Jeunes sans frontières 11

 

ESSAY CATEGORY

 

Award Student  School Grade
1st Adèle Swanson Collège Français 11
2nd Neshy Poinen École secondaire Jeunes sans 10
3rd Yasmine Hadid Collège Français 11
Finalist Anaïs Delhomelle Collège Français 11
Finalist Claire Rosienski-Pellerin Collège Français 11
Finalist Kyra Cheverie-Saito, Collège Français 11

 

SHORT VIDEO CATEGORY

Award Students School Grade
Winner Collaborative Project Toronto Ouest  
Finalist Ouzaifah Bundhoo Jeunes sans frontières 12
Finalist Muneerah Dulloo Jeunes sans frontières 12

 

Abrahamic Dialogue Series: Hospitality in the Face of Adversity- Feb 8

HOSPITALITY IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY

A Christian, Islamic and Jewish Response
Learn and Share with outstanding scholars about best practices and lessons learned

Speakers

Hector Acero – Associate Director of the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics at the Institute for Christian Studies.

Arij Elmi – Arij Elmi is a PhD candidate at OISE, social worker, women’s self-defence instructor, junior fellow at Massey College and board member of Hard Feelings Mental Health.

Louis Sachs– Rabbi Sachs is Assistant Rabbi at Beth Tikvah Synagogue. A graduate of UC Davis and the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, he has a deep interest in the relationship between Jewish Law and Ethics.

Each speaker will discuss how the front line work of their faith community incorporates and represents their values and beliefs. They will share their experiences, issues they face, and how we can learn from each other.

Date: February 8, 7:30 pm

Place: Regis College, 100 Wellesley St., Toronto, ON

 

Future events will present on issues of Inclusivity and Who is your neighbor?
Event is free but Registration is required.
Please RSVP to: info@cjdt.org

Presented by:

Christian Jewish Dialogue of Toronto, Toronto Board of Rabbis, Tessellate Institute, The Centre for Philosophy, Religion and Social Ethic, Intercultural Dialogue Institute.

 

 

Peel Community Engagement and Dialogue Dinner – February 21, 2018

 

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Intercultural Dialogue Institute hosts the Dialogue and Friendship Dinner in many cities, including Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Kitchener, London, Hamilton, Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver. Since 2004, each of these dinners has served approximately 200 attendees; who come from all walks of life; including the members of the government, members of parliament; ambassadors, bureaucrats, business people, media members, professors, as well as religious and community leaders.

Speakers convey the message that people could be very diverse, but should be accepting of other cultures. Speakers reflect on the importance of interfaith and cross-cultural dialogue in forming a global agenda of love, peace, cooperation, and compassion.

Each of the dialog dinners has a distinct theme. Some of the themes we explored up to now include:

  • Responsible Citizenship and Social Cohesion
  • Role of the Media in a Multicultural Public Sphere
  • Cooperation of Civilizations
  • Peaceful Co-existence
  • The Harmony of Diversity
  • Respect for the Sacred
  • Spiritual Democracy for the 21st century: Nurturing Humane Love, Respect, and Compassion

Some of our distinguished guests include:

  • John Ralston Saul, prominent Canadian writer and President of PEN International
  • Phillip Crawley, Publisher & CEO of Globe and Mail
  • Janice O’Born, Chair of Canadian Centre for Diversity
  • Hon. Peter Milliken, Speaker of the House of Commons
  • Hon. Laurel Broten, Minister of Ontario Government,
  • Hon. Margarett Best, Minister of Ontario Government,
  • Jim Watson, Ontario’s Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
  • William Bill Blair, Chief of Toronto Police,
  • Loreena McKennit, song writer and singer
  • Dr. Roseann O’Reilly Runte, President and Vice-Chancellor of Carleton University
  • Dr. B. Barry Levy, Dean of the Faculty of Religious Studies at McGill University
  • George Smitherman, Mayoral candidate for Toronto
  • The Right Reverend Barry B. Clarke, Bishop of Montreal, Anglican Diocese of Montreal
  • Father John Walsh, St. John Brébeuf Parish
  • Dr. Margaret Somerville, McGill Centre for Medicine, Ethics and Law
  • Paul W. Gooch, President of Victoria University in the University of Toronto

7th Annual Creative Minds Contest Durham Region I Deadline – March 30, 2018

Creative Minds York Catholic District School Board I Deadline – March 26, 2018

GTA PUBLIC HEROES AWARDS 2018 MEDIA LAUNCH & YOUTH RECOGNITION

You are cordially invited to attend 

GTA PUBLIC HEROES AWARDS 2018 MEDIA LAUNCH & YOUTH RECOGNITION

which will be held on Tuesday, November 21, 2017, 10.15 am at the Toronto Fire and Paramedic Services Training Centre(895 Eastern Avenue, Toronto, ON).

Eventbrite - Public Heroes Awards Media Launch & Youth Recognition

 

For the past 7 years, Intercultural Dialogue Institute (IDI) GTA has been organizing the Public Heroes Awards (www.PublicHeroes.org) to recognize the outstanding members of police, fire and paramedic services in the GTA as well as RCMP ‘O’ Division, ORNGE, OPP, Corrections Ontario and Canadian Armed Forces. Officers are nominated for the award by the public or by their peers, and selected by a prestigious hosting and selection committee based on three criteria: “altruism”, “dedication”, and “community involvement”. 

Every year IDI Toronto organizes a media launch to kick off the nomination process for  Public Heroes Awards. This event is also the venue for recognition of the youth, future Public Heroes. At the media launch youth is recognized, who has demonstrated outstanding performance through participation in volunteer, co-op education, or cadet programs in first responder services, and Canadian Armed Forces.

Media Launch for Public Heroes Awards 2018 will be co-hosted by Toronto Paramedics Services at 895 Eastern Avenue, Toronto, ON on Nov. 21st, 2017, 10:15am.

 

York Centre Multi-faith Thanksgiving Celebration – Oct 10, 2017

On October 10th, 2017, IDI partnered with a number of organizations for a first Multi-faith Thanksgiving celebration in honour of Canada’s 150th Anniversary. The event was co-hosted with Beth Emeth Synagogue, Revivaltime Tabernacle Ministries, Saint Norths Roman Catholic Church, and The Office of Ecumenical & Interfaith Affairs of the Roman Catholic Church.

It was held at the York Centre and included music by the Revival Time Tabernacle Choir; prayers of thanksgiving from the 3 Abrahamic faith traditions; and a clergy panel on why being present at this multi-faith event as significant.

 

Intercultural Dialogue Institute, Beth Emeth Synagogue, Revivaltime Tabernacle Ministries and The Office of Ecumenical & Interfaith Affairs of the Roman Catholic Church held

York Centre Multi-faith Thanksgiving Celebration

Honouring Canada’s 150th Anniversary with Participation from the three Abrahamic Traditions

The event combined prayer, music and greetings, as well as a panel discussion.

Program:

Greetings & Welcome
Musical Selection – The Revival Time Tabernacle Choir
Scripture Readings with Homiletic Interpretations
Prayers of Thanksgiving – with Community Participation
Clergy Panel – Why our being present tonight is significant!
Closing Prayers

 

Date and Time: 

October 10, 2017, 7.30 pm

Venue: 

Revivaltime Tabernacle World Ministries
4340 Dufferin St., Toronto, ON

 

 

 

Multifaith Thanksgiving Celebration

Interfaith Prayer Service for Peace – Oct 5, 2017

Intercultural Dialogue Institute GTA, the Muslim-Catholic Student/Young Adult Dialogue and the Capuchin Friars invite you to an evening of interfaith prayer and reflection for Peace with Bishop Robert Kasun, CSB, Auxiliary Bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto and other city-wide religious leaders celebrating Faith in Canada 150.

Name(s) and Definition(s) of God in various faith traditions will be shared.

Building Peace:
Past – St. Francis of Assisi and the Sultan
Recent Past – St. Pope John Paul II called religious leaders from all over the world to come together to pray for peace
Present – Faith communities coming together in dialogue, prayer and work towards the common good of our society today

Refreshments will be served following the service.

Faithful Living: Celebrating Commonality in Our Diversity- Feb 4

On February 4th, 2017, IDI held a small gathering for youth as part of the World Interfaith Harmony Week with the theme: Reach Out. The purpose of the event was for youth to come together and discuss their commonalities of their experience with faith in a meaningful way. Herbie Kuhn, voice of the Toronto Raptors, gave a passionate introduction to the event about the importance faith in his life. He explained that he grew up in a faithful family but in a way where he didn’t truly feel the faith that he was living. It wasn’t until he was an adult that he found a faithful church community that showed him what it meant to live a truly faithful life.

Tim Hackborn, of the Metropolitan United Church, performed a smudging for the event in the Indigenous tradition. He gave a brief history of the region and spoke to the historical land rights of the Mississaugas of New Credit and explained that a smudging was meant to clear one’s mind before something so that one can be fully present in the moment.

The discussion was quite interesting and focused on what faith meant to each person and how it differed from where they had lived previously. The discussion also touched on the need for young people to be taught to understand faith better even if they themselves are not living in a faithful way, especially when living in a secular society.

Faithful Living: Celebrating commonality in our diversity

A World Interfaith Harmony Week and Canada 150 Event for Students(high school and up)

This event exists with the purpose of getting youth engaged in interfaith dialogue with each other, while also exploring how it all fits in with Canadian society. The theme of this year’s World Interfaith Harmony Week is Reach Out and we believe that youth communities reaching out to each other is a great way to encompass this theme.

Date and Time:

Sat, 4 February 2017

10:30 AM – 2:00 PM

Venue:

CRC Regent Park Community Food Centre

40 Oak Street, Toronto, ON

Keynote Speech:
Herbie Kuhn, Celebrating Diversity in Our Commonality, Intercultural Dialogue Institute
Herbie Kuhn, Public Address Announcer for the Toronto Raptors

Workshop:

Students will work in groups to answer one or two questions and then create a video, which IDI will collect and assemble into a longer piece to get an idea of how this group addresses interfaith and commonality in Canadian society. Some questions include: How do you see faith being observed in Canada? In the future, what does your faith look like in Canada? How do we share the joys and overcome the challenges that arise from the influences and interactions between culture and religion? How do we continue to live out our faiths to the fullest, be ourselves, and grow as persons of faith?

Lunch will be served.

Herbie Kuhn, Celebrating Diversity in Our Commonality, Intercultural Dialogue Institute, Canada 150, World Interfaith Harmony Week

Religion and Politics: Convergence or Divergence in the Age of Conflict – Jan 25

On January 25th, 2017, IDI hosted its first public forum of the year at St. Michael’s College, University of Toronto. The focus was religion and politics, and how these two forces can interact in harmony and dissonance to shape public life and societies, as well as the need to acknowledge that interfaith dialogues, in the area of politics, do not always happen on equal footing within sometimes racialized contexts.

The speakers for the day were:

Rabbi Baruch Frydman-Kohl, Anne and Max Tanenbaum Senior Rabbi at the Beth Tzedec Congregation, who spoke of the responsibility for human dignity in the intersection of religion and politics. He expanded on the idea of religion as an alternative voice to the government’s and cited Isaiah Berlin’s warning of a single defining idea of society.

Azeezah Kanji, Director of Programming at the Noor Cultural Centre, spoke on the trend of being suspicious of Muslims, regardless of party affiliations. She noted that religion to advance identity politics reduces religion to a sort of political party. Ms. Kanji explained that religion can exist as a source of justice in politics. For example, in the realm of animal rights, the Qur’an provides a basis for animals to have spiritual personhood which could provide a basis for stronger animal abuse laws. Within the context of environmental objectives, Islam doesn’t have the same capitalist view of nature as a resource and would be a force for more concerted environmental efforts.

Joe Mihevc, Councillor for the City of Toronto, spoke about the separation between religions and government, explaining that it was possible for things to be justified in a twisted way when this happened. However, he said, it is important to figure out how to come together, like in the instance where five hundred leaders of diverse faiths came together to oppose the construction of a casino in downtown Toronto. He explained that faith communities have had both success and failure in terms of political involvement.

Mark G. Toulouse, Principal at Emmanuel College, spoke about the different ways in which politicians can approach religion. He cited Sharon Johnson’s message to former US President Barack Obama about the two wolves battling within ourselves and the necessity for us to set the tone. Whereas Trump’s pastor chose a very different tone when he said that God had chosen him for something (Robert Jeffries). Professor Toulouse explained that religion and politics will always mix, but the question is how to mix them well. He also described the difference between civil religion (in the US), which served the nation and not god with overt nationalistic tones. When compared to Canada, this strong civil religion is not really found in the public institutions. This strong aversion to religion though, has an impact on newcomers who are used to more overt religious practices and community foundations.

 

Luncheon and Panel Discussion

You are cordially invited to attend a panel discussion on

Religion and Politics: Convergence or Divergence in the Age of Conflict

 

As we all see with an increasing intensity, religion and politics converge, clash, and shape public life. These intersections happen everywhere, from our homes to our courts, from the businesses to the schools. In this regard, we would like to present a broader perspective on these interactions, especially in the light of the recent developments.

Date and Time:

Wed, 25 January 2017

12:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Venue:

St. Michael’s College, Charbonnel Hall

81 St. Mary Street, Toronto, ON M5S 1J4

Moderator:

Reid Locklin, Assoc. Professor, University of Toronto

Speakers:

Azeezah Kanji, Director of Programming, Noor Cultural Centre

Joe Mihevc, Councillor, City of Toronto

Mark G. Toulouse, Principal, Emmanuel College

Rabbi Baruch Frydman-Kohl, Anne and Max Tanenbaum Senior Rabbi, Beth Tzedec Congregation

Program

12:00 pm – Introductions and Lunch

12:30 pm – Panel Discussion and Q&A

02:00 pm – Closing

Tickets($15) sold at: Eventbrite

Luncheon: RELIGION and POLITICS: Convergence or Divergence in the Age of Conflict

Culture and Religion Intertwined: How do We Stay True to Ourselves?- Feb 7

How do we stay true to ourselves in a multicultural context? That was the question posed to a series of panels at the University of Toronto this past week. The event took place a week after the massacre of six Muslims at the Centre Culturel Islamique de Québec, and was seen as another expression of the solidarity that exists between various religious traditions in Canada.

 
 

The event opened with a moment of silent prayer of remembrance for the victims and their families.

 
 

The first panel was made up of Rabbi Ed Elkin, spiritual leader of the First Narayever Congregation in Toronto, John Dadosky, a Catholic professor of theology and philosophy at Regis College, and Muneed Nasir, a prominent local Muslim leader, President of the Olive Tree Foundation and Executive Director of the Cordoba Centre for Civic Engagement and Leadership (See S+L photo below).

 
 

 
 

The panelists shared their respective communities’ experience of inculturation and some of the challenges facing modern pluralist societies like Canada in the 21st century. All three panelists argued that Judaism, Christianity and Islam are “inculturable” respectively, meaning they do adapt to the culture they find themselves in. All pointed out the wide variety of expressions of the three religions in different parts of the world.

 
 

A major point of emphasis in the discussion was the positive and unique pluralist reality that exists in Canada. Because of its size relative to its tiny population, its history of complementarity between French and English cultures, its openness to immigrants, and its geographic location, Nasir called it “one of the last outposts of real multiculturalism in the world.”

 
 

Hashim—representing Islam, Lo—representing Catholicism, and Shore—representing Judaism, took the floor next (see photo above). From a young adult perspective, they shared their experiences of living faith in Canada in the 21st century, in Toronto—one of the most diverse cities in the world. Shore reflected on the public image of her Jewish community as “exclusivist” and noted that despite Judaisms healthy ability to inculturate, she and other young practicing Jews are now challenged to see the Jewish Covenant “not as a pass for an exclusive club, but as a gift of responsibility” for humanity.

 
 

Lo examined the contemporary challenges posed to religious practice by the prevailing secular culture. He outlined three challenges facing the Catholic community: 1) a popular culture that pushes individualism, 2) a lack of tools to share the faith effectively, and 3) a lack of real, authentic community experiences.

 
 

Hashim emphasized the importance of knowing Islamic history, pointing to the fact that Islam boasts an established history in North America, thanks in large part to the faith and struggle of Muslim-Africans brought to the new world as slaves. These old, established Muslim communities have inculturated as effectively and efficiently as any other religion, thanks to the religion’s cultural flexibility.

 
 

All three young adults spoke of the generational evolution in their faith communities. Many second-generation Muslim-Canadians, for example, are now entering adulthood and are developing their own distinct Muslim-Canadian culture from their parents who originally immigrated.

 
 

An atmosphere of respect and comfort was evident at the event. So was a great love for Canada and its unique ability to find space for different cultures and religions to be themselves. The horrific massacre in Quebec loomed over the discussion, but it was heartening to sit back and realize that this event had been planned long before the attack. Indeed hundreds of such events are happening all over the country at any given time. It made me realize that the incredible displays of solidarity from Canadians after the shooting did not come from a theoretic and hollow idealism, but were grounded in genuine relationship. Canadians know each other, thanks to events like this. Let the dialogue continue!

 
 

Special thanks to the Muslim-Catholic Student/Young Adult Dialogue and the Intercultural Dialogue Institute, together with the Office of Ecumenical and Interfaith Affairs at the Archdiocese of Toronto and the Canadian Council of Imams for organizing the event.

The article was taken from Salt+Light Media. 

Panel Discussion

Culture and Religion Intertwined: How do We Stay True to Ourselves?

An Interfaith Harmony Week Event for Students and Young Adults

The Muslim-Catholic Student/Young Adult Dialogue and the Intercultural Dialogue Institute (IDI) invite students and young adults (aged 18-39ish) to an evening of learning and dialogue about “culture and religion.”

Come and explore how we can live out our faith fully in the cultures we are living in today.

Date and Time:

Tue, 7 February 2017

6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Venue:

University College, Croft Chapter House

15 King’s College Circle, University of Toronto

Toronto, ON M5S 3H7

1. Experts Panel:

How do Culture and Religion influence and interact with each other (with respect to the Jewish, Catholic and Islamic faith tradtions)?

Moderator:

Andrea Nemtin (President and CEO, Inspirit Foundation)

Expert Panelists:

Rabbi Aaron Flanzraich (Senior Rabbi, Beth Sholom Synagogue) – Jewish

Dr. John Dadosky (Associate Professor of Theology and Philosophy, Regis College) – Roman Catholic

Muneeb Nasir (President, Olive Tree Foundation) – Islam

2. Students/Young Adults Panel:

How do we share the joys and overcome the challenges that arise from the influences and interactions between culture and religion? How do we continue to live out our faiths to the fullest, be ourselves, and grow as persons of faith?

Moderator:

Ammar Baig (Muslim-Catholic Student/Young Adult Dialogue)

Student/Young Adult Panelists:

Naomi Shore (Student Board Member, Hillel Ryerson) – Jewish

Kevin Lo (Intern Architectural Technologist, Muslim-Catholic Student/Young Adult Dialogue Alumni) – Roman Catholic

Dalia Hashim (President, Muslim Student Association at the University of Toronto) – Islam

3. Group Discussions and Sharing (with respect to real life experiences)

Light Refreshments will be served.

For more information, please contact Vivian at vkwok@archtoronto.org or (416) 934-3400 ext. 527.

 

 

Religion and Culture

Book Club – Invisible North by Alexandra Shimo / Jan 26, 2017

IDI invites you to its new book club. Let’s share ideas over a cup of coffee and cake.
(January 26, 2017, 6pm, Toronto Public Library Fairview Branch / 35 Fairview Mall Dr.)

Our first book is one of the best sellers of the 2016: “Invisible North” by Alexandra Shimo.

You can find more information about the book below.

  • Author spent time in Iqaluit and she offers an informed perspective on the difficulties facing First Nations
  • Author spent four months living on impoverished First Nation reserve to give in-depth, portrait of people living in third world conditions
  • Author offers first person account of PTSD gained while working as a journalist in Kashechewan
  • Exploration of 2005 international water story and how impoverished reserve fooled the Canadian public, including many details obtained by ATIP, that have never been made public
  • Analysis of difference between Canadian and U.S. reserve systems and why Canadian Natives are poorer and have world’s highest suicide rates
  • Brings a detailed understanding and first person account of how the issues currently dominating the news, including the inter-generational impact of the residential schools and the TRC, Bill C-33, affect people on the reserves
  • Alexandra Shimo’s previous book Up Ghost River was published by Knopf Canada in August 2014; a national bestseller, it won the 2015 CBC Bookie Award for non-fiction and the Donald Grant Creighton Award; it was also a finalist for the Trillium English language award and the Governor General’s Literary Award

Documentary Screening: “Things Arab Men Say” – November 30

Public screening of a new NFB documentary Things Arab Men Say was hosted by Intercultural Dialogue Institute GTA on November 30, 2016. The event featured a post-screening conversation with Raja Khouri, President of the Canadian Arab Institute. It was a full-house with over 50 people in attendance.

Worldwide, Arab men are depicted by the mainstream media as terrorists, suicide bombers, or at best, extremists. In Things Arab Men Say, Egyptian-born filmmaker Nisreen Baker paints a very different picture.

Sometimes funny, sometimes sad, this engaging documentary introduces us to Jay, Ghassan, Faisal, Adnan, Falah, Bashar and Ramey as they spend an afternoon at Jamal’s Eden Barber Shop discussing work, family, politics, and religion while getting a haircut and a shave. Through their conversation, we begin to understand the challenges these men face and the delicate balance between integrating into Canadian life and preserving one’s identity and culture.

Although located in St. Albert, an Edmonton suburb, Jamal’s Barber Shop could be anywhere, with this small group serving as a microcosm of the Arab community. As they each await their turn in the chair, the men continue to debate the issues, revealing differing personalities and often-surprising views. And once you hear what they have to say, you’ll never succumb to the mainstream message again.

Raja Khouri is president of the Canadian Arab Institute, a policy think tank he co-founded in 2011. Raja is co-founder of the Canadian Arab/Jewish Leadership Dialogue Group, and an international consultant in organizational development and capacity building.
Raja formerly served on several government and civil society bodies, such as Ontario’s Hate Crimes Community Working Group (for the Attorney General and Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services), the Minister of Education’s Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy Roundtable, the Pride Toronto Community Advisory Panel, the Couchiching Institute on Public Affairs, and as advocacy co-chair of Human Rights Watch Canada. He served as president of the Canadian Arab Federation in the period following the events of 9/11.
Raja’s earlier career included a senior management position at CIBC and management consulting tenures in Europe and the Middle East. He has designed and chaired conferences, given and moderated lectures, numerous media interviews, and published commentaries in journals and major Canadian dailies. He’s the author of Arabs in Canada: Post 9/11.

 

Extreme Weather and Emergency Management: Canada’s DART- Nov 28

Extreme Weather and Emergency Management: Canada’s DART

On November 28th, 2016, IDI hosted DART (Disaster Assistance Response Team) with Lieutenant-Colonel Ed Izatt, Commanding Officer and Chief Engineer at the 1st Canadian Division, serving as speaker.

r. Izatt explained that DART doesn’t technically exist as it is not a standing unit and cobbles people together with different skill sets who are ready to deploy in 4–48 hours. This is because DART exists as a quick response unit for addressing areas that have been deemed to have gaps when there is a large scale disaster. DART does not operate alongside local governments and NGOs do. They are second responders who arrive three days after the disaster has occurred, to step in, analyze the situation, and set up logistics and coordinate of resources. They generally leave after 30 to 70 days of operation in the disaster area.

Mr. Izatt explained DART’s role as analysis in the first 11 days and used the bridge exampled. They need to find the bridge, assess what is need to fix the bridge, and find a workaround before they even start to fix the bridge as it takes quite a while. One of the secondary roles is giving confidence to the people in the affected area with the presence of official uniforms, which helps to mobilize the local population and push against the effects of shock.

DART comprises 200–500 personnel from medics and engineers, to soldiers and aviators. Lawyers are even included for things such as property laws that people operating in other areas of specialty would not necessarily consider. Mr. Izatt explained the importance of this as DART is part of the Canadian military and is not a neutral organization nor are they operationally independent.

DART’s future role is becoming more complicated, Mr. Izatt explained, with the reality of complex disasters and humanitarian needs that extend beyond things like earthquakes with the rise of extreme climate change disasters. Humanitarian relief in a war zone is also a tricky thing to navigate since DART needs to be invited into a country, and they work with and for ambassadors and local governments, since they come with the full weight of the Canadian military. They operate in overwhelming disaster conditions where the military needs to be called in as a last resort.

Extreme Weather and Emergency Management-Disaster Assistance Response Team(DART)

Event Description:

Extreme weather includes unexpectable, unusual, unpredictable severe or unseasonal weather; weather at the extremes of the historical distribution—the range that has been seen in the past. In recent years some extreme weather events have been attributed to human-induced global warming,with studies indicating an increasing threat from extreme weather in the future. Extreme weather conditions cause significant loss of life, a large number of injuries, as well as destruction of property, leaving thousands of people requiring humanitarian support.

The Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) is a multidisciplinary organization composed of military members and civilians from Global Affairs Canada, designed to deploy on short notice anywhere in the world in response to situations ranging from natural disasters to complex humanitarian emergencies. It is one component of the Government of Canada’s toolkit to respond to natural disasters abroad. Lieutenant – Colonel Ed Izatt, the Commanding Officer of the DART, will provide insights about extreme weather and examples of the diverse capabilities the CAF possesses, and the importance of continued humanitarian support efforts around the globe.

About the speaker:

Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Izatt is the designated Commanding Officer for the  Canadian Armed Forces Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART).  A  Canadian Military Engineer by trade, his service since 1984 has been diverse.

His engineer duties, with a mixture of domestic and international operations, cover the complete military range from unit tactical command at 1 Combat Engineer Regiment (Edmonton) to strategic Chief Engineer – Current Operations, NATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE -Belgium).

As a general staff and liaison officer he has been employed by alliance and coalition organizations in Europe, the Middle East, and Southwest Asia. His Canadian Army institutional posts include Section Chief for Army Professional Development; chief personnel management and policies – Army Western Area (J1); and Dean of the Canadian Army Command and Staff College. He is currently the chief engineer at the 1st Canadian Division, Kingston.

Exploring Faith Series: Hinduism- Oct 27

Exploring Faith Series- Hinduism

A Day in the Life of a Hare Krishna

On October 27th, IDI hosted a presentation on the Hare Krishna branch of Hinduism as part of our Exploring Faiths series. Kevala-Bhakti Dasa was the guide for the event and he explained the Hare Krishna faith to those in attendance. He began by telling the guests that in addition to learning about Hare Krishna from his parents, he was attending a Catholic school and it is with this upbringing that he saw the commonalities of all religions.

With Hinduism, Kevala explained, it is not as clear cut  as with the Abrahamic faiths and focuses more on living a faithful life than following specific teachings. Hare Krishna is defined as a monotheistic branch, worshipping God—Hare Krishna meaning “most beautiful” or “God”. He explains that for the Hare Krishna branch, Allah, God, Jehovah, and other names and faith traditions are simply different relationships with the same God. The other gods in the Hindu pantheon represent empowered beings to help God according to the Hare Krishna branch.

Five hundred years ago, Kevala said, there was a religious renaissance in India. An avatar broke down the walls of social segregation and popularized Bhakti yoga, which is described as an active devotion of everything one does. He explained that with Hinduism’s long history it is difficult to pin down one figure, like Jesus or Moses, as civilization upon civilization has left its mark on Hinduism.

The Hare Krishna movement began in the 1960s, during which time a 70 year old Swami brought it over to New York. The beliefs they hold consist of a focus on the soul, with the body acting as its housing and making everyone equal as ,the soul is the most important aspect. The three fundamentals of the soul are truth, quality, and bliss. They lead a holistic lifestyle, where everything that one does and engages in constitutes a meditation; every act can be an offering to the divine, Kevala explained. The soul, he said, controls the mind which in turn channels the senses. There are four regulative principles, but they do not necessarily disqualify someone from practicing: no meat, fish, eggs; no intoxication (includes coffee); no outside marital affairs; no gambling.

Made famous in the 1960s and 70s, the Hare Krishna tradition is a religious movement which is officially known as International Society of Khrishna Consciousness (ISKCON). ISKCON belongs to the Gaudiya-Vaishnava branch, a monotheistic tradition within the Vedic and Hindu cultural traditions that dated back thousand years. ISKCON follows the teachings of God, Lord Sri Krishna, as revealed in the sacred Vedas, including Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam.

This interactive discussion and dialogue covered the essential practices in the daily life of Hare Krishna practitioners, highlighting several processes of devotional service which brings lasting happiness and peace in the society by reviving our loving relationships with God and spirit.

Speaker

Kevala-Bhakti Dasa was raised in a household infused with the teachings and practice of the Vaisnava line of Hinduism. He has been a lifelong practitioner of the Hare Krishna faith which espouses the practice of bhakti-yoga – the yoga of devotional love to God. For the past 10 years, he has served as Chairperson for the annual Festival of India, an annual two-day festival in Toronto which presents the ancient, spiritual culture of India in a contemporary, family-friendly fashion. Kevala-Bhakti also serves as one of the leaders of Toronto’s vibrant  Hare Khrishna community, conducts regular outreach to Toronto’s vast yoga scene, and teaches classes on the ancient teachings of the Bhagavad-Gita.

 

Exploring Faith Series- Hinduism

1st Annual Advisory Board Retreat- Sept 24-25

On September 24th, IDI had its 1st Annual Advisory Board Retreat in Kingston, Ontario.

For every organization, it is crucial to develop an evidence-based strategic plan, set goals, evaluate the progress, address the challenges and cultivate an organizational culture. Although internal evaluation is essential, a thorough assessment requires a broad base evaluation which includes all stakeholders. In this regard, IDI believes that the input from its advisors and friends is crucial.

With these in mind, we had a long but fruitful day of discussions to examine IDI’s strengths and areas that need to be improved upon. During the first two sessions, there were presentations on Hizmet movement and on the activities of IDI followed by a Q&A session. During the 3rd and 4th sessions, there were discussions such as future vision of the Institute, its current and future activities, increasing effectiveness, diversifying funding sources, and how to measure the success of the current and future programming. The day was filled with interesting contrasts of different chapters and presentations of their best practices. The consensus being that IDI brings people together very well and it is an activity that we are committed to continuing.

We hope these deliberations at our first retreat will result in an enhanced vision, improved strategies and better programming. We thank our advisory board members and volunteers for their continuous support and dedication.

To learn more about IDI’s work, please click the following link: Annual Report

 

Noah’s Pudding Event at Newman Centre- Sept 22

Intercultural Dialogue Institute in collaboration with Muslim-Catholic Student Dialogue organized a Noah’s Pudding Event at Newman Centre at University of Toronto. The event was supported by Office of Ecumenical & Interfaith Affairs at Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto and Canadian Council of Imams.

Students had a chance to have some multi-cultural interfaith conversation while walking in the campus. They reflected on stories in Christianity and Islam about Noah, and on how these stories can inspire social action today.

We dream a ship. On this ship, people of the globe live in harmony with one another, respecting different cultures and faith traditions, while preserving their own identities. On this ship, world citizens come together based on common values and global spirituality. Instead of education for war, there is education for peace. This is our ship. This is Noah’s Ark. This is our hope.

WORKSHOP: 7Cs Compass for Dealing With Harassment in Workplace- Sept 22

Idialogue

Workshop: “7Cs Compass for Preventing Harassment in the Workplace and  Dealing With Toxic Environment”

presented by Intercultural Dialogue Institute GTA and Conciliators Without Borders Services Inc.

Eventbrite - Harassment in Workplace-7Cs Compass for Dealing With Toxic Work Environment

Do you dread or look forward to coming to work? Are you dealing with harassment and a toxic work environment?  Let us face it.  Harassment in the workplace does happen and just can’t be wished away.  However, in your capacity as leaders, human resources specialists, managers and employees you CAN do something about it. This half day comprehensive and high impact interactive workshop will provide practical tools to prevent unhealthy work environment and practices which breeds harassment.

You will learn how to recognize harassment and nip potential harassing behaviour before it is too late.  You will share your insights and experiences and provide input through facilitated interaction. The 7Cs Compass workshop can bring immense measurable value to your organization and will provide practical tools that can be used to avoid enormous costs in productivity, dollars, health and above all work satisfaction and relationships.

Facilitator: Shahid Akhtar, President and CEO, Conciliators Without Borders Services Inc.
Read more about Shahid

Lunch, refreshments, certificate of participation and workshop materials will be provided.

Registration:  $149.00(After IDI Discount $99.00, please provide the code you received in the email at the registration)
 
Venue:  Intercultural Dialogue Institute
               481 University Ave. Suite 711
               Toronto, ON, M5G 2E9
 
 
AGENDA:
12:00 pm-Arrival, Registration, Lunch and Networking
1:00 pm- Welcome by organizers
1:10 pm-  Explanation of the Methods; Introductions of Participants; Interactive Exercises
2:30 pm- Coffee Break
2:45 pm-History and Application of 7Cs Compass to Prevent Harassment and Dealing with Toxic Environment in the Workplace
3.30 pm- Q&A
4:00 pm- Distribution of Certificates
4:10 pm- Coffee Break and More Networking
4:30 pm- Adjournment
 

In Response to Military Intervention in Turkey

Turkish citizens wave a huge national flag as they protest against the military coup outside Turkey's parliament near the Turkish military headquarters in Ankara, Turkey, Saturday, July 16, 2016. Forces loyal to Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan quashed a coup attempt in a night of explosions, air battles and gunfire that left dozens dead Saturday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

On July 15, Friday, Turkey witnessed a coup attempt by sections of the military, which has left dozens dead and injured. The attempt has been successfully put down and the government is back in control of the country.

At theIntercultural Dialogue Institute, we condemn, in the strongest terms, the attempted military coup in Turkey and reiterate that there is no place for military interventions in democracy. We believe in democratic process and we support the preservation of Turkish democracy, and condemn any attempt to subvert Turkey’s democratic institutions by force of arms.

Turkey has long suffered from the anti-democratic reflex of the military. The achievement of free and fair elections where governments are accountable to the public and power changes hands through the ballot box has been Turkey’s most valuable achievement, which should be protected and cherished at all time.

While admitting the scarcity of information at the early hours of the night, President Erdogan and figures close to him were quick to lay blame on the Hizmet movement. This is a predictable pattern, as Erdogan blames almost all oppositional development in Turkey on Hizmet as a pretext to purge state and civil society. Gulen issued a statement early in the night condemning this coup in the strongest terms, adding “[a]s someone who suffered under multiple military coups during the past five decades, it is especially insulting to be accused of having any link to such an attempt. I categorically deny such accusations.” Leading Hizmet NGOs in Turkey and abroad also issued condemnatory statements last night. Hizmet participants have consistently demonstrated categorical condemnation of such anti-democratic practices and showed strong commitment to the rule of law and functioning democracy. Both Fethullah Gülen’s teachings and the Hizmet participants’ works around the world on dialogue, democratic engagement, active citizenship and social cohesion is the embodiment of this commitment.

We hope those accused with trying to overthrow the government will be tried in courts of law and this incident becomes a source of motivation for strengthening Turkey’s democracy. We are particularly concerned that Turkey’s domestic troubles are used as a source of polarisation of the Turkish-speaking communities overseas.

We sincerely hope that the issue gets resolved quickly and in the best interest of Turkey and its citizens at home and abroad.

Fethullah Gulen issued the following statement on July 15th on the attempted coup d’etat:

“I condemn, in the strongest terms, the attempted military coup in Turkey. Government should be won through a process of free and fair elections, not force. I pray to God for Turkey, for Turkish citizens, and for all those currently in Turkey that this situation is resolved peacefully and quickly.

As someone who suffered under multiple military coups during the past five decades, it is especially insulting to be accused of having any link to such an attempt. I categorically deny such accusations.”

Fethullah Gulen’s OPED on NYT: I Condemn All Threats to Turkey’s Democracy

Fethullah Gulen’s OPED on Le Monde: Fethullah Gülen: ‘I call for an international investigation into the failed putsch in Turkey’

Gulen’s Interview with Fareed Zakaria on “GPS”

“Who is Fethullah Gulen?” by Ra’fat Aldajani, Drew Christiansen

CNN:CNN on GulenFull interview with Gulen on the Coup D’etat

Parts of the interview done with Fethullah Gulen:

  • Gulen calls for an international probe into Turkey coup allegations, says he will accept its findings: Watch here
  • Q: Do you know why president Erdogan needed to bring your name up in this [coup attempt]?
    Watch here

 

International Media on the Coup Attempt

 

Interfaith Iftar Dinner at Sayeda Khadija Centre- June 23, 2016

IDI GTA Faith of Life Network 

   Ramadan Interfaith Dinner

June 23th, 2016, 7:30-10:00pm

Sayeda Khadija Centre

7150 Edwards Blvd, Mississauga, ON L5S 1Z1

Theme:

Passing on Faith to the Next Generation: A Multifaith Perspective

Master of Ceremonies:

Urz Heer, Host, RogersTV

Speakers:

Fr. Damian MacPherson, Director of Ecumenical and Interfaith Affairs, Archdiocese of Toronto

Dr. Hamid Slimi, Founder and President, Faith of Life Network

 Rabbi Michael Satz, Associate Rabbi, Holy Blossom Temple

Tim Hackborn, Metropolitan United Church

Iftar Dinner with Faith of Life Network

Every year, the Intercultural Dialogue Institute GTA hosts a series of community Iftar (fast-breaking) dinners during the month of Ramadan. Iftar dinners bring together people of various faith and ethno-cultural backgrounds and serve as a means of fostering dialogue and cross-cultural awareness. They address various topics related to common teachings and values in different faith traditions and cultures. A centre piece of the event is the keynote address provided by a distinguished speaker who has relevant expertise with regards to a pressing/relevant matter of discourse.

For more information on IDI GTA Ramadan dinners, please visit:

https://toronto.interculturaldialog.com/activities/ramadan-iftar-dinners

http://ramadandinners.ca

Register for Meet Your Neighbour 2016 – Enjoy a Ramadan dinner at a Muslim family

Intercultural Ramadan Friendship Dinners 2016

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