This year’s Urban Indigenous Summit’s theme is Action for the Next Generation. The purpose is to provide opportunities within the Friendship Centre Movement for knowledge exchange, capacity building and action planning.
“It was such a big success that we decided we really needed to do this again this year. This year we have an additional 50% response than we did last year” said CEO of NAFC Jocelyn Formsma.
The summit will be three days long and feature multiple workshops presented by Friendship Centre members from across the country. There will also be sharing circles, presentations and other performances done throughout the summit.
“We have the fastest growing population in Canada as Indigenous Peoples, and we need to be really active in insuring that we’re making space for these young leaders but we’re also helping them to create really solid skills that are going to serve them forever,” explained Formsma.
The summit is highly focused on Indigenous youth with all the panels and keynotes being facilitated, moderated, or introduced by Friendship Centre youth trainees. The three days will contain “tracks” focused on topics like health care, capacity building, action planning, and more.
Along with the workshops and presentations there will also be a number of well-known Indigenous performers and speakers at the Summit. Dallas Goldtooth from Reservation Dogs and Michael Redhead Champagne will be keynote speakers, and Chelazon Leroux from Canada’s Drag Race will be hosting a fun evening on the first night of the summit.
The summit will be taking place November 27-29 in Ottawa.
(Logo courtesy of the National Association of Friendship Centres)