Prominent dignitaries lined up for Community Inclusivity Equity Council of York Region gala

Yorkregion.com
Feb. 19, 2015
By Chris Traber


An unparalleled evening of elegance, enlightenment and entertainment awaits you April 30 at what promises to be one of York Region’s premier galas.

Hosted by the Community Inclusivity Equity Council of York Region, you will have the opportunity to join Canadian and international dignitaries for a celebration of diversity, understanding and hope.

The inaugural Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity Awards for Service and Innovation and Benefit Gala at Richmond Hill’s Sheraton Parkway hotel will afford a stylish and ultra exclusive experience, event designer Carole Adriaans said.

The luminary-populated event will appeal to the corporate, government and human services sectors, but citizens with an interest in culture and the humanities will also be enthralled, she added.

The magic and music begins with coinciding VIP and main cocktail receptions, where attendees can meet and greet the evening’s special guests. The extensive lineup includes the Rev. Mpho Tutu, executive director of the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, Justice Murray Sinclair, chairperson of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, former Ontario lieutenant governor James Bartleman, Donna Big Canoe, Chief of the Chippewas of Georgina Island, author and global human equity strategist Trevor Wilson and former speaker of the Ontario Legislative Assembly Alvin Curling.

Also scheduled to attend are York-Simcoe MP Peter Van Loan and his provincial counterpart, MPP Julia Munro along with York Region chairperson and CEO Wayne Emmerson.

York Region’s own George St. Kitts and his ensemble will open and close the festivities.

Tutu graces the evening with a speech entitled Carving a Path towards Hope and Healing.She will provide an overview of the South African apartheid era and the truth and reconciliation process that followed it and share transferable lessons and ways in which Canadians can keep the recommendations of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission alive in order to safeguard the future.

Her father, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, will bring his greetings via a video presentation.

Curling will provide a brief reflection on the importance of youth involvement in the truth and reconciliation process and its future and Wilson will speak about the South African concept of Ubuntu (human-ness) and why serious consideration should be given to it within the Canadian context.

The awards portion of the gala recognizes the work of individuals and organizations across Ontario that are trailblazers in matters of diversity, equity and inclusion in the context of organizational change and community engagement.

The gala’s theme is truth, reconciliation and engagement, Adriaans said.

The topic is of utmost importance because it speaks to the very fabric of Canadian society with regards to matters of civic responsibility, caring communities and the engagement of First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples.

The gala and the preceding two-day symposium affords strategies that create an understanding and the utmost respect for First Nations communities wherever they may exist across the country. It is also an opportunity to learn about the healing process that has began across our nation when it comes to the residential school system and its impact on former First Nations, Inuit, and Métis students, their families and communities.

The gala finale will feature the St. Kitts ensemble rendition of the Lion King Songs of Pride Land.

The tribute to the Lion King exemplifies the message of Ubuntu and the indelible bond Canada formed with South Africa through its steadfast stance with those who risked it all to end the Apartheid, Adriaans said.

Additionally, guests will enjoy ceremonial music by the Ashunyung singers and Sacred Spirit Dancers prior to dinner. Following the haute cuisine, highlights include a silent and live auction.
Up for bids are exceptional experiences. You could scoop up two tickets to South Africa and hotel accommodation in Cape Town, land transportation and tours including a Safari in Hoedspruit at Tanda Tula. This experience of a lifetime is valued at $15,000.

Also available is a weekend package for four at Fern Resort on Lake Couchiching, a York Region Police marine experience, a private coffee and espresso tasting experience for eight, a Mini Cooper rental, a gourmet food basket, a Native American style flute and stand custom crafted by Makwa Flutes in Greenbank, Ont., autographed books by renowned Metis author and speaker, David Bouchard, spa and golf packages, Toronto Maple Leaf and Toronto Blue Jays tickets and much more.

All proceeds raised will go towards the building of a school library in the new learning centre that will replace the existing Waabgon Gamig School as well as supporting the educational needs of the children and youth of Georgina Island. The Chippewas of Georgina Island are in the formative stage of developing funds to build a new school.