On the road to Canada’s 150th birthday in 2017, community foundations from across the country are mobilizing to build a smart and caring nation. And they’re doing it from Winnipeg, home of Canada’s first community foundation, as over 600 national and international community leaders gather for the Community Foundations of Canada (CFC) national conference, from June 6 to 8.
At the CFC national conference two years ago, the Governor General called on Canadians to help him build a “smarter and more caring nation” leading up to 2017. That call to action inspired this year’s conference.
Governor General David Johnston.
Photo by Valacosa
“We’ve been working on Smart & Caring Communities, our response to the Governor General’s call since our last conference in 2011 and we’re ready to share some of those stories and prepare for the next phase,” says CFC’s president and CEO Ian Bird. “Our 2013 Conference is all about the difference we want to make in our communities leading up to the country’s 150th and beyond.”
The conference, being held at the Winnipeg Convention Centre, will address important issues such as Aboriginal affairs, food security, human rights, and engaging the next generation of thinkers and leaders.
Presenters include Governor General of Canada David Johnston, who will be featured in conversation with CBC host Shelagh Rogers; filmmaker and human rights advocate Alexandre Trudeau; renowned philanthropist Gail Asper; Sarah Sladek, a Next Gen intelligence guru and founder of XYZ University; and Jowi Taylor, founder of the multi-media project Six String Nation.
The Winnipeg Foundation is Canada’s first community foundation, established in 1921. Today there are 191 community foundations across the country.Community foundations play an important role in cities and towns across Canada.
“Together we hold more than $3.5 billion in assets and serve more than 80 per cent of the population,” Bird explains. “Now we’re ready to mobilize our national network in powerful and unprecedented ways.”
Conference participants are coming from across Canada, the United States, Europe, Africa, China, Russia and South America. Full details are available at www.cfc-conference.ca.
