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Here's an important announcement from CVIMS:

Gala Dinner a Memorable Event!

On Thursday, September 24, 2009, 140 people came together for an evening of great food, great fellowship and great entertainment - and most importantly, to pay tribute to the winners of the 1st Annual Diversity Champion Awards!

Diversity Champions are community members who have promoted inclusion and respect for all people and are committed to the values of equity and diversity. They work with others to ensure that all those in our diverse community have equitable access to its services and opportunities.

The response to the event has been tremendous - "this was not a typical awards event! It was fun, it was fast-paced, it was a delightful evening!" We want to say thank you to our sponsors, our awards committee, the performers and all who attended. And so with great pleasure, we announce the winners of the 2009 Diversity Champion Awards!
The 2009 Diversity Champion Award Winners!
Individual

Ellen White has been a bridge between the Snuneymuxw people and non-Aboriginal people for many years.  She has been a leader in sharing her cultural teachings with non-Aboriginal women at conferences and workshops.  Ellen likes to point out the similarities between cultures rather than focus on the differences between them. Ellen has been a leader in developing cross cultural understanding through her involvement first within the school district as a cultural teacher and later as an Elder-in-residence for 13 years at Malaspina University College (now Vancouver Island University).  Ellen was an early leader in cross cultural communications. Her life is an illustration of her teachings – that you can gain important knowledge from all cultures – and that her culture has much to teach the world.

Group

Zonta Club of Nanaimo pursues an internationally diverse experience and works diligently to connect with one another in a globally aware manner.  Zonta promotes diversity through many of its activities, guest speakers and public events. They host with Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the Citizenship Court ceremony and reception for new Canadians. They co-funded and cosponsored a Race Relations Award for High School students, encouraging individual commitment to the principles of equity and diversity. Zonta partnered in placing a plaque on Wesley Street, honouring Miss Emily Stark, the first female black teacher in Nanaimo.  Both globally and locally, Zonta Club of Nanaimo promotes peace, inclusion and responsible citizenship for all.
Public Institution  

School District 68 Multicultural and Race Relations Committee was created through Board Policy adopted on November 8, 1995. They develop recommendations to the Board on all issues of Diversity. The Committee has initiated, supported in principle or funded: “Mosaic 2000 – Exploring Our Roots”, the holocaust conferences, poster contests, community projects on diversity and support for the development of the curriculum on cultural competency. School District 68 Multicultural and Race Relations Committee continues to work to raise awareness, be an ear for emerging needs of and to act as the systemic voice for embracing cultural diversity.

Small Business

Inuktun Services Ltd shows leadership in diversity by hiring individuals from a diverse cultural background. Inuktun leads by example and activevely recognizes the benfits of a workforce that is diverse. The company hires staff who come from all over the world  and provides them the opportunity to be a part of our community. Inuktun has taken the extra step to customize their employee training to consider differences in language and workplace cultural.  Inuktun emphasizes helping immigrants integrate into their workplace environment and lets new potential employees know that they are in a place where their skills and experience  are valued and where they will be accepted and welcomed.

If you would like to support our programs and services, you can become a member or make a donation online via paypal. We are a registered charity and your tax deductible donation is important to us.