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Link to full details: 2014 Special Olympics Canada Games
Special Olympics at UBC – July 8-12, 2014
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Welcome Message from UBC’s New President
On July 1, Professor Arvind Gupta began his new role as UBC’s 13th President. Watch a message from the new President here:
Link to page: Prof. Arvind Gupta, UBC’s new President
Chinese-Speaking Residents at ‘Welcome Event’
More than 70 residents were in attendance; evening was entertaining as well as educational
By Ying Zhou, Chair, UNA Civic Engagement Committee
New Chinese-speaking residents enjoy welcoming event at The Chan Centre.
Photo credit Qiu Hong
On June 9, UBC invited members of the UNA civic engagement committee to a ‘Welcome Event’ at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts.
More than 70 new Chinese-speaking residents attended this event, which was preceded by a walk to the Chan from The Old Barn Community Centre led by UBC executives Alden Habacon, director of Intercultural Understanding Strategy Development, and Joe Stott, director of planning. They were warmly greeted at the Chan by Joyce Hinton, co-managing director.
Link to full article on Page 9: http://www.myuna.ca/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/CampusResident_Vol5_6_June-2014.pdf
UBC’s Asian Canadian Asian Migration Studies Minor Takes First Students in September 2014
The University of British Columbia is pleased to announce the creation of the Asian Canadian Asian Migration Studies Minor during the recognition of Asian Heritage Month in Canada and Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in the United States.
As part of the University’s tribute to honour the UBC Japanese Canadian students of 1942, the Dean of Arts announced in March 2012 that an Asian Canadian Minor program would be created and launched to accept its first students in September 2014.
Consultation processes that involved many individuals from the Asian Canadian and UBC communities were initiated and conducted over a 12-month period. The feedback and advice received encouraged the University to envision a more comprehensive program beyond the scope originally conceived.
Maclean’s March 2014: Newcomers to Canada
by Patti Ryan
Canada wants immigrants – and people from around the world want to live here. What do newcomers and Canada have to offer each other?
When people ask Alden E. Habacon why cultural diversity works in Canada in ways it doesn’t elsewhere, he has a lot to say. But it all simmers down to: “Because
it’s always been here.”
Link to full PDF: Newcomers to Canada for Maclean’s March 2014
Photo courtesy: Martin Dee
Congratulations to Karen Dhaliwal and UBC Intercultural Alliance for winning the 2014 Provincial Nesika Award!
VANCOUVER – The fifth annual Provincial Nesika Awards proved that multiculturalism is flourishing in British Columbia. More than 400 people attended this flagship event at the Science World OMNIMAX Theatre with Minister Responsible for Multiculturalism Teresa Wat there to present the awards. Continue reading
20-min Overview of Mid-Level Plan (Video)
As promised to Heads and Directors, the working draft of The Intercultural Promise has been put into a 20-minute overview (video above). The Executive Summary and Final Draft of The Intercultural Promise, can be downloaded below:
Intercultural Understanding Exec Summary May 2014
Intercultural-Understanding-Strategic-Plan-Final-Draft-UBCV-May-2014
We have completed the development of the plan, and are currently working on the creation of a website where much of the mid-level will live. Implementation is already underway in many units.
Info sessions and presentations are being made all across the Vancouver campus. For more information or to arrange a presentation in your unit, please email Anna Wong at anna.wong@ubc.ca
The Intercultural Promise:
Intercultural Understanding Strategic Plan (UBC Vancouver Campus)
Executive Summary
Prepared by Alden E. Habacon
Updated May 2014
The University’s commitment towards intercultural understanding is a response to a unique opportunity at UBC Vancouver (UBCV) to be a genuinely intercultural learning and work environment, contribute to the human wellbeing of the campus community, and fulfill the University’s social obligation towards intellectual diversity.
Remember to stay safe during exams
To UBC’s Vancouver campus community:
I want to wish students every success in your exams. And I want to remind all members of our community to continue to look out for each other’s wellbeing and safety as we transition to new spring routines.
Recently the UBC RCMP issued a safety reminder to our campus community with tips to keep in mind for a new season. Find out more here: Continue reading
CBC On the Coast: Discrimination at UBC (April 1, 2014)
Link to digital archived audio: full text
Segment starts at 08:28
International students face discrimination at UBC, according to new research by a UBC doctoral student.
Alden Habacon, UBC’s director of intercultural understanding, says he’s not surprised by the findings.
“One of the things I’ve been working on is this strategy on intercultural understanding is a conversation around how inclusive and welcoming UBC actually is and what we’ve learned is that you can be a very multicultural, very diverse place and not be an inclusive place. And not be an intercultural place,” he said. “What this research reveals to us is that it actually proves what we were gathering in our own research in the development of that plan.”
International Students: Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) changes
On February 14, 2014, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) published new immigration regulations for international students. The changes are due to take effect June 1, 2014. Continue reading