"Health and Vitality - The Commonwealth Challenge" is this year's theme for Commonwealth Day, being celebrated on Monday, March 13th in 53 Commonwealth countries around the world. This is an ideal time for Canadians, as members of the Commonwealth, to reflect on this year's theme, and the Commonwealth's commitment to improving the lives and livelihoods of its 1.8 billion citizens - about 30% of the world's population.
Millions of people in the world do not have access to the good food, health care and living conditions necessary to remain healthy. Commonwealth countries are working together to ensure all people can enjoy good health.
Two free-admission public events to celebrate Commonwealth Day will be held in Vancouver:
A multifaith observance and festivity of Caribbean music, sights sounds and colours will be held at Canadian Memorial United Church, 1825 West 16th Ave., Vancouver, on Sunday, March 12, 2006, from 2:00 p.m. (already Commonwealth Day in many parts of the world!). This a family event is being supported by members of the Caribbean Cultural Association of B.C. A reception will follow.
A Commonwealth Day Reception and Exhibition will be held at the UBC Museum of Anthropology, 6393 N.W. Marine Drive on Monday, March 13, 2006 from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The event will feature talks, displays and a reception with African cultural performances and participation by Canadian and British Columbian organizations that are supporting "health and vitality in Africa" - Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief, Engineers Without Borders, BC Children's Hospital and UBC Africa Awareness.
The events are sponsored by the Royal Commonwealth Society, the UBC Museum of Anthropology and the Commonwealth of Learning.
The Vancouver Branch of the Royal Commonwealth Society is one of ten in Canada and seeks to promote the increase of knowledge regarding the peoples and countries of the Commonwealth through educational programs in schools and elsewhere. The Society also promotes the ideals and principles agreed by the association of free, sovereign and independent nations which together constitute the modern Commonwealth.
The mission of UBC's Museum of Anthropology is to investigate, preserve, and present objects and expressions of human creativity in order to promote understanding of and respect for world cultures.
Internationally headquartered in Vancouver, the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) is the only official Commonwealth agency located outside Britain and the world's only intergovernmental organization solely concerned with the promotion and development of distance education and open learning. COL helps countries use technology to foster and facilitate learning on the large scale that successful development requires.
Further information:
More information about Commonwealth Day and the events in Vancouver are available by visiting
www.col.org/comday.
Royal Commonwealth Society:
www.rcs.ca
UBC Museum of Anthropology:
www.moa.ubc.ca
Commonwealth of Learning:
www.col.org
Contact:
Multifaith observance (Sunday): John Harris, tel 604.215.4314, e-mail
wimsey@telus.net
Commonwealth Day Reception and Exhibition (Monday): Jennifer Webb, tel 604.822.5950, e-mail
jenwebb@interchange.ubc.ca
Mr. Dave Wilson
Communications Manager
Commonwealth of Learning
www.col.org/dwilson