With a proclamation by Queen Victoria on May 24, 1867, the confederation of Canada was born. Canada’s 150th anniversary is a time to celebrate, but it’s also a time to reflect on where we’ve come from and where we need to go to thrive for the next 150 years.
Celebrations of Canada’s 150th started early here at the foundation, with last summer’s creation of Victoria’s Canada 150 Mosaic mural, now proudly displayed for all to see outside the Greater Victoria Public Library’s Central Branch. Created by the residents of our region, this public art stands as a symbol of our community and our connection to the nation as a whole.
Through Community Foundations of Canada, the Victoria Foundation offered Canada 150 grants in 2016, the results of which will be seen throughout 2017. Thirty-five worthy projects encouraging participation in community activities and inspiring a deeper understanding of the people and places of our nation will take place throughout the Capital Regional District as a result.
A major focus for the foundation’s Canada 150 initiatives will be reconciliation. In May, we will take Carey Newman’s residential-school commemoration, the Witness Blanket, to Ottawa as part of the Community Foundations of Canada international conference. We have also established a Reconciliation Task Group to examine the relationship between philanthropy and reconciliation, and determine the most effective way of integrating those principles into our own work.
To reach our community’s youth, in the spring we are thrilled to be bringing writer and broadcaster Jowi Taylor’s Six String Nation to Greater Victoria middle schools. Built from 64 pieces of bone, metal, wood, stone and fabric collected across the country, the stunning guitar is a symbol of national unity, exploring Canadian identity and connecting people from all regions of Canada.
And finally, back by popular demand, Victoria Foundation Day, which last year saw dozens of local attractions offer free admission in honour of the foundation’s 80th anniversary, will return in 2017. The specifics are still under wraps, I’m sorry to say, but make sure to keeping checking in throughout the year for more information on this community celebration.
Our nation’s 150th is going to be a busy year, but it also promises to be a rewarding one, filled with the spirit of celebration and hope for the future.
Sandra Richardson is CEO of the Victoria Foundation.
