Truth and Reconciliation
Dalhousie’s VP of research, Martha Crago, delivered a statement last week at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on behalf of the university. Though Dal had no involvement with the residential school system, the Statement of Reconciliation promised to provide students with “a just and caring educational milieu that encourages them to respect and honour cultural diversity.”
“Any educational value those schools provided to Canada’s Aboriginal children came at an enormous price, a price that cost multiple generations of people their well-being,” reads the statement, which was co-authored with president Tom Traves.
The commission was held in Halifax to discuss Canada’s former residential school system with its victims and with community members. The system forced Métis, Inuit and First Nations children to attend schools that the Statement of Reconciliation called “an abhorrent form of cultural genocide.” Crago’s research, which involves culture and language in Inuit and First Nations people of Canada, fuelled the passion of her speech.
Dal’s population milestone
Just as the world reaches seven billion people, Dal is reaching a landmark moment as well: this year the school’s population has surpassed 17,000. Dal gives much of the credit to their public outreach and creative marketing teams.
But, the rise in enrolment is not produced solely by Canadian students: there are over 300 international students at Dal, with India, Saudi Arabia, China and the United States as the main foreign contributors. This time last year the school accommodated 16,693 students.
Despite rising numbers, Dal is attempting to maintain campus quality. A new residence is being built on LeMarchant Street, and a campaign called Bold Ambitions is raising money to enhance campus life.
Living art as therapy
Researchers from Dal’s Resilience Research Centre are working towards creating alternative options for youth working in dangerous jobs.
With 215 million adolescence involved in prostitution and street fighting globally, the researchers are hoping to make a change. Song, dance and design are some of the activities proposed to send children in a better direction.
Linda Liebenberg and Michael Ungar are co-directors in the centre. They have sent a proposal to Grand Challenges Canada in hopes of rebuilding the “Cambodian Living Arts” program.
The program originated in Cambodia to redirect vulnerable children away from unsafe pursuits and proved to be successful. Liebenberg and Ungar are aspiring to create a virtual toolkit as an installation guideline for the project in communities around the world.
Marine Affairs Program turns 25
The Marine Affairs Program (MAP) is celebrating its 25thyear of education at Dal. Since the program began, more than 350 students from all over the world have graduated with master’s degrees in marine management.
Lucia Fanning is the director of the program. She told DalNews the program allows for protection of the environment and good practice in using marine and coastal natural resources. The program is interdisciplinary so it draws a number of different students from a variety of backgrounds. Fanning says this is why “we can have a local and global relevance.”
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