The African Diaspora Heritage Trail (ADHT) is an international cultural tourism initiative that promotes socially conscious travel to sites identified as relevant and important to the global narrative of people and culture of African descent. It is designed to educate visitors and safeguard the core values and creativity of African cultures and history.

The 2011 conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada will focus on three themes:

PRESERVE: How to identify and maintain various tangible and intangible artifacts that represent African culture: dances, folklore, fine art, literature, oral traditions and history, etc.

PROMOTE: How to create economic initiatives and tourism strategies that capitalize on cultural and historical assets while returning the benefits directly to communities and persons of African descent.

PROTECT: How persons and communities of African descent can maintain their distinct heritage and culture, and the role governments and institutions should play in this endeavour.

[ Click here for more information ]

[ REGISTER HERE ]

Sustainable Community Business Conference

July 13-15, 2011
Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada

The CED and Tompkins Institutes of Cape Breton University are dedicated to advancing community capacity in innovation and sustainability, and we are pleased to organize a multidisciplinary conference on Sustainable Community Business.

This conference brings together practitioners, researchers, and community organizations, from home and afar, to discuss current practices, challenges, and emerging trends in community business.

[ REGISTER HERE ]

[ VIEW THE CONFERENCE PROGRAM ]

Keynote addresses by:

• Inazio Irizar of University of Mondragon and Mondragon Cooperativa, Spain
• Ray Hudson of Durham University, UK

The conference includes the following themes:

• Innovation for sustainable business
  
• Financing issues
  
• Co-operatives and sustainable business models
  
• Place-based business in a competitive world
  
• Eco-business challenges
  
• Sustainable Aboriginal economies
  
• International initiatives in community business

Registration

$170 + HST $25.50 = $195.50 Before May 15, 2011
$200 + HST $30.00 = $230.00 After May 15, 2011
$60 + HST $ 9.00 = $ 69.00 Student
$40 + HST $ 6.00 = $ 46.00 Spouse/Companion (to attend opening reception and Surf & Turf dinner)

The registration fee covers access to all conference sessions, opening reception, our popular Surf & Turf dinner party (lobster and beef) by the harbour, light breakfast, lunches, and nutrition breaks. Interesting speakers and Cape Breton hospitality & music included too.

[ REGISTER HERE ]

Venue:

The conference will be held on Cape Breton University’s campus. Located on Canada’s east coast, CBU (www.cbu.ca) makes its home in Sydney, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

Cape Breton is known for its natural beauty, pace of life, history, and friendly people. The folks at Travel + Leisure magazine World's Best Awards 2009, pretty much summed it up for us naming Cape Breton Island the number one, ‘must-see’ island to visit in North America and number three on its top islands of the world list. It is also named as the #2 Sustainable Tourism Destination by National Geographic Traveler magazine. Home to the world renowned Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Island's breathtaking scenery leaves an imprint on all visitors.

Accommodations:

For your convenience, we have blocked dormitory style rooms on the CBU campus and hotel rooms with both the Delta Sydney and Cambridge Suites Hotel. Please quote CBU Community Business Conference to receive a room rate.

Location Rate Contact
CBU Residence $ 46 per night/single 902-563-1792 or sylvia_clements@cbu.ca

Delta Sydney $129 per night 800-565-1001 or jeldridge@fortisproperties.com

Cambridge Suites $145 per night 800-565-9466 or www.cambridgesuitessydney.com
Booking using group rate code:
Group ID 6258
Password: 37013766


 

Why Cities? Why Poverty?

Series: Vibrant Communities Seminar Series

Speakers: Paul Born, Brock Carlton

Location: via conference call (FREE)

Date: Thursday, January 27, 2011, 11:55am, Eastern

About the Seminar:

The first call in the Canada's Cities Reducing Poverty series will feature Brock Carlton, Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Federation of Municipalities (FCM). Mr. Carlton will discuss Mending Canada's Frayed Social Safety Net: The role of municipal governments - a recent report exploring poverty, income inequality and the concept of social infrastructure. There is a growing need for municipal social services, made even more urgent by the recent recession and the federal and provincial retreat from traditional social supports, which has shifted the burden to municipal governments. The report introduces the concept of social infrastructure, the support system provided by municipal governments and made up of direct social services, such as affordable housing, emergency shelters and subsidized childcare, as well as public services like transit, recreation and libraries. Social infrastructure is particularly important to vulnerable people on limited incomes, especially during a recession. The report finds that while the need for these services has increased, investments have not kept up.

Mark your calendars for two Co-operative Conferences!

The Conversions Conferences

This Conference will focus on the conversion of business enterprises into worker co-operatives.

• Location: Quebec City
• Date: October 11-13, 2011.

North American Conference of Worker Co-operatives

At the second event, we expect to formally launch the North America sub-region of the International Organisation of Industrial, Artisanal and Service Producers’ Co-operatives.

• Location: Quebec City
• Date: October 13-15, 2011

Click here to download the Event Program (pdf)

These events are organized jointly by the Canadian Worker Co-op Federation and Le Réseau de la coopération du travail du Québec with the support of the United States Federation of Worker Co-ops, La Fédération québécoise des coopératives forestières and the North American Students of Cooperation (NASCO).\