Social Enterprise Webinar Series: What and Why of Social Enterprise 

September 14th, 2012   12:00pm Eastern time

David LePage, Enterprising Non-Profits & Anne Jamieson, Toronto Enterprise Fund

This session is designed for participants thinking about starting a social enterprise. The facilitators will discuss what social enterprise is, why a non-profit would start a social enterprise, and how you might look at your options. Short presentation and Q&A.

For more information: http://www.socialenterprisecanada.ca

To register:  http://www.gifttool.com/registrar/ShowEventDetails?ID=1670&EID=12620

CIVICUS World Assembly:  Acting Together for a Just World
September 3 to 7, 2012 in Montréal
 

The CIVICUS World Assembly serves as a primary venue for civil society practitioners, researchers, activists, concerned business leaders and representatives from governments to share ideas and experiences on strengthening citizen participation.

The World Assembly’s main objective is to create a space where a diversity of voices can be heard, a space to exchange experiences, challenges, successes and dreams and, most importantly, concrete ideas for a more equitable and just world. One of the World Assembly’s strengths is its ability to act as a forum where groups from all sectors around the world develop successful models for advancing national, regional and global agendas, and for finding solutions to the crises that the world is facing today.

The CIVICUS World Assembly has previously been hosted in Mexico, Hungary, the Philippines, Canada, Botswana and Scotland. The CIVICUS Board made the decision to annualise the event in 2006, privileging a three-year cycle in one venue. In addition to reducing the logistical burden of organising a major international event, this annualisation allows CIVICUS to focus more intensively on the programme contents, the promotion of the event and on ensuring widespread participation.

The Institut du Nouveau Monde (INM) successfully bid to host the CIVICUS World Assembly in Montréal, Québec for the period 2010-2012.

Building Capacity for Action

Around the world people are growing food in cities! From August 15 to 18, the 2012 Urban Agriculture Summit will bring together a diversity of people that are making it happen - design professionals, community groups, social housing advocates, tenants and developers, educators, planners, homeowners, urban growers and others - to share what is working, and to discover what is possible.

From bee-keeping to community and school gardens; from aquaculture to rooftop farming, urban agriculture is becoming an essential element of food security, improving access to healthy, affordable food in a rapidly urbanizing world. Urban agriculture can also generate much-needed skills development and local employment while improving local environmental and community health.

The first Urban Agriculture Summit in Toronto is presented by Green Roofs for Healthy Cities and FoodShare.  It will be action-oriented: attendees will learn new tools to advance urban agriculture in their own communities. Together participants will explore urban agriculture's current role and future potential in 21st century city-building.

Major Summit themes include:

• Food Security, food sovereignty and city-building
• Planning and design of innovative infrastructure for small & large-scale urban agriculture
• New technologies and innovative practices associated with production
• Scaling up urban agriculture: Supportive programs, policies and governance models
• Best management practices in for-profit and not-for-profit food production
• Building the business case: the economics, financing and marketing of urban agriculture
• Embedding urban agriculture in community development and housing

Imagine 2012 is designed to bring together the leadership of the world’s major co-operatives and leading economic thinkers from around the world. Imagine 2012 will provide a forum in which co-operative leaders and world-class economists can explore a new approach to economic analysis and thought that offers people around the world renewed hope for an economy that meets people’s needs.

>> Click Here for information about this event