Happy 2019, everybody! The Intercultural Dialogues Initiative is pumped for another year of sharing, learning, and fun!

We are excited to launch the year with a special film festival project for the community. Working with the Centre for Race and Culture, we are inviting participants to come out and make short films on anti-racism to be screened at their symposium in March, with audience-voted prizes to be won!

Folks interested will be offered skills-building on anti-racism and decolonization, digital storytelling, and professional editing help on their short film. Anyone with a recording device (that includes phones) can shoot a film!

Our first 2019 Intercultural Gathering on Sunday, January 27, featured anti-racism and decolonization workshops at the Edmonton Intercultural Centre (9538 – 107 Avenue). On Sunday, February 17, we will host workshops on Black History Month and Digital Storytelling at the same location.

All workshops will help provide tools for making films that will then be screened in March for Anti-Racism Day on March 21. Even if you’re not up for making a film, you are still welcome to come out to the January and February workshops! Childcare and snacks will be provided at the Intercultural Gatherings.

A big thank you to everyone who supported and came out this last December 8-9 for a special winter gathering – the Mekiwin Indigenous Arts & Crafts Market and Intercultural Gathering at the Boyle Street Plaza. Hundreds came out to buy local Indigenous and Ethnocultural crafts, were audience to incredible music and dance performances, and enjoyed what some said were the best bannock burgers they’ve ever had in their lives.

Stay tuned for all the upcoming gatherings for 2019, including the children’s music festival we and the Boyle Street Community League are planning for April.

For folks who may have missed the last update: Intercultural Dialogues will now be expanding beyond the neighbourhood of McCauley to encompass central Edmonton. The Initiative will continue to bring monthly Intercultural Gatherings to inner city neighbourhoods and will be developing a toolkit to share with others interested in developing similar gatherings as a way to meet neighbours, overcome biases and misunderstandings, share stories, and have fun. We’re always open to working together and hearing your ideas on how we can support communities to be more inclusive, safe, and empowered.

May your year be full of health, happiness and love!

We are working on a website, but for updates please see https://www.facebook.com/interculturaldialogues or email Sheryle Carlson at ourmccauley@gmail.com.