The Commissioner of Community Services, in consultation with the Director of Recreation and Culture, recommends:

Transcription

1 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE - APRIL 12, 2011 PROCLAMATION - MAY AS ASIAN HERITAGE MONTH Recmmendatin The Cmmissiner f Cmmunity Services, in cnsultatin with the Directr f Recreatin and Culture, recmmends: 1) That Cuncil prclaim the mnth f May as Asian Heritage Mnth in the City f Vaughan; and, 2) That the Asian Heritage Mnth - List f Activities as fund in Attachment 1, be received. Cntributin t Sustainability This reprt is cnsistent with the pririties previusly set by Cuncil in the Green Directins, Vaughan, Cmmunity Sustainability Envirnmental Master Plan, Gal 4, Objective 4.1: T fster a city with strng scial chesin, an engaging arts scene, and a clear sense f its culture and heritage. Ecnmic Impact The cst f prgrams assciated with Asian Heritage Mnth celebratins will be cvered by the rganizing/hst grup and agency. Cmmunicatins Plan The prclamatin f May 2011 as Asian Heritage Mnth and the List f Activities (Attachment 1) will be psted n the City website, in cmmunity centres, schls and at Vaughan Public Libraries. Purpse The purpse f this reprt is t prclaim the mnth f May as Asian Heritage Mnth and t present an verview f the activities t be held in May acrss the City f Vaughan and Yrk Regin. Backgrund - Analysis and Optins In May 2002, the Gvernment f Canada signed an fficial declaratin t designate May as Asian Heritage Mnth in Canada. Asian Heritage Mnth is a time t hnr and celebrate the achievements f East, Suth, Sutheast and Western Asian Canadians, their descendants and their cntributin t the scial, ecnmic, cultural and plitical life in Canada. The 2006 Canada Census identified apprximately 20% f Vaughan s ppulatin being f either East, Suth, Sutheast, and Western Asian descent. This gegraphical area includes cuntries such as, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, The Philippines, Vietnam, China, Krea, Japan, Cambdia and Indnesia. This mnth prvides an pprtunity t learn abut and experience the histry and culture f Asian-Canadians. In hnr f Asian Heritage Mnth, there are a number f activities thrughut Vaughan that are presented n Attachment 1. Highlights are as fllws:

2 New City Hall: Elspeth Heywrth Centre will be presenting a Dandiya Raas Celebratin Wmen s Stick Flk Dance in May. Dandiya Raas is the traditinal flk dance frm f Vrindavan, India, where it is perfrmed in full traditinal cstume depicting scenes f Hli, (Spring religius festival) and it is the featured dance f Navarti (Nine nights f Sanskrit) evenings in Western India. Human Endeavur lead by Nr Din will be presenting a traditinal dance perfrmed by rganizatin members. On display will be Human Endeavur s new bk, The Canadian Babel shwcasing scial and cultural diversity thrugh strytelling frm senirs in the Suth Asian cmmunity Vaughan Public Libraries: Each branch will have a variety f activities fr all ages that include: Japanese petry, art exhibit, guest authrs, rigami wrkshps, Chinese brush painting and mre. Yrk Reginal Plice: Asian Heritage Mnth celebratins, perfrmances and displays will be part f the festivities at the Safety Village. Cmmunity Organizatins: Human Endeavurs will be hsting an Asian Heritage Festival with perfrmances and refreshments. Elspeth Haywrth Centre will present a free Yga fr Senirs wrkshp at Vellre Village Cmmunity Centre and will begin St. Jan f Arc Cathlic high schl will have their annual Multicultural Glbal display and fd festival. Yrk Regin Annual Multimedia Film festival will feature many film shrts created by residents thrughut all municipalities including City f Vaughan. Relatinship t Vaughan Visin 2020/Strategic Plan In cnsideratin f the strategic pririties related t Vaughan Visin 2020, this reprt will prvide: STRATEGIC GOAL: Service Excellence - Prviding service excellence t citizens. STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES: Preserve ur heritage and supprt diversity, arts and culture. This reprt is cnsistent with the pririties previusly set by Cuncil, and the necessary resurces t implement this prgram have been allcated and apprved. Reginal Implicatins N/A Cnclusin In celebrating Asian Heritage Mnth, the City reaffirms its effrt t build an inclusive cmmunity. Mre s, it is an pprtunity t highlight Vaughan s rich diversity and celebrate and learn abut the traditins and culture f ur East, Suth, Western and Sutheast Asian cmmunity. Attachments 1. Asian Heritage Mnth List f Activities

3 Reprt Prepared By Mary Reali, Directr f Recreatin and Culture, ext Angela Palerm, Manager f Cultural Services, ext Mirella Tersigni, Cmmunity Develpment Crdinatr, ext Respectfully submitted, Marln Kallideen Cmmissiner f Cmmunity Services

4 Attachment 1 Asian Heritage Mnth in Vaughan and Yrk Regin May 2011 List f Activities Cmmunity Centres - City Hall City f Vaughan - City Hall Elspeth Heywrth Centre & Human Endeavurs will present traditinal suth Asian dance Multi-purpse rm 1st flr Tuesday, May 3, 12:00 p.m. (tentative) Early kick ff celebratin in traditinal Dandiya Cstumes with stick flk dance and music. The 50th Birthday Celebratin f the Gujrat State f India will als be celebrated. An evening f music, dance and refreshments fr all. Vellre Village Cmmunity Centre - Cafetrium Elspeth Haywrth Centre -Yga fr Senirs Sunday, May 28, 2:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. Open t all Senirs in Vaughan. The fcus f the class invlves quieting the mind thrughut practice as well as during guided relaxatin t encurage healing. Vellre Schl Huse Elspeth Heywrth Centre presents: Sikh Gurdwara Gathering fr Senirs Sundays starting in May 10:30 a.m. t 1:00 p.m Westn Rd. Gurdwaras are pen t everyne regardless f faith. Visitrs remve their shes, wash their hands and cver their head with a clth befre entering the Gurdwara. Spiritual wrds and peaceful wrship. Human Endeavur Suth Asian Heritage Day Celebratins! Lcatin/time: TBA Cntact: Nr.din@humanendeavur.rg Suth Asian Heritage Day is a signature event f Human Endeavur that is celebrated every year with cultural perfrmances, displays and an award ceremny in which Human Endeavur recgnizes the individuals, grups and rganizatins wh have made significant cntributins t the cmmunity. This event is attended by Members f Parliament, Members f Cuncil, cmmunity leaders and a large number f cmmunity members. Thrnhill Senirs Club-Culture Night Date/Lcatin: TBD Saturday r Sunday between 5:30 p.m. t 10:00 p.m. Fd will be served. Perfrmances: Dance, Music and theatre. Pssible charge/dnatin request: $5 per persn.

5 Vaughan Public Libraries Asian Heritage Festival May 7, 1:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. Ansley Grve Library Kicking ff Asian Heritage Mnth activities will include perfrmances, and martial arts demnstratins, activities fr whle family and guests visit frm creatrs f The Legend f Ninja Cwby Bear. Ansley Grve Library Chinese Brush Painting May 17, 7:00 p.m. 8:00 p.m. Taiwan Sublime Pht Exhibitin May 3 May 31 Series f phtgraphs taken by famus Taiwanese phtgraphers. Phts include celebratins, traditinal arts and Taiwan landscape Bathurst Clark Library A Splendid Chinese Mrning May 15, 11:00 a.m. 12:30 p.m. Singing, flk dancing and martial arts Dufferin Clark Library Chinese Brush Painting May 21, 2:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. Art Exhibit May 1 May 31 Varius Chinese artists Maple Library Authr visit: Arlene Chan May 4, 1:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. Dragn bat racer and authr f Awakening the Dragn: The Dragn Bat Festival. Origami May 18, 6:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. Origami Sciety f Trnt reveal secrets f paper flding and creatins Wdbridge Library Hindi Kavi Sammelan (Petry Cnference) May 14, 2:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. Hindi Literature and Culture Circle present free petry readings in Hindi language by lcal pets Mantra Meditatin May 28, 11:00 a.m. 12:30 p.m. Mantra Meditatin, a magical chanting f sund vibratins in a calm and relaxed atmsphere. Presented by Meditatin Trnt Pierre Bertn Resurce Library Get Inked!- Henna bdy art May 10, 7:00 p.m. 8:00 p.m.

6 YRDSB / YCSDB Multi-Cultural Fd Festival Schl Fundraiser St. Jan f Arc Cathlic High Schl April 28, :00 p.m. t 9:00 p.m. (drs pen at 6:45 p.m.). Tickets are $5 prir t the event and $7 at the dr. The night cnsists f a variety f abut 20 studentcreated pavilins representing varius cultures that make up ur schl, including the Philippines, Iraq, Spain, Latin America, Italy, and Africa. Students decrate pavilins with infrmatin and images abut the cuntry, sme wear traditinal dress, play music, and dance. Fd als plays a big rle in the night and attendees are given a plate upn arrival s that they can sample traditinal fds frm the varius statins. Half f the prceeds frm ticket and bttled water sales will be dnated t Creatin f Hpe, a charity which prvides supprt fr the pr in Africa. Arts and Culture Night St. Jean de Brebeuf Cathlic High Schl May 5, :00 p.m. -9:00 p.m. Arts Night and Culture Celebratins Stephen Lewis Secndary Schl Thursday May 26, :00 p.m. 9:00 p.m. Drama, dance, music and visual arts will be scheduled thrughut the evening. Yuth lead and will include riginal perfrmances, scripts and artwrk created thrughut the year. Elementary and Secndary Schls Citywide Exhibits and Asian/Suth Asian traditins will be n display in the fyers f many schls thrughut the schls bards. Each classrm teacher will d an activity/prject with the students as well as the schl n a whle. Schl Assemblies will include acknwledgements fr Asian Heritage Mnth Sme schls will have an assembly which wuld cnsist f perfrmances and speakers regarding Asian and Suth Asian cultures. Every schl varies in what they d and changes year t year with staff changes.

7 Yrk Reginal Plice / Yrk Regin Asian Heritage Mnth - Celebratins at Safety Village May 12, :00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Crdinated by the Diversity and Cultural Resurces Bureau f Yrk Reginal Plice Annual celebratin includes -Music, Perfrmances, Art displays and refreshments. Regin-Wide Beauties f Asia Grand Final Cmpetitin May 29, :00 p.m. 10:00 p.m. Grand Yrk Ballrm at Sheratn Parkway. 600 Highway 7 East Richmnd Hill, Ontari Chinese Orchestra String Cncert April 30, 2011 Markham Theatre fr Perfrming Arts Taste f Asia 2011 Saturday and Sunday June 25-26, Steeles Avenue East The Festival prmtes the multicultural msaic f Canada and encurages a celebratin f harmny between different ethnic grups thrugh an event f mutual respect and cperatin. Hsted annually by the Federatin f Chinese Canadians in Markham and Assciatin f Prgressive Muslims f Ontari.