WINNIPEG, MB –Students from around the globe will come to Winnipeg to take courses in peace studies and human rights at Winnipeg’s universities and get life changing experiences visiting the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. This is the intent of Rotary International District 5550 Inc. (RID 5550) in developing a human rights and peace initiative through education.
RID 5550 and four Winnipeg universities signed Memoranda of Understandings on this initiative on Tuesday, April 7, 2009 at 11:00am in the Millennium Suite at the Winnipeg Convention Centre, preceded by a reception at 10:30 am. The signatory universities are the Canadian Mennonite University, Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface, the University of Manitoba and the University of Winnipeg.
Peace Begins with the Individual
“The members of RID 5550 envision that peace begins with each individual,” said David G. Newman Q.C., chair of Rotary District 5550 World Peace Partners Committee. “We imagine Winnipeg as an international peace centre with students from around the world making a difference. With the potential of students and Rotarians from over 33,000 clubs worldwide visiting the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, coupled with education by our participating universities, we can make a substantial difference in the area of human rights and peace internationally.”
International Invite
RID 5550, thorough its international network, will invite students to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. Students will also have access to study programs in peace, conflict resolution and human rights courses provided by the participating universities. The MOUs commit the participating universities to provide educational content at both a credit course and non-credit level.
Human Dignity of Every Person
“This initiative will help develop a society in which respect for the human dignity of every person will become more prominent,” said Gerald Gerbrandt, president of the Canadian Mennonite University. “We have exceptional courses and programs in peace and human rights studies and because of this collaboration, we can look forward to welcoming even more students to Winnipeg and to ensuring that this city is sought out as the place to study peace, justice and development.”
Defending & Promoting Human Rights
“Defending and promoting human rights is part of the very fabric of le Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface,” said Raymonde Gagné, rectrice of Le College. “Through our 190 year history, le Collège has been instrumental in preserving the minority language rights for Manitoba’s francophone community. Today nearly 20% or our student population hails from 31 countries, many of whom have experienced firsthand the perils of war and human rights violations. Le Collège is proud to contribute our rich tapestry and the expertise of its professors to this program and we look forward to collaborating with Rotary International and our partners in this exciting project.”
Canada is a Wonderful Place
“While Canada is a wonderful place to live, the realities that exist in our world—food shortages, economic uncertainly, disparities in health and quality of life, violence and strife— are deep needs that we must address” said David Barnard, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Manitoba, which offers a doctoral program in peace and conflict resolution through the Arthur V. Mauro Centre for Peace and Justice. “Collaborations like this will prepare our next generations of world leaders; readying them to serve their communities and humanity, whether around the world, or in our own neighbourhoods.”
Advancing Human Rights
“When we talk about peace building and advancing human rights, we have to do it from the perspective of global citizenship,” said Lloyd Axworthy, president & vice-chancellor of the University of Winnipeg, where the Global College provides academic programs and community initiatives on global issues. “We are educating students to become global citizens and giving them the tools to be informed and involved, and to create a safer, more humane and sustainable world.”
Cornerstones of Our Creation
“This agreement moves us closer to realizing one of the cornerstones of our creation – student travel,” said Patrick O’Reilly, Chief Operating Officer of the CMHR. “We look forward to welcoming these students to the Museum, where thought-provoking content will enhance their understanding of human rights, promote respect for other, encourage reflection and dialogue, and ultimately inspire action.”
First Canadian Rotary World Peace Centre
RID 5550 is leading the efforts to create a the first Canadian Rotary World Peace Centre in Winnipeg where Rotary International would fund prestigious fellowships covering tuition and living costs for students from other countries to come to Winnipeg for post-graduate study in peace and conflict resolution. There are currently seven Rotary World Peace Centres.
The presidents of the signatory universities were at the event, along with Harold Law, district governor of RID 5550; Wilf Wilkinson, immediate past president of Rotary International; David G. Newman Q.C., chair of RID 5550 World Peace Partners Committee; and Patrick O’Reilly, COO of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
Student Representation
Participating in the announcement as representatives of the future students who will benefit from this initiative: Chelsea Ross, a student at Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface; Chipo Hambira, a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar and graduate student at the University of Manitoba; Nöelle Depape, Rotary World Peace Fellow and graduate of the University of Winnipeg; Nicole Enns Fehr, a student at Canadian Mennonite University; and Mavis Matenge, a graduate student at the Arthur V. Mauro Centre for Peace & Justice, University of Manitoba.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Rotary International District 5550 Inc. World Peace Partners Committee
David G. Newman, (204) 956-3521
Canadian Mennonite University
Carol Thiessen, 204-487-3300
Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface
Monique LaCoste, 204-233-0210 ext. 285.
University of Manitoba
Leah Janzen, 204-474-8034
University of Winnipeg
Naniece Ibrahim, 204-988-7130
Canadian Museum for Human Rights
Angela Cassie, 204-289-2006
The University of Winnipeg Global College
The University of Winnipeg Global College fosters global citizenship and engagement in human rights through interdisciplinary teaching, research, dialogue, and action in local and global communities, through its new thematic major in Human Rights and Global Studies for students who are committed to obtaining an interdisciplinary education organized around questions of social justice, global citizenship, and human rights, and through its seven active institutes offering condensed intensive credit courses in Spring and Summer Institutes, teach-ins, symposia, conferences, and lectures.
Rotary
Rotary is an international movement of 1.2 million business and professional people. It has spread through more than 165 countries since founded in 1905 in Chicago. The rotary motto “Service Above Self” conveys the humanitarian spirit of the members. Rotarians have been committed to human rights and building understanding, good will and peace throughout the world since 1918.
Canadian Mennonite University
Canadian Mennonite University offers a major in Peace and Conflict Transformation Studies and sponsors the Canadian School of Peacebuilding, an innovative program designed to serve practitioners, activists, students, non-governmental organizations and faith-based groups engaged in peacebuilding. The Outtatown program offers students international adventure, travel, service and Christian studies. At its Menno Simons College location, CMU offers two programs of study in cooperation with the University of Winnipeg directed toward humanitarian service and to the promotion of peace in the world: the International Development Studies program prepares students for citizenship in a global community, and Conflict Resolution Studies explores the nature and dynamics of human conflict related to violence, power, justice and peace.
The Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface
The Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface is Manitoba’s French language university, offering general and specialized university degree programs as well as professional and technical training. Le Collège has been instrumental in preserving minority language rights for Manitoba’s francophone population for 190 years. Today nearly 20 % of its student population hails from 31 countries, many of whom have experienced firsthand the perils of war and human rights violations. Deeply rooted in its community, the Collège contributes actively to the vitality and development of the Manitoban, Canadian and international Francophonie through teaching, research and outreach. Le Collège is the first Canadian university to offer a course with a focus on Business and Human Rights.
The University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba offers an interdisciplinary PhD in peace and conflict studies through the Arthur V. Mauro Centre for Peace and Justice at St. Paul’s College; and is establishing a joint master’s program in peace and conflict studies with the University of Winnipeg. The University of Manitoba offers a number of degree programs where students can focus their research and studies on subjects as diverse as international and community development, conflict resolution, constitutional law and judicial systems, poverty, food security, Aboriginal issues, and gender. A number of service learning and extracurricular activities on campus, such as the Alternative Spring Break, engage students and develop civically and globally-minded citizens.
