Embrace Equity in Nogojiwanong/Peterborough With Free International Women's Day Community Events

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The Kawartha World Issues Centre (KWIC) and the Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre (KSAC) are hosting two free International Women’s Day (IWD) community events celebrating the theme Embrace Equity in Nogojiwanong/Peterborough.

photo courtesy of Kawartha World Issues Centre.

The first event is a community march/rally on March 8 from noon to 1 p.m., and the second event will explore Diverse Youth Voices in Leadership with guest speaker Cheyenne Sundance on March 9 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Every year on March 8, International Women’s Day is recognized worldwide to acknowledge the historical and ongoing work towards women’s equality and social justice. The day was created by the United Nations in 1977 to increase awareness on the vital role of women in peace efforts and development, with aims to end discrimination and achieve women’s full and equal contribution to the world.

The daytime rally and march on will be hosted in-person, starting downtown at Peterborough Square Courtyard and traveling North along the sidewalks of George Street to Confederation Park, across from City Hall. Once reaching City Hall Town Ward City Councillor Joy Lachica will speak, and local poet Emily Cleary will do a short reading.

The second, evening event will be hosted in a hybrid format with community members having the opportunity to join online via Zoom or in person at the Lion’s Community Centre (347 Burnham St.) The event will be hosted by CRRC Coordinator Czarina Garcia, and will feature an opening drum from Niijkiwendidaa Anishnaabekwewag Services Circle and an opening welcome by Anne Taylor of Curve Lake First Nation. Peterborough's First Poet Laureate Sarah Lewis will also be performing an original piece written for this event.

The majority of the event will be guest speaker Cheyenne Sundance. Sundance, the 25 year-old executive director of Sundance Harvest and full-time farmer of a three-location farm in south western Ontario, will speak on Diverse Youth Voices in Leadership. Following the presentation, there will be a 20-minute open space discussion period and the evening will wrap up with a closing prayer.

Registration is required through Eventbrite.

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Photos: High School Students Stage Protest For Climate Action

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Students from Peterborough Alternative & Continuing Education (PACE) staged a walkout from school and protested to spread awareness about climate change as part of a movement named “Fridays for Future” at Confederation Park on Friday.

Photo by Luke Best.

The students were part of the Youth Leadership in Sustainability program held in partnership with Trent University.

Aisling MacQuarrie,16, is a Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School student who is taking Youth Leadership in Sustainability. A program that prepares grade 11 and 12 students for leadership roles in sustainability initiatives at the local and global levels. Photo by Luke Best.

“In 2019, the city announced a climate crisis and they also committed to reducing greenhouse gases by 40 per cent by 2031. We're here to remind them of that promise and make sure they're upholding and making actions to get there,” said Aisling MacQuarrie, grade 11 student. “We wanted to try to make more of a difference in our community.”

Fridays for Future is a youth-led global climate strike movement that started in August 2018 when then 15-year-old Greta Thunberg began a school strike for the climate.

For three weeks leading up to the election, she sat outside Swedish Parliament every school day, demanding action on the climate crisis.

Mayor Diane Therrien encouraged the students in their protest and movement before heading to the Peterborough Environmental and Climate Action Expo (EnviroX). Photo by Luke Best.

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Photos: Nagasaki Commemoration Lantern Ceremony at Little Lake

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The Peterborough Peace Council hosted its annual Hiroshima and Nagasaki Commemoration Ceremony at Little Lake on Tuesday evening.

Traditionally the lanterns have been released towards the fountain however this year’s strong winds sent them along the shoreline. Photo by Luke Best.

“It’s important to remember exactly what happened,” said Gianne Broughton, a Peterborough Peace Council member.

The commemoration began with Broughton acknowledging the 77th anniversary of the dropping of an atomic bomb on Nagasaki and Hiroshima, Japan by the U.S Military.

Peterborough Peace Council member Sheila Nabigon-Howlett then shared how Canada has not yet signed the UN Nuclear Ban Treaty and called for the end of nuclear tech.

“This is an opportunity to look at the globe and see what is happening. It’s not pretty,” she said.

An open invitation was offered if anyone would like to speak their mind, about the past or about the future. Two speeches were made after an open mic invitation was offered to speak their mind, about the past or about the future, followed by a song.

Peterborough Peace Council and supporters were invited to release paper lanterns into the water after the sun had set. This Japanese custom is a gesture of respect for those who have died and gives participants a moment to think about their ancestors and loved ones.

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PtboPics: Democracy Rally At Confederation Park

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[UPDATED: As per reader comment, it wasn't an Occupy Ptbo event] This afternoon, a democracy rally was held across from City Hall at Confederation Park. Here's pics...

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Julie Morris]

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