City of Peterborough to Host Instagram Live of International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

To mark the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the City of Peterborough is hosting an Instagram Live conversation between the City’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisor Reem Ali; the New Canadians Centre’s (NCC) Bhisham Ramoutar, Manager of Community Development and Mauricio Interiano, Community Engagement Officer on Friday at 10 a.m.

pHOTO BY Keegan Beekers.

The discussion will be hosted on the City of Peterborough’s Instagram account @cityptbo. Anyone interested in tuning in is welcome. Following the live event, a conversation recording will be available on the City’s Instagram account.

Last fall, the City supported the NCC with funding from Canadian Heritage to develop a series of short videos highlighting some of the challenges experienced by newcomers. Six individuals were invited to share their experiences of discrimination, micro-aggressions and systemic barriers in their settlement journey and to reflect on how they have navigated these challenges. 

The NCC staff behind the video series ‘Our Neighbourhood’ will speak that launched on Feb. 2 and learn more about the experiences of a series participant Samantha Banton, a Jamaican poet and local entrepreneur.

“Racialized individuals who live and work in this city as well as many other communities across Canada, know all too well the inequities that exist across all sectors,” said Ali. “They experience varying levels of racism, oppression, and discrimination on a regular basis and are often expected to be resilient in the face of harmful experiences that affect them for life as a mechanism to help them survive.”

“The videos in ‘Our Neighbourhood’ delve into the unique stories and journeys of newcomers, shedding light on their varied experiences,” said Interiano. “At the heart of them all is the search for belonging and the success that can be achieved through community – and a good neighbourly welcome. But the series goes beyond just celebrating the successes. We’re also addressing the challenges and barriers that exist in our society. We are diving deeper, confronting and shedding light on discrimination and racism. We can’t ignore these issues. We have to work together to make our neighbourhood a better place for all.”

The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on the day the police in Sharpeville, South Africa, opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against apartheid ‘pass laws’ in 1960.

City Hall will be lit in blue on Thursday to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The City encourages residents to reflect and re-commit our efforts to combat all forms of racism, racial discrimination and hate. 

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