Multi-Faith Centre

��˾��ֱ�� to host restorative circle, other events in support of Jewish community

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 06 Jan 2023 18:21:50 +0000

��˾��ֱ�� to host restorative circle, other events in support of Jewish community

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 01/06/2023 - 13:21

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(photo by Johnny Guatto)

Adina Bresge

Topic

Our Community

Antisemitism

Anti-Racism & Cultural Diversity Office

Meric Gertler

Multi-Faith Centre

The University of Toronto will host a restorative circle for the Jewish community this month as part of a slate of programming that aims to address antisemitism on its campuses and beyond.

The Jan. 23 session – led by Jacqueline Dressler, advocacy manager at Hillel ��˾��ֱ�� and organized by ��˾��ֱ��’s Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office – will provide a forum for faculty, students, staff and librarians who identify as Jewish to share experiences about the harms of antisemitism while healing through restorative practices.

It’s just one example of the many seminars, workshops, training sessions and other initiatives taking place across the university – including in its various faculties and divisions – that seek to eradicate what ��˾��ֱ�� President Meric Gertler has condemned as “a pernicious and despicable form of racism.”

In recent a letter to ��˾��ֱ��’s Governing Council, President Gertler called on all members of the ��˾��ֱ�� community to unite against the scourge that plagues Jewish people.

“We must do everything we can to combat and eradicate it,” he said. “Antisemitism subverts and demeans our entire community, not just those who are targeted.

“The University of Toronto must respond as a community.”

Dressler will return to ��˾��ֱ�� this spring for a seminar about understanding antisemitism on campus. As well, trainer and consultant Shari Golberg, who holds a PhD in religion from ��˾��ֱ��, will facilitate a workshop held in collaboration with the Multi-Faith Centre (MFC) that will trace the millennia-long history of antisemitism to its modern-day manifestations, equipping participants with tools to identify and address instances of antisemitism to foster a more inclusive learning environment.

��˾��ֱ�� staff and faculty can learn more about antisemitism at the Multi-Faith Centre’s annual religious diversity and inclusivity training later this year. The centre is also running a training program addressing antisemitism, Islamophobia and religious accommodations for the Residence Life team on ��˾��ֱ��’s St. George campus.

President Gertler, who recently wrote an op-ed in the Globe and Mail on a similar topic, said in his letter that collective action – “from education, solidarity, speaking out, challenging casual discrimination, standing with our Jewish friends and colleagues” – is ultimately the key to making progress.

“This is how we will succeed,” he said.

��˾��ֱ��’s programing — both new and ongoing — comes as the university prepares to mark the one-year anniversary of the ��˾��ֱ�� Antisemitism Working Group’s final report, which was formally entrusted to the administration last February.

President Gertler said in his letter that ��˾��ֱ�� has already made progress on fulfilling its institutional commitments, including redefining the Institutional Equity Office’s (IEO) mandate to explicitly include antisemitism, updating employment guides with clearer language on accommodations for religious observances and raising awareness on steps to report hate-related vandalism.

But more work remains to be done, he said, and “because antisemitism is insidious, like other forms of racism, addressing it will take time, persistence and patience.”

Further education and outreach initiatives are underway across ��˾��ֱ��’s campuses, faculties and divisions.

The Temerty Faculty of Medicine has made learning about the Holocaust and antisemitism part of its MD curriculum. It also has a mentorship program for diverse students, including Jewish learners, and is expanding antisemitism and antiracism training for instructors.

The medical school is also taking accountability for injustices within its own history, issuing a formal apology last fall for the use of quotas to cap admissions of Jewish students around the mid-20th century.

Meanwhile, the Faculty of Law is preparing mandatory antisemitism training for all first-year law students and is considering similar programming for all upper-year students.

��˾��ֱ�� is engaging with Jewish community members about how to promote inclusion on campus, including through regular meetings between the Institutional Equity Office and Hillel representatives.

At ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough, a working group representing Jewish Student Life, the Office of Student Experience & Wellbeing and the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Office convenes monthly to discuss strategies and supports.

��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga has implemented processes to simplify facilitating religious accommodation requests for students. The Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Office at ��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga has also created a central resource for supporting religious accommodations and keeping observances front of mind for annual academic and administrative planning.

“Sadly, antisemitism is clearly on the rise in Canada and in other countries,” President Gertler said. “We must not be lax on our campuses. We will commit to accelerating our progress and adding support capacity at ��˾��ֱ��.

“We will not shrink from our goal of being the most welcoming, diverse, inclusive and excellent academic community in the world.”

��˾��ֱ��’s Diwali celebrations will be different this year, but the spirit of the holiday remains the same

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 13 Nov 2020 21:37:31 +0000

��˾��ֱ��’s Diwali celebrations will be different this year, but the spirit of the holiday remains the same

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 11/13/2020 - 16:37

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Members of the Hindu Students Council at ��˾��ֱ�� installed seven murtis – statues that are symbolic representations of Hindu deities – in the Multi-Faith Centre on the St. George campus (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Topic

As a child growing up in Mumbai, what Rohil Kishinchandani remembers most about Diwali is lighting firecrackers with his friends. “We would meet up and set them off in a huge chain. It probably wasn’t the safest thing, but it was a lot of fun,” says Kishinchandani, a fourth-year management co-op student at the University of Toronto Scarborough.

As president of the ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough Indian Students’ Association in 2018-19, Kishinchandani kept the festive atmosphere going by hosting Diwali celebrations on campus that consisted of music, dancing and traditional food.

Celebrations were bound to be different this year amid the ongoing pandemic, but ��˾��ֱ�� students and staff nevertheless found new ways to generate excitement across the three campuses.

Members of the Hindu Students Council (HSC) at ��˾��ֱ�� have installed seven murtis in the Multi-Faith Centre on the St. George campus. A murti is a statue that is a symbolic representation of a Hindu deity and can be found in Hindu Temples where they are involved in a puja, which is a form of ritual worship.

The murtis are the fruition of a two-year long project that is described by the Multi-Faith Centre as a first at a Canadian university and a tangible expression of ��˾��ֱ��’s commitment to religious freedom and engagement of the mind, body and spirit in the pursuit of academic excellence.

Members of the community are invited to a virtual event revealing the murtis followed by a short puja on Nov. 14 at 11:30 a.m. to noon.

(photo by Johnny Guatto)

Himanshi Sehgal, president of the HSC, says she was contacted by the Multi-Faith Centre in February about setting up an appropriate space to worship. Sehgal organized committee of eight students and together they raised funds from 67 donors across Canada.

“For Hindus, prayer is an important part of Diwali,” says Sehgal, a fourth-year actuarial science and economics student on the St. George campus.

“I think being able to install the murtis and provide Hindu students a place to gather and worship on campus is a meaningful way to celebrate.”

Often referred to as the Indian festival of lights, Diwali is an annual festival celebrated in South Asia. Observed by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains, it lasts five days, with the third day (this Saturday) considered the most important. During the holiday, families typically gather to pray, light candles, eat sweets and place lit lamps called diyas in the windows and doorsteps of their homes. Diyas symbolize goodness and lighting them represents moving out of darkness into light.

Alexandra Gillespie, vice-president and principal of ��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga, wished the community a happy Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas, the Sikh holiday that coincides with Diwali.

“In this year like no other, it is so important to rejoice on days of faith and ceremony,” said Gillespie, who reminded the community to wear a mask, maintain physical distancing, keep hands washed and limit in-person celebrations to your household.

“Diwali provides an opportunity to reflect on the courage, perseverance and collectivism that can nourish light over darkness.”

Gillespie added that Lislehurst, the official residence of ��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga’s principals and their families, “will be brightly lit in festivity.”

The ��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga campus is lit up for Diwali (photos by Angelia Meffe)

Back at ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough, staff and students at Student Housing & Residence Life have been busy preparing a virtual Diwali celebration, complete with music, that will take place Friday evening. Supplies to paint diyas, battery-powered candles and traditional Indian sweets will be delivered to students living in residence who registered for the event.

For Sischa Maharaj, assistant director of external relations and communications in the department of management at ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough, Diwali is all about celebrating with family.

As a child growing up in Trinidad, Maharaj vividly remembers spending hours lighting row after row of diyas and being responsible for keeping them burning bright. Another tradition was gathering at her aunt’s house to enjoy food and Indian sweets like jalebi, and home-made prasada, a vegetarian food that is used as a religious offering.

(photos by Sischa Maharaj)

For Maharaj, a typical Diwali celebration in Canada involves fasting for nine days, decorating her house, lighting dozens of diyas, singing bhajans (devotional songs) in the temple, prayers and then cooking up a storm to celebrate with her extended family.

Not surprisingly, she says this year will be a little different.

Instead of a large in-person gathering, Maharaj plans to deliver homemade prasada and other food, and then virtually connect with her extended family. Fewer diyas will be lit, but she still plans to fast with her husband, cook up a vegetarian feast with her mother-in-law and decorate her house with her two daughters.

But the spirit of the holiday remains the same.

“During Diwali I try to think about the good in the world,” she says. “Whatever darkness we are experiencing in life, I always try to remember there’s an internal light guiding you.

“We all have a choice to be kind to others, and to bring a light into other people’s lives. That’s what Diwali means to me.”

Celebrating Black History Month: Check out these February events

tom.yun — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 20:18:49 +0000

Celebrating Black History Month: Check out these February events

tom.yun Mon, 02/03/2020 - 15:18

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The 18th Annual Black History Month Luncheon, to be held Feb. 28 at Hart House, will feature food, musical performances and a special guest speaker (photo by ��˾��ֱ�� via Flickr)

Tom Yun

Topic

City & Culture

Black History Month

Faculty of Arts & Science

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Faculty of Law

Hart House

Jackman Humanities Institute

John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture

Multi-Faith Centre

St. Michael's College

��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga

��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough

University College

Black History Month is upon us, and the ��˾��ֱ�� community is coming together to celebrate the legacy of Black Canadians. From poetry slams to informative talks, a wide range of events is taking place across all three campuses.

Here's a sample of what's planned for Black History Month as well as other campus events:

Feb. 1

The Gallery Grill at Hart House is one of 200 restaurants in Toronto participating in Winterlicious, which runs until Feb. 13. Enjoy a three-course prix fixe lunch for $28. Reservations can be made over the phone or online.

TEDxUTSC is taking place at ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough and will feature a full day of stimulating talks from a diverse lineup of speakers. You’ll have the opportunity to hear from academics, activists, entrepreneurs, students and more.

Feb. 3

The ��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga Students' Union is kicking off its Black History Month celebrations. All month long, the students' union is holding events, from a discussion on mental health to a marketplace for Black-owned businesses.

Feb. 5

An Afrofuturism dance workshop is taking place at Hart House. Learn about the African and Caribbean diaspora’s rich history of dance and how it shapes pop culture today. Two more sessions will be held on Feb. 12 and 26.

A Black History Month poetry slam is planned at ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough’s B-Wing. Poets can sign up to compete for prizes and there will be an open mic for those who just want to share their poetry and spoken word without competing.

Canadian poet Anne Carson will be delivering a lecture at One Spadina as a part of Jackman Humanities Institute’s Strange Weather series.

Wendy Hui Kyong Chun, Simon Fraser University's Canada 150 Research Chair in New Media, will be delivering a lecture at the Faculty of Law on the power of “big data” and algorithms.

Feb. 6

Hart House continues its series on hip hop education with Humanz of Hip Hop, a “human library” of hip hop knowledge and personal stories taking place at Rex’s Den at ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough.

Experience the culmination of a third-year drama class’s final project: a one-act play explores a theme of their choosing at ��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga. The Devised Project runs from Feb. 6 to 9 at Deerfield Studio A.

Feb. 8

University College’s signature event, Fireball, returns to commemorate the 130^th anniversary of the great fire of 1890. Bring your best formal look for a night of dancing, food, drinks and dessert in the historic University College building.

Feb. 11

Theatre technicians from the George Ignatieff Theatre will be holding a theatre tech workshop. Learn the technical components that go into producing a show, from the lighting and sound programming to technical design.

What does it mean to be both visible and invisible at the same time? LaToya Brackett, a visiting assistant professor at the University of Puget Sound, will discuss her experience navigating academia as a Black woman. She’ll be joined by Janelle Joseph, an assistant professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education.

Catch a screening of Sophia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette in the Coop at St. Michael’s College. The award-winning film looks into the life of the last queen of France in the years leading up to the French Revolution.

Feb. 12

Come to ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough’s Winter Market, where local vendors will be gathering at the Meeting Place in the S-Wing to sell fresh food and artisanal crafts.

Feb. 13

The St. Michael’s College Troubadours is putting on a production of Guys and Dolls. See this classic Broadway musical at Hart House Theatre from Feb. 13 to 15. Tickets are $13 for students and $20 for adults.

As a part of the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design’s “Hindsight is 20/20” programming series, sound artist Christine Sun Kim will be delivering an audiovisual performance that explores her experiences as a Deaf person.

Feb. 17

The university will be closed on Family Day, which will be followed by Reading Week. Classes resume on Feb. 24.

Feb. 25

The Scarborough Campus Students’ Union is holding an art auction in support of the student refugee program at ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough. Artwork reflecting the refugee experience will be showcased and available for sale.

As a part of Hart House’s Black Futures Series, this month’s $5 lunch will feature African-inspired flavours.

Feb. 26

Have questions for the school administration? ��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga’s Acting Vice-President and Principal Ian Orchard will be taking your questions and updating the ��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga community on campus news at a town hall meeting at the William G. Davis Building.

Feb. 27

The Faculty of Law’s annual Morris A. Gross Memorial Lecture will be delivered by Indigenous rights lawyer Jean Teillet, who is also the great-grandniece of Louis Riel.

Feb. 28

Catch Hart House Theatre’s production of Oh, What A Lovely War!, which runs from Feb. 28 to Mar. 7. There will also be a post-show talk with the actors and the artists after the Feb. 29 show. Tickets are $15 for students and $28 for adults.

A free Creole Caribbean vegan breakfast will be served at the Multi-Faith Centre. This is being done in partnership with the ��˾��ֱ�� Students’ Union, the Veg Club and Hart House.

More free food will be offered at Hart House's 18th Annual Black History Month Luncheon. The event will feature musical performances along with a special guest speaker.

'We're here for one another': ��˾��ֱ�� community remembers students following plane crash

geoff.vendeville — Fri, 10 Jan 2020 19:20:04 +0000

'We're here for one another': ��˾��ֱ�� community remembers students following plane crash

geoff.vendeville Fri, 01/10/2020 - 14:20

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Mourners laid flowers at a vigil held at ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough to remember students who were on Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752, which crashed in Iran (photo by Dylan Toombs)

Geoffrey Vendeville

Topic

Global Lens

Flight 752

Centre for International Experience

Computer Science

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Arts & Science

Translational Research Program

��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga

��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough

The University of Toronto community is hosting and attending vigils on campus and around the city to remember the student lives lost in the crash of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752, which killed all 176 aboard.

The ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough Iranian Students’ Organization held a vigil Thursday afternoon where people signed a condolences banner and read out the names of the ��˾��ֱ�� students whose names appeared on the plane’s passenger manifest.

Caspian Forouhar, vice-president of the student group, said words couldn't express the sadness and pain that the community is going through. Quoting the 13^th-century Persian poet Rumi, he said: “Goodbyes are only for those who love with their eyes. Because for those who love with their heart and soul, there is no such thing as separation.”

The vigil at ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough was one of several that have taken place at the university since the world learned that the Boeing 737 passenger jet crashed shortly after taking off from Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport en route to Kyiv. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday that “intelligence from multiple sources, including our allies and our own intelligence” suggests the plane was shot down by an Iranian missile – possibly by accident.

Desmond Pouyat, dean of student affairs at ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough, attended the memorial ceremony.

“We're here for one another,” he said. “It's important to know you're not alone in your grief.”

On the St. George campus, a memorial and mourning service will take place tonight at ��˾��ֱ��’s Multi-Faith Centre at 569 Spadina Ave., starting at 6 p.m. The mourning service, which begins at 7 p.m., will be held in Persian.

Also today, the Centre for International Experience at 33 St. George St. will host a community support drop-in from 2:30 to 4 p.m., where people can come together to remember the students and find support. Memorial books, one for each of the ��˾��ֱ�� students, will be available for signing.

Additional events are being planned across the three campuses next week.

Members of the Iranian Association at ��˾��ֱ��, a student group, attended a vigil Thursday evening at the North York Civic Centre council chamber, which is being organized by the Iranian Canadian Congress.

A second candlelight vigil was scheduled at nearby at Mel Lastman Square.

��˾��ֱ�� student Elnaz Morshedi speaks at the vigil at the North York Civic Centre on Thursday evening (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Vigils were also planned for Thursday evening on Parliament Hill and in Halifax. One day earlier, a vigil in Edmonton remembered as many as 27 people who were believed to have perished in the crash.

Students from several other Canadian schools, including University of Guelph, University of Waterloo, Western University, University of Alberta and McMaster University, were aboard the doomed flight from Tehran to Kyiv.

In total, Trudeau said 138 passengers were travelling to Canada via a connecting flight.

Here’s how some friends and relatives of the victims are sharing memories of their loved ones with the media:

Mojtaba Abbasnezhad (left), 26, was a PhD student and teaching assistant in ��˾��ֱ��’s Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. “I don’t remember anything but kindness from him. He was still actively helping students that are wishing to get admission from Canadian universities even after he got here,” his friend, Pooya Poolad, who’s also pursuing a PhD in engineering at ��˾��ֱ��, told the Globe and Mail.

Mohammad Salehe (left) and Mohammad Amin Beiruti (right) were each pursuing a PhD in computer science at ��˾��ֱ��. Salehe came to Canada a year-and-a-half ago, according to the Globe, and married shortly after moving here. “He really was an exceptional talent,” his childhood friend Mostafa Rokooie told the newspaper.

“Mohammad [Salehe] was one of the most talented people I ever knew, a very skilled programmer with a deep understanding of theoretical computer science,” his friend and fellow PhD student, Seyed Hossein Mortazavi, told ��˾��ֱ�� News. “He also was a remarkable human being, kind, always helpful and a bit shy. I don't know anyone that has ever said any bad thing about him and I've known him for 22 years.”

Mohammad Asadi Lari (left) and Zeynab Asadi Lari (right), 23 and 21, were siblings who were returning to Canada after visiting their parents and younger sister in Iran, a family friend told the Globe. Mohammad was an MD/PhD student in the Faculty of Medicine who co-founded STEM Fellowship, which provides mentorship and experiential learning in STEM. “Mohammad was a compassionate, driven, intelligent and inspirational young man whose potential knew no bounds,” STEM Fellowship said in a Facebook post.

Zeynab was pursuing an undergraduate degree in science at ��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga and also volunteered for STEM Fellowship. “She demonstrated a strong commitment to fostering equity in medicine and global health, increasing community involvement and tackling stigma surrounding mental health,” the non-profit said on Facebook.

Mohammad Amin Jebelli (left) began a master’s degree in health science in translational medicine in 2018. “His smile, his dedication and his genuine compassion have left ripples on the lives of all of us around him,” the program said on its website. In a profile on the site, Jebelli said his experience tutoring problem-based learning in his last year of medical school led him to apply for studies in translational research. He was particularly interested in techniques used to diagnose cardiovascular disease such as coronary artery disease.

Feeling distressed? Find someone to talk to right now – and if there is an immediate risk, call 911.

Round-the-clock support:

Students can speak to a trained crisis worker at any hour of the day.

��˾��ֱ�� My SSP for students 1-844-451-9700. Immediate counselling support is available in 35 languages and ongoing support in 146 languages.

Other 24-7 supports available to students include:

Good 2 Talk Student Helpline 1-866-925-5454. Professional counselling, information and referrals for mental health, addictions and well-being.
Gerstein Crisis Centre 416-929-5200
Distress Centres of Greater Toronto 416-408-HELP (4357)
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health at 250 College Street
Anishnawbe Health Toronto Mental Health Crisis Line 416-360-0486

The following services are available to students on all three campuses:

St. George campus: Health and Wellness Centre (416-978-8030), located at Koffler Student Services
��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough: Health & Wellness Centre 416-287-7065
��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga: Health & Counselling Centre 905-828-5255

Faculty and staff have access to 24-7 support through:

The Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP), offered through Homewood Health, online and by phone at 1-800-663-1142

#UofTBackToSchool: 12 things every new student should know

noreen.rasbach — Fri, 23 Aug 2019 04:00:00 +0000

#UofTBackToSchool: 12 things every new student should know

noreen.rasbach Fri, 08/23/2019 - 00:00

Cutline

(photo by Caz Zyvatkauskas)

Isabel Armiento

Topic

Our Community

Anti-Racism & Cultural Diversity Office

Sexual Violence Prevention & Support Centre

Health & Wellness Centre

Accessibility

Centre for International Experience

International Students

Undergraduate Students

It’s easy to get caught up in the fast pace of life at the University of Toronto, especially as a new student. Be sure to brush up on these 12 essential campus supports and services ranging from health care to gender diversity before beginning the school year.

Safety

��˾��ֱ�� provides many safety resources, including instructions to register for ��˾��ֱ��’s 24-hour emergency alert system. ��˾��ֱ�� also provides emergency housing services, as well as student food banks on the St. George campus in downtown Toronto, ��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga and ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough.

You can also visit the Sexual Violence Prevention & Support Centre for information, resources and workshops. If you are a victim of sexual violence or assault, you are encouraged to contact or visit the centre.

Health and wellness

It’s critical to practise self-care throughout the school year. There are numerous on-campus options for health care. Check out the university’s health and wellness centres for prescriptions, medical care and check-ups.

Health & Wellness Centre (St. George campus)

Health & Counselling Centre (��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga)

Health & Wellness Centre (��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough)

These centres are also excellent resources for mental health support. All three campuses offer services, including individual psychotherapy, group therapy and same-day counselling. If you need immediate help, you can call the Good 2 Talk Student Helpline, the Gerstein Centre Crisis Line or one of many suicide prevention helplines, chats and texting support services.

Other mental health resources include a walk-in mental health clinic that offers drop-in counselling to students and is located only a 10-minute walk from the St. George campus.

Accessibility

��˾��ֱ�� is proud to provide a host of student accessibility services in and out of the classroom. Learn more about the diverse array of accessibility services offered by ��˾��ֱ��.

Accessibility Services (St. George campus)

Accessibility Services (��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga)

AccessAbility Services (��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough)

Gender and sexual diversity

For LGBTQ resources, workshops and events, visit the tri-campus Sexual & Gender Diversity Office’s website. To get involved in the community, check out ��˾��ֱ�� initiatives such as Positive Space and OUT@UTM or explore more specialized programming such as Que(e)rying Religion.

The Centre for Women and Trans People is an excellent resource for intersectional feminist programming, as well as for providing a safe and harassment-free space for women and trans individuals. Trans students can find essential resources and information, such as how to change your name on official ��˾��ֱ�� documentation or the locations of all-gender washrooms on campus, here.

Indigenous students

Students hoping to explore and connect with their Indigenous identity can visit First Nations House and the new Indigenous ��˾��ֱ�� website for supports, events and resources. All members of the ��˾��ֱ�� community are welcome.

Check out the ��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga Indigenous Centre or the ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough Indigenous Outreach Program for unique programming such as weekly smudge ceremonies, Indigenous film nights and moderated nature walks.

All three campuses offer Indigenous learning opportunities and celebrations accompanied by the knowledge and support of an on-campus Indigenous Elder-in-Residence.

Equity services

As the largest university in the world’s most multicultural city, ��˾��ֱ�� has taken many strides toward maintaining a diverse, equitable and representative campus, such as its initiative to increase equity and diversity in research and innovation. For more information about supports and resources, visit ��˾��ֱ��’s Anti-Racism & Cultural Diversity Office or one of its tri-campus Equity Offices.

Multi-faith services

The university offers several on-campus multi-faith locations, as well as on-campus chaplains and resources for religious accommodations.

For multi-faith prayer and meditation space, faith-based counselling, research opportunities, information on religious retreats and more, visit one of the tri-campus Multi-Faith Centres.

Multi-Faith Centre (St. George campus)

Multi-Faith Spaces (��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga)

Multi-Faith Engagement (��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough)

International students

Whether you came from abroad to study at ��˾��ֱ�� or are a domestic student hoping for an international study opportunity, supports and services regarding your international experience are readily available at all three campuses.

Centre for International Experience (St. George campus)

International Education Centre (��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga)

International Student Centre (��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough)

Financial services

Between scholarships, bursaries and grants, ��˾��ֱ�� offers a wide range of financial services and supports to students. Learn more about getting financial aid or securing a scholarship, many of which are offered through your college or faculty.

Academic success

Slogging through piles of readings or writing a 3,000-word paper may seem like lonely work, but you don’t have to do it alone. Head over to the Sid Smith Commons to join a Recognized Study Group at the St. George campus or a Facilitated Study Group at ��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga or Scarborough and ace your next test with the help of your peers.

Alternatively, tackle that seemingly impossible paper at one of ��˾��ֱ��’s 14 writing centres located across all three campuses. For more resources and tools for refining your study skills, improving time management and more, visit one of the tri-campus centres for academic support.

Academic Success Centre (St. George campus)

Robert Gillespie Academic Skills Centre (��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga)

Academic Advising & Career Centre (��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough)

Family services

��˾��ֱ�� is devoted to meeting the needs of its diverse network of students and families through its Family Care Office, which offers resources such as family care counselling and suggests child care options near campus. ��˾��ֱ�� provides further on-campus resources for students with children, such as Robarts Library’s family study space. Resources are also available for LGBTQ parents.

Stay in the know

The easiest way to stay connected with ��˾��ֱ�� news, events and up-to-date information is by following ��˾��ֱ�� on social media.

Twitter, Instagram or Facebook (Tri-campus)

Twitter, Instagram or Facebook (��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga)

Twitter, Instagram or Facebook (��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough)

If social media’s not your thing, find one of the many ASKme booths around campus or consult anyone wearing an orange “ASKme” shirt. If you want a question answered without leaving the house, ask any ��˾��ֱ��-related question online or explore other resources such as the ��˾��ֱ�� Student Life Offices, ��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga’s Centre for Student Engagement or ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough’s Department of Student Life.

You can also stay in the know by picking up a copy of a campus newspaper such as The Varsity, The Medium or your college or faculty’s newspaper.

Also, be sure to check out ��˾��ֱ�� News for the latest news about the university.

Black History Month: Check out these ��˾��ֱ�� events in February

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 18:06:20 +0000

Black History Month: Check out these ��˾��ֱ�� events in February

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 01/31/2019 - 13:06

Cutline

Masai Ujiri, president of the Toronto Raptors and co-founder of Giants of Africa, will speak at the annual Black History Luncheon on Feb. 28 at Hart House (photo by Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images)

Angela Gu

Topic

City & Culture

Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture

Multi-Faith Centre

Poetry

Sexual & Gender Diversity Office

February is Black History Month and this year the University of Toronto is looking at Black Futures, too, through artful expressions of dreams and realities.

Recognize and honour the achievements of Black Canadians with us. Hear from speakers – including Toronto Raptors President Masai Ujiri at the annual Black History Luncheon, hosted by ��˾��ֱ�� on Feb. 28 – who are building communities and inspiring change in Canada and beyond. Be inspired yourself and join discussions at events taking place all month long.

Here are a few of the many events recognizing Black History and Black Futures, as well as some other notable February events:

Feb. 1

Take a powerful musical journey through time with actor and vocalist Nicky Lawrence. This concert features the songs and stories of female jazz and blues greats, Lawrence’s own experiences and perspectives on the “ugly Black woman,” as well as present realities and emerging futures for Black Canadian women. This event is part of Hart House’s Black Futures programming, which blends knowledge of the past with re-imaginings of the future.

Feb. 2

Occurring simultaneously in more than 50 cities, ��˾��ֱ�� is hosting the Night of Ideas again this year in partnership with the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in Canada and Hart House. Stay up late to think and talk through some urgent topics of our time, including detention and dislocation. Art installations, board games and even a late-night cricket demonstration will take place throughout the evening.

Feb. 4

Join the Centre for Ethics’ screening of Sorry To Bother You, an American dark comedy film following the story of a young African-American telemarketer. The screening will be accompanied by a presentation by Daniel Adleman, an assistant professor in ��˾��ֱ��’s writing and rhetoric program.

Celebrate Lunar New Year at ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough with free food and fun.

While you’re on the Scarborough campus, learn how to make dumplings at this month’s What’s Cooking session.

Feb. 5

Explore the valley at ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough with an Indigenous snowshoe and bonfire experience led by Indigenous Outreach Coordinator Juanita Muise.

Feb. 6

This year’s Hancock Lecture is about the disability justice revolution. Hear from Sarah Jama, a community organizer and a co-founder of the Disability Justice Network of Ontario. This talk will be moderated by ��˾��ֱ�� alumna Loren O. Delaney, who wears many hats – among them, public speaker and community organizer.

How can we increase student engagement with Varsity Blues programming? Tackle this question at the inaugural BRIDGE Hack, a tri-campus sports hackathon hosted by ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough. Find out about the free hackathon at the kick-off event on Feb. 6. Optional skill-building modules take place in the week leading up to the hackathon itself, which takes place Feb. 15.

What can we do to prevent a nuclear war? University Professor John Polanyi, who received the 1986 Nobel Prize for Chemistry, will share his thoughts on the subject at George Ignatieff Theatre, starting at 5 p.m.

Feb. 7

This isn’t your average masterpiece. Building Black Mythos by Ekow Nimako features “melanin-rich” Lego sculptures drawing from Afrofuturism, mythology, and West African proverbs. Powerful and haunting, this free exhibition is on until Feb. 22 at Hart House on the downtown campus.

The ��˾��ֱ�� Drama Festival runs from Feb. 7-9 on the downtown campus, with ��˾��ֱ�� talent in nine original student-written plays.

Feb. 8

Learn to express the unspoken with this poetry workshop by ��˾��ֱ��’s Sexual & Gender Diversity Office.

Feb. 12

Meet six innovative and influential Black women and men at the Black Entrepreneurs and Visionaries Table Talk. Share stories, chat, and learn from their journeys over lunch.

Feb. 13

First Nations House is organizing an Indigenous career fair, where students can get a foot in the door with employers like the University of Toronto, major banks, the City of Toronto and Toronto police. Organizers are hoping for a big turnout including Indigenous students from ��˾��ֱ�� and outside the university. Attendees are encouraged to bring a resumé. The fair will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Koffler House, home of the Multi-Faith Centre. This event is co-hosted by Career Exploration and Education.

If you’re inspired by Ekow Nimako’s Lego art exhibition at Hart House (Feb. 7-22) and want to create your own, come to this interactive Lego workshop to explore Afrofuturism, ancestry and family legacy.

Assistant Professor Jedediah Kuhn talks about “Indigenous intimacies” as part of the Feminist Lunch Series at ��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga. The next talk will be on Mar. 7, titled “#blackgirlmagic: On Disability and Possibility in the Digital Age.”

Feb. 14

Innis Town Hall is hosting a screening of the Canadian-Caribbean Afrofuturist film Brown Girl Begins, with director and ��˾��ֱ�� alumna Sharon Lewis. Inspired by Nalo Hopkinson’s novel Brown Girl in the Ring, the film is set in post-apocalyptic Toronto and explores feminism, poverty, and literal black girl magic.

Feb. 15

Enjoy a free Afro-Caribbean vegan breakfast at the Multi-Faith Centre, made possible in partnership with the University of Toronto Students’ Union and the Veg Club. Caribbean and Canadian flavours combine in this meal by Noella Charles, founder and chef of Ella Charles Cuisine, inspired by her St. Lucian roots.

��˾��ֱ�� students are invited to the Heartbreakers Ball & Vogue Dance Workshop on the downtown campus – an electrifying evening of dance in partnership with the Toronto Kiki Ballroom Alliance. Want to learn some moves before the event? Arrive early and join the beginner vogue dance workshop.

Feb. 23

Attend the Dronesphere Colloquium at ��˾��ֱ��’s John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design to hear from scholars on the drone’s “place” within cities.

Feb. 26

Craving more Afro-Caribbean food? Find more on the menu at this month’s $5 Buck Lunch at Hart House, with fried plantain, curry, and coconut squares.

Students from ��˾��ֱ��’s Faculty of Music voice studies program celebrate the diverse music of their heritage in this performance. The evening is made possible in part by a generous grant from ��˾��ֱ��’s School of Cities and by a gift from Roy and Marjorie Linden.

Feb. 28

Hear from Masai Ujiri, president of the Toronto Raptors and co-founder of Giants of Africa, at the annual Black History Luncheon. Though the Hart House event is sold out, you can win front-row seats to the event through their social media contest by showing your community involvement. The event will streamed live from Hart House on the downtown campus to ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough and ��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga. A third streaming location has been added – at the Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport.

Beverley McLachlin, former Chief Justice of Canada, will discuss “Leadership: A Place for Women?” at ��˾��ֱ��’s Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy. The talk is part of the Women in Leadership Series of the David Peterson Public Leadership Program.

“Building Race and Nation: Slavery, Dispossession and American Civic Architecture” is the name of a talk by Mabel O. Wilson, a professor at Columbia University. This talk is part of the R.K. Teetzel Lecture in Architecture at ��˾��ֱ��’s University College.

Celebrating ��˾��ֱ��'s 'rich mosaic' of religions: Multi-Faith Centre marks its 10th anniversary

geoff.vendeville — Mon, 12 Nov 2018 20:41:38 +0000

Celebrating ��˾��ֱ��'s 'rich mosaic' of religions: Multi-Faith Centre marks its 10th anniversary

geoff.vendeville Mon, 11/12/2018 - 15:41

Cutline

��˾��ֱ��'s Multi-Faith Centre, in Koffler House, was founded through the effort of students who approached the university’s senior administration in the mid-1990s. It is celebrating its 10th anniversary (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)

Topic

Faculty of Arts & Science

Graduate Students

Multi-Faith Centre

Religion

Rotman School of Management

“Love to all, peace to all, life to all.”

Those were the words of Sikh Chaplain Guru Fatha Singh as he finished the opening prayer at the 10^th-anniversary celebration of the University of Toronto's Multi-Faith Centre last week. Then he asked the congregation who filled the centre to repeat the words together.

“Love to all, peace to all, life to all,” the participants recited in unison.

It was a fitting opening to an evening that featured a series of speakers, all of whom praised the role of the Multi-Faith Centre (MFC) as, in the words of founding director Richard Chambers, “a place for public discussion of spirituality and faith to affirm students’ identities on campus.”

Located on Spadina Avenue in space formerly occupied by the Koffler Institute of Pharmacy Management, the MFC was founded in 2007 as the result of students who approached the university’s senior administration in the mid-1990s, “asserting that the 12 Christian chapels on the downtown campus did not sufficiently recognize or serve the religious identity and experience of the diverse ��˾��ֱ�� student population,” as the event’s program noted.

“There were so many students from backgrounds who had not found representation on our campuses and they had to create personas that were formed to a level that others would find palatable or impressive,” says Nouman Ashraf, who was ��˾��ֱ��’s anti-racism and cultural diversity officer at the time and is now an assistant professor, teaching stream at the Rotman School of Management.

“It was not that people were saying, ‘We don’t want to see the real you,’ but there was a sense that not all of the students’ selves were fully seen as valuable.”

Ashraf says this need to express the diversity of the student community was palpable. “When I was doing student programming, we had these dialogues across different faith traditions. This was before the MFC. We had the Spirituality and the Student Experience series and another called Food and Faith where we had 140 students in the Great Hall of Hart House. They were Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, and Hindu – talking about what it feels like when you can’t find your kind of food on campus. We had another called the Feminine and the Divine and women spoke about being rooted in spiritual traditions but they were seeking expression outside of it. That said something to me.”

Ashraf and Susan Addario, at the time director of student affairs, joined with a large group of ��˾��ֱ�� community members to begin a process that would eventually lead to the founding of the MFC. That early group included the ��˾��ֱ�� student union, the Muslim Students' Association, the Hindu Students' Council, the True Peace Sangha, the ��˾��ֱ�� Buddhist Community, the Sikh Student Association, the Hart House Interfaith Dialogue and the Campus Chaplains Association.

“There was not only something here to build on, but we realized that if we didn’t build something purpose-built to engage these important conversations, then we wouldn’t be allowing for the expression of the full selves that make our student community the rich mosaic that they are,” says Ashraf.

Richard Chambers (second from left) and staff at the Multi-Faith Centre (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)

After approval of the MFC by ��˾��ֱ��’s Governing Council, the space in Koffler House was renovated, based on a design by architectural firm Moriyama & Teshima (also known for the Toronto Reference Library). Architect Carol Phillips’ design went on to win a number of awards.

Today, 10 years later, the MFC is a beehive of activity. The mindfulness meditation program holds 20 sessions weekly and Chambers is particularly proud of the centre’s internship program, which provides students with opportunities to explore themes in community such as student identity, equity, racism, eco-spirituality, sexual orientation, gender, faith and social justice. Opportunities occur in a variety of contexts, such as with the Muslim Chaplaincy, the Ecumenical Chaplaincy, St. Michael’s Chaplaincy and Hillel.

Andi Yumansky, who is completing her master's degree in theological studies at Emmanuel College, has been an intern supported by MFC and Hillel.

“I was given an opportunity to run a multi-faith program for Jewish students and other faith groups. I was able to run whatever programs I felt most passionate about,” says Yumansky, who will soon start a career in psychotherapy.

“That included a series related to exploring gender and religious diversity and bringing students of a multiplicity of faiths together to discuss themes around gender, and giving them the opportunity to talk about their lived experience and what it feels like to embody the religious identity that they hold. Providing an opportunity for students to do that facilitated a lot of deep learning as well as helping cultivate my leadership skills and being able to step into to my own professional identity.”

Pamela Klassen, vice-dean, undergraduate and international in the Faculty of Arts & Science and professor in the department for the study of religion, believes this ability of the MFC to bring different people together is central to the centre’s contribution.

“The importance of the space of the Multi-Faith Centre as a place to bring people from diverse traditions together, face-to-face, cannot be emphasized enough,” she told the congregation at the event.

“At a time when the agora of social media threatens to drive people apart through invective and falsehoods, the role of the university as a space in which people can come together across difference with our powers of reasoning and dispositions of respect at the fore is even more critical. The Multi-Faith Centre, as a sanctuary for spiritual practice and for experimental, critical study, justly deserves celebration for the ways that it has helped the university to live up to this responsibility.”

Susan Addario, a member of the original organizing team who attended the Nov. 5 celebration, beams when asked how she feels about the MFC 10 years later.

“I am in awe of what Richard and his team of staff and student interns have been able to accomplish since the centre opened in 2007. We envisioned the centre as making space for inter-faith dialogue and discovery, and for critical discussion of the role of religion and spirituality in current issues. But we did not imagine the impact the centre clearly has built. The level and breadth of activity in the centre is inspiring, and it's clear it has become a vital place where students are making profound connections, personal and intellectual.

“I am very proud of what the centre has become.”

Eboo Patel spoke at an event marking the 10^thanniversary of the Multi-Faith Centre (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)

And the impact and excellence of the centre wasn’t lost on Dr. Eboo Patel, who was the main speaker during the anniversary event. Patel is the founder of Interfaith Youth Core and served on former U.S. President Barack Obama’s Inaugural Faith Council.

“Thank you for setting the standard that I will return down south and spread,” he told the audience, noting that he visits about 20 universities annually and he will be telling those he visits about the achievements of the MFC.

The anniversary evening closed with a stirring performance by ��˾��ֱ��’s Spirit Singers. The choral ensemble of students sang I Choose Love, written by Mark A. Miller after a mass shooting where nine people were killed at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C., in 2015.

“In the midst of pain, I choose love,” they sang. “In the midst of pain, sorrow falling down like rain, I await the sun again, I choose love.”

‘I refuse to walk in this world afraid’: ��˾��ֱ�� community remembers Pittsburgh synagogue shooting victims

Romi Levine — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 16:18:29 +0000

‘I refuse to walk in this world afraid’: ��˾��ֱ�� community remembers Pittsburgh synagogue shooting victims

Romi Levine Wed, 10/31/2018 - 12:18

Cutline

Members of the ��˾��ֱ�� community gathered for a vigil outside of University College Tuesday evening (all photos by Romi Levine)

Topic

At a vigil held at the University of Toronto on Tuesday, honouring the victims of the attack on a synagogue in Pittsburgh, the message was clear: show defiance in the face of hatred.

“I refuse to walk in this world afraid. I refuse to walk through this world responding to the violence done to my people with a closed tent or a closed fist. Because that is how they win,” Rabbi Julia Appel, senior Jewish educator and campus rabbi for Hillel at ��˾��ֱ��, said during an impassioned address to the crowd gathered around University College’s front steps.

This past Saturday, a gunman opened fire in Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue, killing 11 people who were gathered for Shabbat services – including ��˾��ֱ�� alumna Joyce Fienberg.

“They were the early risers, the helpers, the greeters, the service leaders, the regulars, the ones who make synagogues around the world work,” said Appel of the victims.

The news sent shockwaves throughout U.S. and Canadian Jewish communities, which were devastated by the latest horrific act of anti-Semitism. In the wake of the tragedy, those communities – including ��˾��ֱ��’s Hillel chapter – received support and messages of solidarity from other religious and non-denominational groups. Many of those groups were present at Tuesday’s vigil, organized by Hillel in partnership with ��˾��ֱ�� and the Multi-Faith Centre.

“The outpouring of support from so many partners and friends on campus since Saturday makes me feel less alone and less scared,” said Aaron Rotenberg, interim director of Hillel at ��˾��ֱ��. “Seeing all of you here gathering, mourning, reflecting with us makes me feel less alone and less scared. Thank you. Thank you for being here.”

A woman holds a message of solidarity at Tuesday's vigil.

��˾��ֱ�� President Meric Gertler was also in attendance, along with Provost Cheryl Regehr and Lieutenant-Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell.

President Gertler offered his condolences earlier this week in a message to the ��˾��ֱ�� community.

“In the wake of this senseless and appalling massacre, we are reminded, again, of the grim toll that antisemitism and racism exact on society,” he said in a statement.

��˾��ֱ�� President Meric Gertler and Elizabeth Dowdeswell, the lieutenant-governor of Ontario, attended the vigil.

Appel, the rabbi, urged those attending the vigil to open themselves up to others who need help inside and outside the Jewish community, rather than retreat inwards.

“We know the ways in which trauma can harden the heart. Let us take our hurt, our fear, our anger and our devastation and turn around to take action toward a better world… Because our people were refugees on these shores, let no one else be turned back to certain death,” she said.

Rotenberg recited a poem entitled Poem Without an End by Israeli poet Yehuda Amichai.

This latest incident of anti-Semitism doesn’t exist in a vacuum, said Rotenberg.

“I believe the different kinds of hatred all of our communities face are nested inside each other – hate for Jews, for Muslims, for people of colour, trans folk, queer folk, women, those differently abled, those who are neuro-diverse, immigrants, refugees like those at the congregation Tree of Life stood up for,” he said. “We cannot just knock out one hate and leave the other. Our safety is bound up in yours. Our love for one another needs to be strong enough to strengthen all of us.”

"It could have been my children. It could have been my grandmother. I've been to that synagogue to pray. It could have been me," said Rabbi Julia Appel of Saturday's attack.

"I have a lot of friends in the Jewish community so I wanted to show my support for them and everything that happened," said history and classics student Rhea Kunar.

A candle was lit for each person killed in the synagogue shooting.

Vigil attendees held each other close.

'A higher level of spiritual consciousness': ��˾��ֱ�� at the Parliament of the World's Religions

noreen.rasbach — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 04:00:00 +0000

'A higher level of spiritual consciousness': ��˾��ֱ�� at the Parliament of the World's Religions

noreen.rasbach Wed, 10/31/2018 - 00:00

Cutline

A local school choir made up of different faiths and cultures sing during the 2009 Parliament of the World's Religions, in Melbourne, Australia. Toronto is hosting the event beginning Thursday (photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Paul Fraumeni

Topic

City & Culture

��˾��ֱ��

Centre for Indigenous Studies

Cities

Dalla Lana School of Public Health

University of St. Michael's College

At a time when global society seems to be more divided than ever, more than 10,000 people of some 200 faiths are expected to come together at the Metro Convention Centre starting tomorrow for the Parliament of the World’s Religions. And ��˾��ֱ�� will be very much a part of the proceedings.

The forum was first held in 1893 in Chicago, but wasn’t held again for another 100 years. Since 1993, it has been held in Chicago, Cape Town, Barcelona, Melbourne and Salt Lake City. Past speakers have included global leaders such as Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama.

Speakers at the Toronto edition, which ends Nov. 7, will include author and ��˾��ֱ�� alumna Margaret Atwood, soldier, senator and advocate Romeo Dallaire and global health pioneer James Orbinski, who is a professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. The programs in the seven-day symposium will be presented under the theme “The Promise of Inclusion, the Power of Love: Pursuing Global Understanding, Reconciliation and Change.”

��˾��ֱ�� alumna Kahontakwas Diane Longboat is co-chair of the parliament’s Indigenous program, “The Spiritual Evolution of Humanity and Healing Our Mother Earth.” She believes the parliament will address the need for global connectedness.

“Religion can divide people when you look at it simply in a book or a building,” says Longboat, who earned three degrees from ��˾��ֱ�� and founded the university’s First Nations House. “When you look at the various faith traditions that are going to be represented at the parliament, if you rise to a higher level of spiritual consciousness and really understand the teachings of your faith tradition, you can look out at an audience of 10,000 people and say, ‘Look at all the flowers in the Creator’s garden, how rich we are as a human family that we have all this beauty in front of us and we are here together.’”

Longboat also feels that bringing together faith groups at the parliament will have a specific benefit for Toronto.

“The primary benefit of having the 2018 parliament in Toronto is to reinforce relationships among diverse faith groups and to promote friendship, peacemaking, a deeper understanding of who we are as different parts of the human family and how we can look at each other and value the richness we can each bring to the table when we do our work in this city,” says Longboat, who has worked at the Centre for Mental Health and Addiction as Traditional Healer, creating ceremony grounds where traditional healing is now part of the standard of care for First Nations, Métis and Inuit clients and patients.

The parliament will include 500 programs and events across six major tracks focused on such topics as the dignity of women in faith traditions, countering war, and taking action on climate change.

Longboat believes the Indigenous program enables Indigenous Peoples from around the world to “have a platform to share the very best part of their individual knowledge systems and bring to bear prophesies, values and actions that can address the major issues that are affecting humanity today. We need to have a rise in spiritual consciousness, not the divisive hatred and racial tension that we have now.”

Longboat adds that the Indigenous program can speak directly to an increasingly endangered natural world: “All parts of the human family have the capacity to speak that language of the spirit to the natural world but not all of them remember that language. And that’s our gift to the world – that we remember the language and we can re-teach it to other folks so they can become strong again as well in their relationship with the natural world.”

She believes that “the language of the spirit enables you to speak to the winds, the water, the various parts of animal life, the fish, the bird life. And when you can talk to them as relatives, you are not going to destroy their habitats, pollute the air, rape the land and take more than you need and poison it with chemicals. That’s the language of the spirit."

The Indigenous program will begin Thursday at 3 p.m. in Olympic Park, just south of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. These opening ceremonies are being sponsored by ��˾��ֱ��’s University of St. Michael’s College. Longboat says fire keepers will light a fire to open the ceremony, which will also include a grand entry of Indigenous dancers into the convention centre, followed by a number of Indigenous speakers and traditional Indigenous activities.

“St. Michael’s has funded all of that,” she says. “I can’t say enough how grateful we are to St. Michael’s and the University of Toronto because they have elevated the presence of Indigenous people to the world.“

“We were very pleased to support the Indigenous program of the Parliament of the World’s Religions,” says Reid Locklin, associate professor, Christianity and Culture at St. Michael’s and a faculty member in ��˾��ֱ��’s department for the study of religion. “Our support is due to St. Michael’s’ longstanding commitment to interreligious dialogue, supported for the past decade by the Richard Alway Interfaith Symposium Fund, and our commitment to advancing the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.”

��˾��ֱ��’s Amos Key Jr., assistant professor at the Centre for Indigenous Studies and the department of linguistics, will be bringing some of his students to the opening ceremonies.

“It’s important that Indigenous people are able to welcome others from around the world to this part of Ontario,” says Key. “People need to know that not all of us were converted to Christianity and we want to celebrate so that people from other faiths can hear the philosophies of our spirituality.“

Two prominent spiritual leaders will also give lectures at events related to the parliament on ��˾��ֱ��’s downtown campus:

“What’s Up with Not Talking About Religion?” will feature Dr. Eboo Patel, former special adviser to U.S. President Barack Obama and executive director, Interfaith Youth Core. He will explore the topic, “Why public, secular universities accommodate the spiritual and religious lives of students.” Responding will be graduate students Andi Yumansky of Emmanuel College and Daniel Bach of Wycliffe College. The event takes place on Monday, from 5-6 p.m., at the Multi-Faith Centre, room 208, 569 Spadina Ave. (Patel will also be speaking to the parliament on Tuesday.)
“Where Do We Go From Here? Chaos or Community?” will feature Rev. James Lawson, who Martin Luther King described as “the leading theorist and strategist of nonviolence in the world.” It will take place on Wednesday, Nov 7, 3:30-5 p.m., at St. Michael’s College, ��˾��ֱ�� Hall, 121 St. Joseph St.

#UofTBackToSchool: New to ��˾��ֱ��? Here are 10 things you should know

Romi Levine — Fri, 24 Aug 2018 04:00:00 +0000

#UofTBackToSchool: New to ��˾��ֱ��? Here are 10 things you should know

Romi Levine Fri, 08/24/2018 - 00:00

Cutline

Students hang out outside the Galbraith Building at ��˾��ֱ��'s downtown Toronto campus (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)

Topic

Centre for International Experience

First Nations House

Graduate Students

Indigenous

International Students

Multi-Faith Centre

Sexual & Gender Diversity Office

Student Life

��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga

��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough

Undergraduate Students

Starting at a new school can be overwhelming. From finding classrooms to buying textbooks, there’s a lot to think about. As you’re heading back to school, here are 10 things you should know about supports and services offered by the University of Toronto:

1) Safety

The safety of students, faculty and staff is a top priority at ��˾��ֱ��. The university has offices, programs and campaigns that address violence and harassment, safety on campus, environmental health and safety, fire prevention and emergency housing.

Visit the ��˾��ֱ�� Safety website for information to help you stay safe on campus. And be sure to register for emergency alerts from the university via telephone, email and text.

2) Sexual and gender diversity

The Sexual & Gender Diversity Office (SGDO) provides education, programming, resources and advocacy on diversity for students, staff, faculty and the LGBTQ community. This includes the university’s Positive Space campaign, a program that seeks to create and identify safer and more inclusive spaces for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, intersexed, queer, questioning and Two-Spirited students, staff, faculty, alumni and allies at ��˾��ֱ��.

3) Multi-faith spaces

If you're wondering where to pray or meditate, ��˾��ֱ�� offers rooms for people of all faith communities to practise their religion, their traditions and rituals.

Multi-Faith Spaces (downtown Toronto campus)
Multi-Faith Spaces (University of Toronto Mississauga)
Multi-Faith Prayer Room (University of Toronto Scarborough)

4) Indigenous Students

For those wanting to explore their Indigenous roots, ��˾��ֱ�� provides programming, services and resources for Indigenous students, providing them with a variety of supports to help them succeed. The university community is also invited to come and participate at events across the three campuses to learn more about Indigenous cultures and traditions.

Indigenous Student Services/First Nations House (downtown Toronto campus)
Indigenous Centre (University of Toronto Mississauga)
Indigenous Outreach Program (University of Toronto Scarborough)

5) Health and wellness

��˾��ֱ�� offers a wide range of health and wellness services. These include general health services (for example, health checkups, prescriptions, nutritional care) and mental health services (e.g., psychotherapy, group therapy, assault counselling).

Health & Wellness Centre (downtown Toronto campus)
Health & Counselling Centre (University of Toronto Mississauga)
Health & Wellness Centre (University of Toronto Scarborough)

6) International students

Whether you’re an international student studying at ��˾��ֱ�� or a domestic student considering a study abroad program or research opportunity, the university provides support and resources.

Centre for International Experience (downtown Toronto campus)
International Education Centre (University of Toronto Mississauga)
International Student Centre (University of Toronto Scarborough)

7) Accessibility

Working to create a safe and comfortable community for students to navigate their disability and related barriers, the university provides students with a network of resources, both inside and outside the classroom.

Accessibility Services (downtown Toronto campus)
AccessAbility Resource Centre (University of Toronto Mississauga)
AccessAbility Services (University of Toronto Scarborough)

Photo by Jason Krygier-Baum

8) Academic success

Whether you want to improve your study habits, better manage your time, work on essay-writing skills or learn how to research, ��˾��ֱ�� offers workshops, programs and tools to help you with your academic success. The university also offers writing centres where students can get individual consultations with trained writing instructors.

Academic Success (downtown Toronto campus)
Robert Gillespie Academic Skills Centre (University of Toronto Mississauga)
Academic Advising and Career Centre (University of Toronto Scarborough)

9) Financial support

There are many sources of financial aid available to help you cover the costs of your ��˾��ֱ�� education. Find out more information about financial assistance programs and view the video below.

10) Get connected

Be sure to follow ��˾��ֱ�� on social media to learn more about your campus, events and resources:
Twitter, Instagram or Facebook
Twitter, Instagram or Facebook (University of Toronto Mississauga)
Twitter, Instagram or Facebook (University of Toronto Scarborough)

Photo by Ken Jones

Still have questions? Find someone on campus wearing an orange "ASKme" shirt or button or submit a question online if you're on the downtown Toronto campus. Get in touch with the ASKme team at ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough, or contact ��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga here.

For additional info on navigating services and resources, you can also check with your college, faculty or campus student life departments.
Student Life (downtown Toronto campus )
Centre for Student Engagement (University of Toronto Mississauga)
Department of Student Life (University of Toronto Scarborough)

Multi-Faith Centre

��˾��ֱ�� to host restorative circle, other events in support of Jewish community

��˾��ֱ��’s Diwali celebrations will be different this year, but the spirit of the holiday remains the same

Celebrating Black History Month: Check out these February events

Feb. 1

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Feb. 5

Feb. 6

Feb. 8

Feb. 11

Feb. 12

Feb. 13

Feb. 17

Feb. 25

Feb. 26

Feb. 27

Feb. 28

'We're here for one another': ��˾��ֱ�� community remembers students following plane crash

#UofTBackToSchool: 12 things every new student should know

Safety

Health and wellness

Accessibility

Gender and sexual diversity

Indigenous students

Equity services

Multi-faith services

International students

Financial services

Academic success

Family services

Stay in the know

Read more about Back to School at ��˾��ֱ��

Black History Month: Check out these ��˾��ֱ�� events in February

Feb. 1

Feb. 2

Feb. 4

Feb. 5

Feb. 6

Feb. 7

Feb. 8

Feb. 12

Feb. 13

Feb. 14

Feb. 15

Feb. 23

Feb. 26

Feb. 28

Celebrating ��˾��ֱ��'s 'rich mosaic' of religions: Multi-Faith Centre marks its 10th anniversary

‘I refuse to walk in this world afraid’: ��˾��ֱ�� community remembers Pittsburgh synagogue shooting victims

'A higher level of spiritual consciousness': ��˾��ֱ�� at the Parliament of the World's Religions

#UofTBackToSchool: New to ��˾��ֱ��? Here are 10 things you should know

1) Safety

2) Sexual and gender diversity

3) Multi-faith spaces

4) Indigenous Students

5) Health and wellness

7) Accessibility

8) Academic success

9) Financial support

10) Get connected

Read more about Back To School 2018