Diocesan reps gather for anti-racism consultation

A national consultation on anti-racism training held Nov. 6 drew 35 participants to South Surrey, B.C., on unceded Coast Salish territory, land of Semiahmoo.

The event was aimed at building on the work begun by General Synod-the governing body of the Anglican Church of Canada-such as the adoption of the Charter for Racial Justice and since 2001, the anti-racism training of its committees and councils. It was also intended to establish connections and build capacity to carry out anti-racism work at the diocesan level.

Participants, who included representatives from 16 dioceses across Canada, shared stories, attended workshops and listened to keynote speaker, Paulette Regan. Regan is the director of research for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, a leading scholar on reconciliation and author of Unsettling the Settler Within: Indian Residential Schools, Truth Telling and Reconciliation in Canada.

At the end of the meeting, participants agreed to make plans for anti-racism awareness, education and action in their dioceses.

The consultation was funded by Anglican Healing Fund and the office of the general secretary of the Anglican Church of Canada, with support from the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund, the church’s relief and development arm.

 

-With files from Laurel Dykstra, diocese of New Westminster