The University of Ottawa’s Indigenous Affirmation can be found here, however we, the JPDS Organizing Committee, would also like to share our reflections as it relates to giving thanks to the land we call home.
We would like to pay respect to the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe People, who have long been the guardians of this beautiful land we call Ottawa. We thank the Algonquin People for having cared so beautifully for the lands today and long before today. The lands have provided us with food, water, and air to learn individually and collectively. As educators, we embrace the opportunity and responsibility of ensuring that future generations pay respect to the land on which we live, work, play, and study.
We acknowledge our responsibility to amplify equity-seeking voices and practices, and to act as agents of change in education. We cannot simply respect the land we occupy if we do not respect all its people. Thus, we continuously strive to make the Symposium a safe and welcoming space for all individuals, allowing participants a space for learning, discussion, and respectful debate. We also acknowledge that there are multiple ways of learning and knowing, and it is the intention of the Organizing Committee to keep learning and collaborating with the Faculty of Education community so that the Symposium can continue to improve.
