SPECIAL THANKS to the essential, frontline and research workers who are providing dedicated and exceptional service during the ups and downs of this pandemic.
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Our NEXT EVENT is a CELEBRATION of DIVERSITY Day
Monday August 1st, 2022 from Noon to 4pm
at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre
ONE Burlington hosts our first in-person event in two years at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre in Downtown Burlington on Monday August 1st, 2022 from Noon to 4pm. The family-friendly afternoon features culturally diverse professional and amateur performance artists on the Main Theatre stage, Spiritual Spaces for meditation, prayer and reflection, plus a panel discussion moderated by media personality Michael Coren in the Studio Theatre. The panel’s topic is “Working For Peace” in this conflicted world. There are also display / information tables from community, cultural, faith and service organizations in the lobby. See our event flyer on our social accounts
History
After the Quebec mosque shooting in 2017, the Imam of Burlington’s Halton Mosque called for people to get to know, respect and understand each other better to avoid such tragedies. This inspired several Burlingtonians, including faith leaders already involved with immigrant settlement, to organize a faith fair and multicultural festival in Central Park in August, 2017. Over 1,500 people experienced the unity that flows from embracing a multicultural, multifaith Burlington. In all our subssequent events, we’ve sought to foster respect and understanding, and to support newcomers and minorities residing in Halton.
Mission
One Burlington is dedicated to creating and facilitating opportunities for people of different backgrounds to come together in a cordial and peaceful manner, in order to learn about and experience aspects of each other’s faith and culture – because we believe a diverse, integrated Burlington is a stronger, kinder and more interesting community to live in.
Vision
We believe the contributions of our diverse cultural, faith and service groups strengthen our sense of belonging; make our city a great place to live; and are a foundational part of the prosperity we enjoy here and throughout Halton. One Burlington envisions our city and region growing beyond a place of mutual awareness and tolerance, to a place of mutual respect, understanding and shared goodwill that forges the kind of unity that not only embraces diversity, but thrives on it.
Events
In August 2017, One Burlington organized its first event in Central Park. Free admission, free entertainment from performance artists on the bandshell stage, free food and information booths hosted by area community, cultural, faith and service organizations, attracted some 1,500 people to Central Park, and again in 2018 and 2019. In 2020 and 2021, outreach events highlighting Black, Indigenous and Islamic Heritage went online due to the pandemic.
ONE Burlington’s 2021 /2022 Online Outreach Events
Saturday May 14th, 2022 – ONE Burlington brought together an audience from Burlington and beyond to our CONCERT FOR UKRAINE which raised over $1,500 (which was then doubled by government) to assist Ukrainian refugees displaced by the war
Saturday February 26th, 2022 – ONE Burlington hosted an encore online video presentation of AFRICVILLE STORIES (the Juno Award Winner for Best Contemporary Jazz Album) with Joe Sealy, Jackie Richardson and Paul Novotny in honour of Black History Month
Sunday Feb. 13th to Saturday Feb. 19th, 2022 – During the post-holiday slump when need is often greater, ONE Burlington organized our 2nd annual SHARE THE LOVE week-long food drive for the Burlington Food Bank. Food was dropped off at Burlington Fire Stations and participating grocery stores, and more money was donated in 2022 than 2021. Thanks to everyone who donated. Every February, let’s show we care about our community.
Thursday February 1st, 2022 – As part of the United Nations’ WORLD INTERFAITH HARMONY WEEK, we promoted the InterFaith Council of Halton’s online event on the first day of Harmony Week. A keynote speaker shared a personal family story about the Holocaust, and speakers from several different traditions inspired our audience to think about what effective global values the world needs to prevent history repeating itself.
Sunday January 16th. 2022 – As a prelude to World InterFaith Harmony Week, ONE Burlington hosted WORLD RELIGION DAY (WRD). Since its start in the late 1950s, WRD is commemorated as an annual event in places around the world. Around the GTA, online WRD events were held in Simcoe at 1pm, Durham at 2pm and Halton at 3pm. Keynote speaker Dr. Brian Carwana of the Encounter World Religions Centre in Guelph and presenters from several traditions shared insights about the common values to be found in major world religions, and the universal values needed to establish and sustain an inclusive, peaceful and progressive global civilization.
Wednesday October 27th, 2021 – Our online webinar on ISLAMIC HERITAGE featured these educators:
– Dr. Brian Carwana – Director, Encounter World Religions Centre, Guelph
– Dr. Todd Lawson – Professor Emeritus, University of Toronto
– Hanadi Al-Masri – Halton Multicultural Council
– Imam A. Q. Mufti – Interfaith Council of Halton
– Jewel Amoah – Halton District School Board
– Sita Jayaraman – Halton Catholic District School Board
Saturday October 16th, 2021 – ONE Burlington shared the meaning of INCLUSION and TOGETHERNESS in an original production on the stage of the Main Theatre at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre. To celebrate our region’s diversity, there were onstage performances of local musicians and artists, including the Enchorus Children’s Choir, Caribbean Pan Drummers, Pianist Renée Huynh, the Don Ko Daiko Drummers, Ukrainian Bandura music, the GuZheng Chinese Zither Group, Filipino Tinikling Pole Dancers, and Chris McKhool with the Sultans of String. See our video of this event at: https://youtu.be/1mQrmupXDgs
Thursday September 30th, 2021 – Made with members of Grandmother’s Voice for Canada’s first Truth and Reconciliation Day, and in honour of INDIGENOUS HERITAGE, our original, high-quality video Appreciating Indigenous Heritage premiered online. View the video at: https://youtu.be/hEbhypMWElg.
February 2020: For Black History Month in February, One Burlington hosted a musical "Rise and Struggle" in front of a capacity audience at Port Nelson United Church
Summer 2019: Our MultiCultural, MultiFaith Fair inspired Multiple MultiLingual Flyers
Summer 2018: Rory Nisan is at pains to explain the need for mutual understanding to sustain mutual respect across the city.
(use OB Sign 2018.jpg graphic, + OB Activities.jpg, + OB Bandshell.jpg, + OB Booths.jpg, + OB 2018 Dancers.jpg photos attached to this eMail) (use current website video of our 2018 summer event with Burlington Councillor Rory Nisan in the still – Caption could identify him).
2017
(use OBF 2017 Poster 2 graphic image attached to this eMail) (use the current Embrace The World.png globe image with supporting hands) (use OB Dateless Display Poster.pdf file) (use your discretion which row order is best)