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 Big Ideas
is a series of talks addressing
some of
humanity’s shared challenges and opportunities as we work to advance an
emerging global civilization. This series brings together perspectives
from the Baha'i writings with current research and experience as well
as contemporary discourses on key issues of our time.
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Friday,
October 1, 2021, 7:30 pm
TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION with Louise Profeit-Leblanc “T’se Dἄna” - Beaver Woman Without knowing and accepting the truth, and the real history of Canada, we will never be able to attain true and sincere reconciliation between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples of this country. Since the formation of the TRC in Canada in 2008, the population of Canada has heard the truth from 7,000 testimonies of Indigenous residential school survivors, their stories of the terrible treatment at these facilities. After having being abducted by force, taken away from their parents and their homelands, 150,000 children were forcibly taken under police authorization to a place where they were forbidden to speak their language, sing their songs or practice their ancient cultural and spiritual beliefs. The Prime Minister of the day, 1867- 1891, John A MacDonald was quoted as saying, “Take the Indian out of the child”. He was the architect of the Indian Act, which launched the government of Canada on an ever increasing and repressive series of Acts and policies directed towards the assimilation of the original inhabitants of this land. Fast forward to 2016 when the final report from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission underwent a vast country-wide investigation to hear from Indigenous peoples who had experienced this atrocity. This resulted in 94 recommendations in the following categories: 1) Child welfare 2) Education 3) Language and culture 4) Health and 5) Justice. Each of these “Calls to Action” is a perfect jumping off point for the larger community, including the Bahá'í community, to embrace. It is then and only then that we can realize and see the fruition of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s quotation below, and what better way to commemorate the centenary of His passing than for each one of us to establish a goal and commitment to respond to one or several of these calls to action during this year. “The Ancient Beauty hath in His sacred Tablets explicitly written that the day of their abasement is over. His bounty will overshadow them and this race will day by day progress and be delivered from its agelong obscurity and degradation.” — ’Abdu’l-Bahá
( We
recommend watching in full screen mode. )
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Notice:
The views and opinions expressed in this series of presentations are those of the speakers and not necessarily those of the Ottawa Bahá'í community and/or its institutions. |
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©
The
Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís
of Ottawa, Canada
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