If there’s one thing we have learned this past year – a year of overwhelming challenge, social upheaval, and collective uncertainty – it’s that living our values of diversity, inclusion, respect, collaboration, innovation, and accountability will guide us through.
If you are a newcomer in Nova Scotia, you may be wondering why so many people are wearing green today. March 17th is Saint Patrick’s Day, which started in the 1600s when the Vatican recognized it as a Saint’s day. What started as a Christian (primarily Catholic) holiday became a … Read more
As ISANS works to help immigrants settle in Nova Scotia, our goal is to share information with our clients and partners about the diverse communities that exist and thrive across this province. As part of that effort, we have launched a new micro-site that is dedicated to the vital legacy … Read more
The United Nations’ theme for Human Rights Day 2020 is Recover Better, emphasizing the need for prioritizing human rights and addressing inequalities in our society as we continue to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. From the United Nations website: “The COVID-19 crisis has been fuelled by deepening poverty, rising inequalities, structural … Read more
November 21 is World Hello Day – a day to consider the importance of simple communications in our lives and our communities. It started in 1973 in response to the Arab-Israeli War, with the intention to remind us that conflict can and should be resolved through communicating with one another, … Read more
The International Day for Tolerance has been observed on November 16 since it was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1996. It is an annual reminder for us to strengthen tolerance in our society “by fostering mutual understanding among cultures and peoples” (UN). The United Nations also states … Read more
“Céad míle fáilte” is a Gaelic expression frequently found in Cape Breton. It’s a popular greeting that means a hundred thousand welcomes! Today is World Kindness Day – an initiative that was started by humanitarian groups in 1997, with a “pledge to join together to build a kinder and more … Read more
November 9 is World Freedom Day – an observance created in commemoration of the fall of the Berlin Wall on this day in 1989. “If you don’t know what it means to be afraid to voice your opinion, then you can consider yourself very lucky to live in a place … Read more
In honour of Mi’kmaq History Month, which this year celebrates plant knowledge and use in Mi’kmaq culture, we’re shining a spotlight today on Mi’kmawey Forestry, a revised version of the First Nations Forestry Program. Offering workshops, training, events, and activities, and working with community members on all technical aspects of … Read more
Supporting Mi’kmaq and all of Canada’s Indigenous peoples is a fundamental part of reconciliation. To help you learn to be a good ally, The Indigenous Ally Toolkit offers actions and definitions, explains harmful terminology and ways of thinking, and so much more. Here are some of its key steps: • … Read more
In a time of social distancing, ISANS’ Care for Newcomer Children (CNC) Program has embarked on a journey of collaboration, innovation, flexibility, and growth. CNC is a program that has traditionally focused on direct, in-person service delivery. Like so many others, the ISANS CNC program has responded rapidly to its … Read more
ISANS has developed a series of resources to empower newcomers and community members to have conversations about immigration. Please read and share these materials, and encourage engagement on these issues to help us build a community where all can belong and grow.