The Honourable Janet Austin, OBC, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia.
Inaugural event to feature panel discussion with Janet Austin
In celebration of its 15 years in the Okanagan, UBC’s Okanagan campus announced today the Festival of Ideas—a yearlong lineup of events curated to inspire ideas and catalyze conversation between UBC and the community. The inaugural event will be a panel discussion with the Honourable Janet Austin, OBC, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, and three guest speakers on March 5.
The panel, titled ‘Igniting Greater Civic Engagement in Our Community, Our Province,’ will explore what individuals, institutions and organizations can do to advance reconciliation, democracy, and equity and inclusion.
“Engaging with our community is an intrinsic element of UBC Okanagan and it permeates everything we do,” says Ananya Mukherjee Reed, Provost and Vice-President Academic, at UBC Okanagan. “I am delighted that our Festival of Ideas will continue to cultivate this partnership by showcasing many of the incredible events that are integral touchpoints between community and campus.”
She adds that beginning the festival by welcoming BC’s Lieutenant Governor to the Okanagan is a particular honour.
“Her Honour Janet Austin’s priorities of equity, diversity and inclusion; democracy and civic engagement; and reconciliation are incredibly important and complement UBC Okanagan’s own values and expertise so perfectly,” says Mukherjee Reed. “This is going to be a fantastic discussion and one that I hope sparks a wider conversation.”
The Festival of Ideas will run through the summer and until the end of the year, with over 30 public events—most of which are free. Mukherjee Reed says the festival features everything from special guest speakers to ground-breaking research to moving performances. She adds that the spring line up is already generating interest and more events are expected as the year progresses.
“We’re excited to be sharing and celebrating this milestone with our community,” she says. “Over the coming months, we hope to highlight the kind of bold thinking and exciting ideas that make our campus and the Okanagan so unique.”
To see the spring line up or to register for the panel discussion, visit: ok.ubc.ca/festival-of-ideas
UBC Okanagan is also encouraging the public to sign up for an email newsletter to stay informed about the many public events hosted by the campus. To sign up, visit: ok.ubc.ca/events/subscribe
