Lakehead hosting World Water Day celebrations
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Lakehead University will join the global community in raising awareness about the importance of fresh water on World Water Day.
The University will host its inaugural World Water Day celebrations on Friday, March 22 in Thunder Bay, to focus on the importance of protecting and respecting water and to raise awareness of those living without access to safe water.
“Water or ‘nibi’ is not merely a resource; it is a basic necessity and has such profound importance for all of us,” says Denise Baxter, Vice Provost Indigenous Initiatives. “On World Water Day, we will explore the work being done to address some of the challenges related to access to clean, safe water, whether that’s through advocacy, research, policy development, and more. Without nibi there is no life.”
The World Water Day celebrations will begin at 10:30 a.m. in the Agora with Elder Sheila De Corte. Students, employees and the Thunder Bay community are invited to hear teachings and stories from Elder De Corte about the Water Walkers.
Then, from 11:50 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., attendees will hear from Dr. Juan Guillermo Sánchez Martínez, Associate Professor in the Department of Indigenous Learning; Maya Oversby and Katie Freeman, Master of Social Justice program students; and Dr. Glenda Bonifacio, Dean of the Faculty of Social Science and Humanities.
- 11:50 a.m., Dr. Juan Guillermo Sánchez Martínez will recite his poem “Uranium/Uranio” (Cactus del Viento, 2023)
- 12:10 p.m., Maya Oversby and Katie Freeman will discuss how past and potential future industry have impacted the water, land and people of the Northwest
- 12:25 p.m., Dr. Glenda Bonifacio will discuss the intersections of gender with water and environmental militarism in island countries
The Lakehead University community is invited to attend and learn more about the collective responsibility of individuals, communities, governments, and organizations to ensure access to clean, safe water for generations to come.
