On World Children’s Day, November 20th, the IBCR chose to highlight and honour indigenous children’s rights  by organizing the viewing of a series of short movies during an evening party set up  in collaboration with the traveling studio of First Nations, Wapikoni Mobile.

Nearly a hundred participants were able to discover magnificent, inspiring and sometimes deeply-moving cinematographic works around the themes chosen for the occasion: the cultural identity of young people through the arts, the empowerment of indigenous peoples regarding the protection of childhood and the participation of children in their community.

Hosted by the general director of the Bureau, Guillaume Landry, and the Malecite cultural facilitator Wapikoni Mobile, Catherine Desjardins, the evening enabled the audience to launch into many discussions about these short films, produced by filmmakers from Mi’gmaq, Anishnabe, Innu, Atikamekw, Cree and Inuit communities, and about the stakes depicted in these works.

Among the themes that were addressed in the course of that evening were the need and the right for young people to better know and grasp their ancestral culture without any prejudice, the removal of children from their family and community environment, the perseverance of young Aboriginals in post-secondary education and what this implies in terms of integration and community belonging in an unknown environment, the desire  of determined and empowered children to take an active part within their community .

Discussions continued during a cocktail party during which guests were able to learn more about IBCR’s activities and projects.

Special thanks to everyone who attended our event and to our partners: Wapikoni Mobile, especially Catherine Desjardins, and Center Gesù!