March 21 – International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
14 Wing Greenwood Defence Team members are invited to bring their lunch to a noon-hour speakers’ event, marking March 21 as the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
Co-presented by the wing’s Defence Visible Minority Awareness Group and the Defence Indigenous Advisory Group, everyone is welcome to the Annapolis Mess, Room C, between noon and 1 p.m.; as two speakers share some of their day-to-day experiences as a member of a minority, including some of the adversities they have faced in their lifetime – and how they overcame those. Annapolis Valley First Nation Elder Sarah McDonald and Lieutenant-Colonel Aleem Sajan are both familiar faces in Greenwood. For more information on 14 Wing’s DVMAG, and how to be involved, contact Master Corporal Matt MacKenzie, matthew.mackenzie2@forces.gc.ca.
Nationally, join a panel discussion and a Q&A session, under the theme “Impacts of Racial Discrimination” and moderated by Commodore Jacques Olivier, Defence Team Champion for Visible Minorities and Director General Professional Conduct and Development within Chief Professional Conduct and Culture; taking place at the Ottawa Carling Campus or virtually via MS Stream, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. AST. Find event information and links in the online Maple Leaf, at Canada.ca.
Guided by the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination recognizes injustices and prejudices fueled by racial discrimination continue to take place every day. March 21 commemorates the day police in Sharpeville, South Africa, opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against apartheid “pass laws” in 1960.
