PEACE & UNITY PROJECT
The Peace and Unity Project, in collaboration with Memoria Viva and Migrante Alberta, aims to foster understanding and connection among diverse communities in Edmonton. By bringing together artists and youth from various ethno-cultural backgrounds alongside Indigenous artists and youth, the project seeks to promote dialogue, appreciation, and collaboration across differences.
Utilizing art as a powerful medium for expression and communication, the project facilitates exchanges of cultural knowledge and experiences. Through a series of activities, including festivals, film screenings, and community gatherings, participants will have opportunities to engage in intercultural dialogue, learning, and collaboration.
The project kicked off with the dynamic Peace and Unity Festival, showcasing the talents of artists representing diverse ethno-cultural communities. From music to performance to visual art, the festival celebrated the richness and diversity of Edmonton's cultural landscape. The Festival nurtured the understanding of cultural traditions to combat discrimination and it encouraged the celebration of diversity while addressing the wounds inflicted by prejudice and violence. As a free event, it served as a platform for learning from diverse experiences and promoting cultural pride amidst adversity.
Note that, after the regrettable mid-event cancellation of the June 29, 2024 Peace and Unity Festival, JHC and partners made the decision to forge ahead with another iteration of the event, a Peace and Unity Festival 2.0 on August 29, 2024. To learned more about what happened visit our blog posts:
The second part of the Peace and Unity project is a film festival. From December 10-18 2024, we will bring Edmontonians together for nine days of curated films chosen to represent the experiences of diverse ethnocultural and racial communities, including Indigenous communities. It is our intention that the Justice4Reel Film Festival will serve as a showcase for both emerging and established artists, and that it will bring to light the varying struggles and victories of seldom-heard groups.