We've all heard so much about refugees in the the news, but it can often seem like a distant problem that doesn't really affect us personally. This World Refugee Day, come talk about the practical side of supporting refugees.We are a couple of UPEI students who have helped sponsor 4 refugees in the past 3 years. We're basically hoping to have a down-to-earth discussion about our experience, your thoughts, and what else we can all do going forward. We will also watch an eye-opening Ted-Talk and have FREE PIZZA for everyone attending. All are welcome! We'll look forward to seeing you.P.S. In case you were wondering, WUSC stands for World University Service of Canada and they set up the Student Refugee Program that we've been involved in.

June 21 is National Aboriginal Day, a day for all Canadians to recognize and celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. UPEI will fly the Grand Council Flag of Mi'kmaq Nation to recognize that the University is located on the unceded territory of the Mi'kmaq people. In Charlottetown, the Native Council of PEI is hosting a celebration from 11:30 am - 3:00 pm with an opening ceremony at 11:30 am at Confederation Landing Park and free hotdogs and cake for lunch. At 1:00 pm, participants will enjoy friendly competition in the Indian Summer Games. Traditional crafters will be onsite throughout the event, showcasing their talents in crafting demonstrations. The Mi'kmaq Confederacy of PEI is also hosting a celebration at Lennox Island First Nation from 12 noon - 3 pm to help "Celebrate the Culture" with drummers, dancers, and crafters and a free BBQ and children's activities. All activities are free and open to the public. 

Join us Monday, June 26 at 4:30 pm for a presentation from Dr. Josh MacFadyen, a candidate for UPEI’s Canada Research Chair in Applied Communication, Leadership, and Culture (ACLC). The presentation will be held in room 237 of UPEI’s Kelley Memorial Building. Dr. Josh MacFadyen is an assistant professor of environmental humanities in the School of Historical, Philosophical, and Religious Studies and the School of Sustainability at Arizona State University. In 2014, he was a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Historical GIS Lab at the University of Saskatchewan, and from 2012-2014, he was NiCHE Project Coordinator and Course Instructor at the University of Western Ontario. His talk is titled: “Canadian Food and Energy Frontiers: Mapping the Past to Prepare Leaders for the Future.” Abstract: Working in the disciplinary ecotones between humanities, sciences, and social sciences, Dr. MacFadyen’s research on the environmental history of Canadian food and energy shows how the digital humanities are critical to understanding and communicating sustainability transitions. Using examples from the Maritimes, Eastern Great Lakes, and the Prairies, this talk applies tools like historical Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to help understand the origin of modern commodity frontiers, industrial agriculture, and energy transitions. By equipping Arts students with digital humanities, traditional land use mapping, and critical theories of science, we will better prepare leaders who inform the policies and engage the problems associated with food and energy in the Anthropocene. The Applied Communication, Leadership and Culture program at UPEI explicitly connects the communication skills and leadership training of a liberal arts education to successful post-graduation employment. The program is defined by its focus on the transferability of the written, oral and visual communication skills, the critical thinking, and the cultural awareness acquired during a liberal arts education to the world beyond academia. Technical skills, work- integrated learning (internships, cooperatives, workplace-generated projects), and career-related mentoring are key components of its design.

The National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism is marked every year on June 23 in Canada to mark the anniversary of the bombing of Air India Flight 182 off the coast of Ireland. On this day, flags across Canada, including at UPEI, are flown at half-mast to honour the victims of the bombing, as well as other acts of terrorist violence that have taken lives.

Gabriela Arias de Sanchez will defend her PhD dissertation on Tuesday, June 27 at 3:00 pm in AVC Lecture Room B.  It is entitled “Exploring Code Switching in Early Number Sense Activities”. All are welcome to attend.

Rain date: July 10 Please join us as we welcome the Three Sisters (corn, beans and squash) back to their home on Mi'kma'ki territory. John Doran, Indigenous scholar at UPEI, has obtained pre-contact seeds and has grown Mi'kmaq Flint Corn on the Sweet Clover Farm in Valleyfield. These crops were an important part of the Mi'kmaq diet and we even had songs and dances about corn. Unfortunately, as part of the colonization agenda, these crops have not been grown here since before 1870. We welcome everyone to come out and learn about the cultural significance and history of these crops-- join us as we welcome the Three Sisters back to their territory, where they have been loved and grown since time immemorial. We will have bannock, jam, and a fresh strawberry beverage for everyone to enjoy.  (Hosted by Mi'kmaq Iga'taqan - Three Sisters Teaching and Knowledge Garden)

The UPEI Climate Research Lab presents a breakfast seminar series with the Honourable David MacDonald as he leads discussions on a variety of topics. These UPEI breakfast seminars will be held Tuesday mornings from 8:00 am to 10:00 am from July 4 to August 22 at 618 University Avenue, Charlottetown.  On July 11, the discussion will revolve around the theme, "Is Politics the Art of the Deal? What is indispensable about Politics in our Global Village?" Future events include: July 18, 2017 How can we create a Habitable, Thriving and Just Future? July 25, 2017 Who’s Speaking, Who’s Listening, Who Cares? Why is the Medium really the Message? August 1, 2017 Is Capitalism over? What are Healthy Models for a Caring Economy? August 8, 2017 Why does our culture depend on Violence? If we love this Planet, can we Live in an age of Mass Destruction? August 15, 2017 Why Racism? Its Roots and Branches—‘The African Condition’ meets ‘Black Lives Matter’ August 22, 2017 Is Reconciliation possible? Why do we need to ‘Unsettle the Settler’? Register for individual seminars by contacting climate@upei.ca or 902-894-2852

The L.M. Montgomery Institute and the University of Prince Edward Island are pleased to invite you and your guests to a reception—complete with book signings, displays and artifacts, and special announcements—to celebrate the launch of “The Wreck of the Marco Polo” Virtual Reality Experience Thursday, July 27, 2017 4–6 pm in the Robertson Library The virtual reality experience is a five-minute adventure where participants are transported back in time, through special reality headsets, to the July 1883 wreck of the Marco Polo as witnessed by then eight-year-old Lucy Maud Montgomery. Participants will hear Montgomery’s words that were chronicled eight years later in her essay, “The Wreck of the Marco Polo”, describing how the ship came within 300 metres of the Cavendish shoreline, and eventually was grounded off PEI’s north shore during a raging storm.  If you cannot attend the reception, but would like to experience the voyage back in time, you can do so in the Robertson Library on July 27, noon-8 pm; July 28, 8 am–5 pm, and July 29, noon–5 pm. This is a UPEI Reunion Weekend Event. For the full schedule of events, visit upei.ca/reunionweekend      

UPEI, in partnership with Student Affairs, the Student Diversity Office, and Pride PEI, will raise the pride flag on Monday, July 24, 2017 at 12:00 pm at the flag plaza near Kelley Memorial Building. All are welcome to celebrate PEI Pride and the PEI Pride Festival 2017!  

President and Vice-Chancellor Alaa Abd-El-Aziz cordially invites members of our campus and Prince Edward Island communities to attend the eighteenth annual Recognition of Founders Ceremony. Each year, UPEI honours people who have contributed to the University in an exceptional way as Founders, instilling a sense of heritage and community.  Please join us Friday, September 22, 2017 at 1:30 pm in Schurman Market Square, Don and Marion McDougall Hall to honour the 2017 Founders for their contributions to the University:   Rev. Francis W.P. Bolger Ms. Glenda Clements-Smith Dr. Brendan O’Grady Dr. Glenn Palmer   and the Honourable Eugene F. Whalen Green Hat Award winner, Jewell Dale Farm, for contributions to the Atlantic Veterinary College.