October 28, 2006
Media contact: Kim Lawrence
604-864-4611
or 1-888-504-7441, local 4611
Cell: 604-302-6257
kim.lawrence@ucfv.ca
UCFV launches Centre for Indo-Canadian Studies
There was a lot to celebrate at the grand opening of the Centre for Indo-Canadian Studies at the University College of the Fraser Valley on Saturday, Oct 28.
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The new logo for the Centre for
Indo-Canadian Studies at UCFV |
The Centre for Indo-Canadian Studies at UCFV met its fundraising goal earlier this year as the community rallied to raise the $1.25 million required to qualify for the BC Leading Edge endowment fund, which will match the donations for a total of $3 million. The funds raised will help to establish the BC Regional Innovation Chair on Canada-India Business and Economic Development, a research position to be filled in the near future.
“Having the Centre for Indo-Canadian Studies here at UCFV makes tremendous sense, given that the Fraser Valley has the highest proportion of Indo-Canadian people of any metropolitan area in the country,” said UCFV president Skip Bassford, as he addressed a packed room. “This initiative is of critical strategic importance to us at UCFV, in the Fraser Valley, in BC, and in Canada as a whole. The centre will unite our community and build understanding. It will showcase the potential of this culturally rich region. It will promote cooperation and advance international trade and development.”
Mike de Jong, MLA for Abbotsford-Mt. Lehman, attended the ceremony on behalf of Premier Gordon Campbell. “It is worth celebrating everything that this centre stands for,” he said, “including building ties with the world’s largest democracy and establishing a foothold in a market that comprises the world’s largest middle class. We stand on the cusp of amazing things as our connections with India expand.” Noting that the C in UCFV should soon disappear, De Jong suggested how incredible it will be for Indo-Canadians to visit India – half a world away – and announce that “they have just been to the Centre for Indo-Canadian Studies at the University of the Fraser Valley.”
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(from left) Shri Ashok Kumar, Skip Bassford, Satwinder Bains, Mike de Jong,
and Ujjal Dosanjh introduce the new identity of the centre. |
De Jong’s sentiments were echoed by Ujjal Dosanjh, Member of Parliament for Vancouver South and former BC Premier; and Shri Ashok Kumar, Consul General of India in Vancouver.
UCFV recently appointed Satwinder Bains of Abbotsford as director of the new centre and completed renovations. “This is a very tangible example of what our communities can do when we work together,” said Bains. “Our heartfelt thanks go out to the donors, supporters, and all the individual community members who helped with the fundraising. I know I speak on behalf of our entire community when I say how pleased we are to be part of such an innovative project at UCFV and in BC.”
Dignitaries joined together to reveal the new identity of the Centre for Indo-Canadian Studies at UCFV. “The logo was inspired by the commitment and support of the people who came together to create the Centre,” explained Parm Bains, chair of the fund-raising committee for the centre. “It reflects the rich cultural heritage of Indo-Canadians with its vibrant colors and traditional decorative motif. The natural beauty of the jasmine blossom and the provincial dogwood flower were also sources of inspiration. The circle and linked elements convey the sense of connection, continuity, and community that is at the heart of the Centre for Indo-Canadian Studies.”
While the centre is in its early stages, UCFV has been working for several years to forge closer ties with India and set the stage for research and studies into the unique experiences, needs, and history of the Indo-Canadian community.
UCFV has signed partnership agreements with several Indian universities.
The first Bachelor of Business Administration students enrolled in UCFV’s new India cohort, based at GGDSD College in Chandigarh, India, began studies this past summer.
Courses with an Indo-Canadian studies focus have been developed, and other courses are sometimes offered with an Indo-Canadian theme, along with Punjabi language courses.
UCFV has welcomed several scholars and special guests from or with ties to India, most recently the renowned author Shauna Singh Baldwin and visiting Mumbai University English literature professor Nilufer Bharucha.
UCFV professors have also travelled to India to present at conferences and visit partner institutions.
Learn more about the Centre for Indo-Canadian Studies at UCFV at www.ucfv.ca/cics .
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