Message from the Executive Director & Board Chair
ACIC Board Chair (23-24) Danai Bélanger and ACIC Executive Director, Jennifer Sloot
June 2024
This has been a time fraught with many challenges. We have witnessed growing global political turmoil that has continued to affect the most vulnerable among us. There are active human rights crises happening in Haiti, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ukraine, Gaza and in many other regions around the world.
At home, many in our community are navigating a cost-of-living crisis that has pushed the limits of organisations that support and advocate for the vulnerable in our communities. There are growing attacks on international students and immigrants and, for the first time in many years, Canada’s reputation as a global leader in providing education and immigration pathways to newcomers has fallen out of favour.
It is against this backdrop that we have implemented our programs and engaged with the sector over the last 18 months, and continue to shine a light on some of the amazing work that our members are doing in Atlantic Canada.
This report outlines the significant impact that we are making as a network, and tells the story of who we engage with and how. We are very proud of the results we have achieved, and thankful to the many staff, volunteers, members, students, youth and Atlantic Canadians that have contributed to this success.
One of our biggest projects over the past 8 months has been our strategic planning process. After many weeks of consultation, writing, planning, editing, and reviewing, we – and all of you –were able to come up with a strategic planning document that we can all truly be proud of. This plan represents all that we are and aspire to be and firmly sets our intentions for the upcoming period. Many thanks to all of you who were involved in some way. This document will ground us in our work as an agent for social change in Atlantic Canada.
We are finishing off the year with a greater certainty in our mission and our path. Thank you all for another amazing year. Thank you to our amazing members for continuing to support ACIC, and especially our communities across Atlantic Canada.
We acknowledge that we are in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq People.
Our Mission
The Atlantic Council for International Cooperation (ACIC) is a coalition of individuals, organisations and institutions working in the Atlantic region to build and model just, equitable and sustainable communities, locally and globally. ACIC connects leadership across generations by strengthening members and partners, bridging dialogue and building networking and learning opportunities. ACIC also represents and amplifies the voice of Atlantic Canada and connects the Atlantic with other provincial, national and international stakeholders.
Our Vision
Leaders of tomorrow partner with leaders of today for more just, equitable and sustainable communities.
Our Strategic Plan
Our activities and programs are based on our 2019-2024 Strategic Plan, which calls on us to:
Strengthen member and partner effectiveness, sense of community and peer learning;
Amplify voice and reach of Atlantic development sector within national development dialogues; and Strengthen youth leadership while building recognition of youth as global leaders.
This report showcases the impact of our programs and activities between October 1, 2022, to April 1, 2024. The financial statements cover the period between 1st April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2023, and April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024.
The Atlantic Council for International Cooperation gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Government of Canada provided through Global Affairs Canada.
Board of Directors
Eric Smith
Chair & Director-at-Large, Coady International Institute
Mica McCurdy
Secretary & NL Representative Marine Institute
Shelagh Savage
Treasurer & NS Representative
Fadi Al Qassar
Director-at-Large Venture 2 Impact
Eric Smith
Chair & Director-at-Large, Coady International Institute
Mica McCurdy
Secretary & NL Representative Marine Institute
Shelagh Savage
Treasurer & NS Representative
Fadi Al Qassar
Director-at-Large
Venture 2 Impact
2022-23
Danai Belangér
NB Representative
Memorial University of NL
Heather Dicks
Member-At-Large
Abdou Kanteh
Member-At-Large
Nova Scotia Gambia Association
Eliza Knockwood
PEI Representative
2023-24
Danai Belangér
NB Representative
Memorial University of NL
Heather Dicks
Member-At-Large
Abdou Kanteh
Member-At-Large
Nova Scotia Gambia Association
Eliza Knockwood
PEI Representative
Executive Director
Jennifer Sloot
Program Director
Lee-Anne Lavell
Programs Manager (Youth)
Jackie Dowling
Programs Manager (Internships)
Indigo Christ
Inter-Council Network National Program Manager
Solange Mudohogora
Membership and Operations Manager
Raushni Abraham
Finance Manager
Wissam Issa
Communications Officer
Mateo Gomez Angulo
Inter-Council Network Policy Officer
Judyannet Muchiri
Inter-Council Network Communications and Engagement Officer
Adam Khadiri
Provincial Coordinator - Prince Edward Island
Choyce Chappell
Special Events Coordinator & Provincial Coordinator - New Brunswick
Tedi Buffett
We also would like to thank our staff who joined us in various positions, bringing their experience, expertise and knowledge to their respective roles: (in alphabetical order):
Ghazoua Ouerghi-Saada
Jordan Smith
Kate He
Kayla Dunphy
Mizel Cluett
Saadia Ambreen
Sunzida Ali
Umme-Mim Mohsin
Zuby Ain-Sohail
The Atlantic Council for International Cooperation gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Government of Canada provided through Global Affairs Canada (GAC).
We are thankful to Canada Summer Jobs, the Nova Scotia provincial government and co-op placements for additional funding that helped us engage youth in various opportunities.
ACIC Membership
Our vibrant coalition of Atlantic Canadian individuals, organisations, and institutions are committed to creating a more just, equitable and sustainable world. Our members tirelessly work on achieving a peaceful and healthy environment, with social justice, human dignity and participation for all.
ACIC connects organisations, individuals, and allies committed to social justice and international cooperation. Our members have access to resources, collaborative opportunities, and a network of like-minded changemakers. Together, we’re building a more sustainable, equitable world. Whether they are a local or global organisation, our members are at the heart of creating lasting impact.
Individual Members
Amy Hsiao
Anne Gillies
Arielle Regan
Becca Bishop
Bobbi Zahra
Caleigh Wong
Catherine Ronahan
Claire Brierley
Darlene Doiron
Darlene O’Leary
Della Webster
Eliza Knockwood
F. Elaine MacEachern
Farzana Sohel
Haruka Aoyama
Heather Dicks
Jason Kontak
Jean McCardle
Jennifer DeCoste
Jennifer Elms
Jennifer Fox
Jennifer King
Jesse Lalonde
John Cameron Dale
Jonathan Ferguson
Joshua MacFadyen
Joy Hecht
Kat MacKay
Keith Forsythe
Kevin Deveaux
Kevin O’Shea
Keyshawn Bonamy
Leo Cheverie
Lindsey Edney
Louise Webb
Mohammad Mashrur Sakib Khan
Monica Boquin
Olaitan Onyebuoha
Olivia Allen
Peter Day
Prem Kumar SR Marisa
Rose Gyesi
Rosie Li
Sandra Juarez Reyes
Sarah Weston
Saurabh Kulkarni
Sean Kelly
Sean Wiebe
Seiku Diakite
Shelagh Savage
Suraj Baral
Susan Hartley
Teresa Lush
Umme Mim Mohsin
Valeri Pilgrim
Ying Hui Lee
Ying Zhang
Organisational Members
Atlantic Region of the United Church
Black Business and Professional Network NB
Breaking the Silence Maritimes-Guatemala Solidarity Network
Campbell Webster Foundation
Canadian Red Cross
Centre for Nursing Studies International Office/ Eastern Health
Coady International Institute
Community Forests International
Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq
Connecting to Africa
Conservation Council of New Brunswick
The Cooper Institute
Dalhousie University, Government and Global Relations
Dalhousie, Faculty of Agriculture International Office
Dalhousie, Global Health Office, Faculty of Medicine
Dalhousie, International Development Studies (IDS) Department
Development and Peace (CCODP)
East and Central African Association for Indigenous Rights (ECAAIR)
Ecology Action Centre
Engage Nova Scotia
Farmers Helping Farmers
GPI Atlantic
Help 2 Overcome Society
International Development Education and Awareness Society (IDEAS)
International Sustainable Community Assistance
Latin American Mission Program (LAMP)
Marine Institute International
Memorial University, Internationalization Office
Mennonite Central Committee
Mikinduri Children of Hope
Mount Allison University
NL Eats Community Outreach Inc.
NL Eats Community Outreach Inc., Newfoundland
North Star Skills for Development
Nova Scotia Community College, Centre for International Activities
Nova Scotia Gambia Association
ONE Global
Oxfam Canada
Pure Gold Foundation
Saint Mary’s University, International Development Studies Undergraduate Society
Saint Mary’s University, Global Learning and Intercultural Support Office
SE Impacting Lives through Opportunities (SEILO)
Tatamagouche Centre
University of New Brunswick, Renaissance College
University of PEI, ACLC
Venture 2 Impact
Wisdom2Action Consulting Limited
WUSC (World University Service of Canada)
Youth Art Connection
Youth Programs
ACIC has an integrated suite of public engagement activities that increase awareness, build skills, and equip youth with the tools they need to understand and influence the world as global citizens. Our programs are designed to have different entry points and a range of activities has been developed to attract youth of different ages and points of life, allowing us to build their awareness and skills along a spectrum. Many young Atlantic Canadians participate in more than one program, allowing them to deepen their knowledge and skills, and allowing us to see and understand their growth as active global citizens.
PhotoVoices
ACIC’s PhotoVoices Program enables youth to share the narratives they want to tell through photos, and connects youth from Atlantic Canada and the Global South in an experience of storytelling and skills building. This program provides them with a space to explore social justice, while learning from experts in the field.
From 2022 to 2024, ACIC partnered with organisations in Cameroon, the Gambia, Malawi, andNigeria to work with youth in Canada and each partner country. Using photography as a medium, youth shared their stories while learning about the realities of life in different parts of the world, making connections between local and global realities, and building teamwork, communication, critical thinking, and technological skills. 92 youth took part in the program from 2022 to 2024. For each PhotoVoices cohort, each group was asked to focus topics of their choosing, such as environmental justice, gender equality, social advocacy, among others.
For 10 weeks, participants engaged in a home-based creative inquiry process to explore perspectives related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and capture representative photo images. Images were shared during weekly group sessions among the entire group, followed by small-group discussions about those photos and the topic. Examples of session topics included: rights-based inquiry, ethical photography, brave spaces, SDGs, ethical sporting events, and youth engagement and mentorship.
Girls and women have the power to do something of value and both genders have to be treated equally. I really appreciate participating in this program. This program was an eye opener knowing that our country is not the only country where women and girls are of less value but through this program it helps us to know that we are valuable. I feel empowered to know that we can also do something [to change] our country. I would like to help other girls to feel empowered as well.
- PhotoVoice Participant
PhotoVoices has increased my determination to keep pursuing what [I am] passionate about, [while] knowing there are people out there who equally [care equally] about global issues.
- PhotoVoice Participant
I have learn[ed] how to deal with global issues, starting with myself and those around me. I have also learned good questioning skills and how to follow up on them for additional information.
- PhotoVoice Participant
2023 PhotoVoices participants in Nigeria.
Global Citizenship Certificate
The first step in changing the world is to understand it. The Global Citizenship Certificate encourages youth to explore connections to their local and international communities and empowers young people to act as effective global citizens through the lens of the Sustainable Development Goals. Through virtual workshops, volunteer placement, advocacy projects, and connecting with other youth from across the Atlantic, youth learned and practised being effective global citizens.
The success of the Global Citizenship program was evident in the program evaluation where 100% of youth surveyed indicated they felt motivated to take action on local and global issues after participating in this program.
From the [Global Citizenship Certificate Workshops], I have learned how we can implement gender equality into our daily life. I was assigned to a breakout room where I had a great discussion with other participants. One participant talked about clubs at their school that do events and campaigns to increase women presence in male-dominated industries, such as “Women in STEM,” “Women in Data Science,” and “Women in Business.”
- Global Citizenship Certificate Participant
I’ve learned ways we can contribute to the SDGs. I listened to a wide variety of perspectives in [Global Citizenship Certificate Workshops]. The discussions I had there really enriched my knowledge.
- Global Citizenship Certificate Participant
The two SDG workshops have definitely encouraged me to act for global/social change in my community. Both workshops covered important information such as “What SDGs look like locally” (workshop #1) where I’ve been inspired by local actions to make a difference in the community. [Global Citizenship Certificate Workshops] empowered me to be an effective global citizen who is aware of injustices in the world, advocating for human rights, and continuing to learn. After attending these two workshops about SDGs, I felt extremely motivated to take action in my community.
- Global Citizenship Certificate Participant
Professional Practice Youth Workshop
The ACIC Professional Practice Program invites post-secondary students studying social justice and international cooperation to participate in a knowledge and skill development workshop. ACIC’s workshops bridge the gap between knowledge and action by engaging students to foster skills, access resources, and build their knowledge around global issues, helping to build confidence to engage on these issues with their local communities. They also provide an opportunity to learn important skills and knowledge related to practice in the international and global cooperation sectors.
Since its inception this year, six post-secondary leaders have taken part in this vibrant knowledge and skills development workshop, to learn about the international cooperation sector and connect with sector experts.
IDW Youth Voices
Every year during International Development Week, ACIC provides funding to youth in the Atlantic region to host IDW events in their communities. Funding supports and celebrates local youth and community members who are using innovative methods to positively impact their communities, and creates opportunities for youth to gain skills in engagement, facilitation, and event planning.
Five youth designed and hosted their own engagement events across the four Atlantic provinces. Over 660 youth participated. These events included:
Shifting Narratives: We(llness) Embody (Wolfville, NS)
Feeding U & UR Family 2 – The Free Pantry Project (Carbonear, NL)
AHM Food Truck Event (Timberlea, NS)
Waves of Change (Wolfville, New Minas, Kentville, NS)
Darn! A Mending Party (Mahone Bay, NS)
Youth panel discussion: ACIC hosted an IDW panel discussion called “The SDG Way: Incorporating the SDGs In Your Career.” The panel included ACIC youth participants from past and current programs and explored how careers can be approached and developed with sustainability, global health, social justice, and equality in mind. Participants learned how to incorporate the SDGs in their chosen career, and learned why it is important for us to think as a global community, now more than ever.
Global Citizenship Youth Conference
The Global Citizenship Youth Conference has consistently been one of the most successful events for ACIC over the years. The conference is an opportunity for youth to get informed, get inspired, and take action on local and global issues in a safe and welcoming space. Participants from communities and cultures across the four Atlantic provinces meet and engage as a diverse group. This was an opportunity for youth to:
Connect with others who are committed to social justice and effective global citizenship.
Challenge systems and barriers that block change.
Create skills that foster personal, professional, and social change.
Identify actionable Change within their communities and circles.
In July 2023, the Global Citizenship Youth Conference was held at the Tatamagouche Centre in Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia. Forty youth aged 15-17 from the four Atlantic provinces participated, supported by a leadership team of five volunteers and two staff. Two youth storytellers (one videographer and one photographer) documented and shared their experiences through photography and film. Youth participated in workshops and training activities centred around global citizenship and international solidarity. Topics included: Intro to the SDGs; Youth Panel: Stories of Youth Engagement; My Intersectional Self; Social Justice & Mental Health; Decolonizing Gender; Avenues for Social Advocacy.
I wasn’t aware of the SDGs before coming to the conference, so it was really interesting to learn about all the goals and which ones I was already passionate about. It was also cool to see how they were all connected to each other.
- Global Citizenship Conference Participant
Participants from the 2023 Global Citizenship Youth Conference in Tatamagouche, NS.
Participants from the 2023 Global Citizenship Youth Conference in
I never knew about all the food and water issues that face Indigenous communities in the Atlantic region. I also learned about what all the SDGs are, which I had never heard of before coming to the conference. Coming to the conference has let me gain so much knowledge and gain new friends as well.
- Global Citizenship Conference Participant
Participants attending a workshop at the 2023 Global Citizenship Youth Conference in Tatamagouche, NS.
I learned about myself, the fact that I am able to be comfortable with anyone and I can do so much in my early youth years. So, this conference was part of me growing as a citizen.
- Global Citizenship Conference Participant
Tatamagouche, NS.
Youth Internships
The International Internships for Indigenous Youth (IIIY) program, co-implemented by ACIC in partnership with the Northern Council for Global Cooperation (NCGC), concluded five years of activities in April 2023. The program brought together a consortium of Indigenous and youth-serving organisations to provide opportunities for Indigenous youth aged 18-35 from across Canada to develop skills as global citizens through 3-month international internship placements. 99 placements were offered over the life of the program, including a total of 44 in-person and 55 virtual placements (as an adaptation to the COVID-19 pandemic).
Interns worked with partner organisations in seven host countries in the Global South: Cambodia, Costa Rica, Gambia, Guyana, Nepal, Kenya, and Myanmar. Through their placements, interns built and strengthened transferable skills, learned about key global issues, explored education and career pathways in the international cooperation sector, built confidence and experience in public engagement, and built networks in the international cooperation sector, and with one another, as a collective of youth leaders. Work placement themes included environmental protection work with a focus on water conservation and food security, women’s rights and gender equity work, youth empowerment, and peace-building. In April 2023, ACIC and NCGC hosted an alumni conference in Halifax that brought together 28 youth alumni from the five years of the program to share their experiences and connect with one another.
In February 2024, Global Affairs Canada announced funding for the 2024-2028 International Youth Internships Program, including a new partnership between ACIC and the Marine Institute of the Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, which will deploy 100 interns to complete placements in 15 countries over five years. This program will prioritize Indigenous, racialized, 2SLGBTQIA+ participants and youth who have experienced barriers to employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A special message/announcement of the fund was shared from the Minister of International Development, the honourable Ahmed Hussen.
Interns and staff at a community meeting with The Girls Agenda and host partner Nova Scotia Gambia Association.
I had many life-changing events happen [on this program] that I’m so grateful and blessed to have experienced. I had the opportunity to go to Kenya which helped me grow, and I now have an amazing connection with the people I stayed with and met there, which will last a lifetime. Through my Kenya experience I figured out that working with children and youth really is my passion, which without this trip I think I would still be searching [for].
- IIIY Intern
I hope that youth always feel encouraged to try [out] experiences like this because you never know if you are going to get accepted or not… Don’t be afraid to try new things, always keep your horizons open, have an open mind and accept new things.
- IIIY Intern
The IIIY program is an excellent program. I was surrounded by amazing peers and support staff. There are many social, professional, and educational benefits from this program, not to mention all the great connections and networking that are naturally included… one of the best programs I have ever taken part in, and I will never forget my time during this internship.
- IIIY Intern
It is empowering to be surrounded by Indigenous youth who aspire to be better leaders and strive for personal development. Being included in a welcoming environment that knows you are able to accomplish great things and foster confidence was a wonderful opportunity.
The internship program was absolutely incredible, and one of the best experiences of my life. I made so many connections and learned so much.
- IIIY Intern
- IIIY Intern
Interns on a field visit with host partners GPI Atlantic and Cambodia Volunteers for Society.
Networking & Capacity Strengthening
A critical component of ACIC’s work as a network organisation is to facilitate connections and collaboration among Atlantic Canadians in the international cooperation space and across sectors. This is achieved through public events, trainings, and dialogues at regional and national levels.
Annual Symposia
ACIC Symposia are rooted in fostering a learning environment through a combination of keynote sessions, panel discussions, workshops and opportunities for connection, that will strengthen individual and collective capacity to engage Atlantic Canadians on local and global issues at a time when global solidarity is challenged at every turn.
In October 2022, ACIC held its annual symposium hybrid/ in-person in Halifax, titled “Peace Through the Looking Glass: Reflections on Equity, Justice and Strong Institutions.” The symposium explored peace and its impact on justice, education, and environment, while also examining the role of institutions in peacebuilding. Participants from diverse backgrounds including academics, sector practitioners, youth, and advocates shared their experiences working towards peacebuilding.
Nobel Peace Prize nominee Irene Santiago delivered the keynote address, highlighting the role of women, both historically and in the current context as peacebuilders around the world. Symposium sessions included: a panel of youth peacebuilders for environmental action, a case study of effective collaboration approaches for civil society organisations, and participatory research methods for working with grassroots advocacy groups.
Through a facilitated Youth Stream, youth from the four Atlantic provinces connected with sector practitioners, engaged in peer discussion and learned more about the SDGs, and the connections across thematic areas of the conference. The youth cohort met as a group prior to, during, and after the Symposium to network, share ideas and reflect on learnings. In 2022, eight youth took part in the Symposium sessions, with four youth engaging as speakers or moderators.
“Moderating the Peace and Consumerism panel at the ACIC’s symposium helped me feel more confident about public speaking in a professional setting. Youth don’t often get a chance to lead a panel or be speakers at a symposium or conference. I am so thankful to ACIC’s community and staff for giving me an opportunity to improve public speaking through real-life experience and practice.”
- Symposium youth stream participant
Annual Symposium (2022) attendees participating in a workshop.
Peace & Environment panel at ACIC’s 2022 Annual Symposium in Halifax, NS.
Peace & Education panel at ACIC’s 2022 Annual Symposium in Halifax, NS.
In October 2023, ACIC held its annual symposium (hybrid/in-person) in Charlottetown, titled “The Cost of Change: Championing Social Justice, Health, and Well-being for All.” The Symposium theme explored the web of factors that shape our society, and the role money and resources play in both creating disparities and elevating poverty in the world.
Rabi Adamu Musa, Founder and CEO of the Mcrissar foundation, joined us for the keynote address, and spoke about menstrual health for women and girls in Nigeria and its connections to education and decent work, while highlighting the importance of building partnerships across sectors, both within Nigeria and internationally, to strengthen health systems.
Themes explored during the symposium included:
1) International Cooperation and the Cost of Power:
Speakers explored the connections between power, money and resources within the international cooperation sector, the ramifications of decreasing overseas development assistance and the importance of localisation for long term change.
2) Climate Change and the Cost of Action:
Speakers shared their work towards climate solutions in their contexts, including land-based perspectives on health, development of solidarity economy enterprises, and facilitating access to data for climate adaptation.
3) Decent Work and the Cost of Exploitation:
Speakers examined global labour issues focusing on migrant workers, the impact of gendered labour movements, and the disparity between minimum and living wage, considering these issues through the lens of decent work for all.
Five youth participated in the 2023 Symposium Youth Stream, and four continued to be actively engaged in ACIC programming later in the year, including one participant who attended the ECOSOC Forum in New York as a member of the ICN Youth Delegation.
“I’ve learned there are many youth across Atlantic Canada who are engaged, passionate, and hopeful about the future of our world. These qualities of fellow youth delegates brought a warm feeling to our interactions. I read recently that “..cynicism is a form of obedience..” I am very glad to say that my fellow youth delegates were not cynical but hopeful and wanted to enact policy-oriented solutions for our largest problems. I learned a lot about intercultural communications, newcomer resilience, and Canada’s place in international development. The Symposium made me feel more connected to the region and understanding the Maritimes’ relationship with Canada and the world.”
- Symposium youth stream participant
International Development and the Cost of Power panel at ACIC’s 2023 Annual Symposium in Charlottetown, PE.
Climate Action and the Cost of Change panel at ACIC’s 2023 Annual Symposium in Charlottetown, PE.
Partnership Enhancement Fund
The Partnership Enhancement Fund facilitates connections and enhances relationships between ACIC member organisations and their international partners by providing travel funding for the partner to visit Atlantic Canada.
Since 2022, ACIC has supported three organisations through this fund in two cohorts:
Cohort 1: LifeSchoolHouse
Veronica Escalante of Fundacion Share joined ACIC member LifeSchoolHouse for a gathering at the Coady Institute that brought together 18 ABCD (Asset-Based Community Development) practitioners from 10 different organisations across Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. Participants discussed their approach of sharing resources, knowledge, and tools that allowed both organisations to expand their work. Additionally, Veronica shared this model at the ACIC symposium in a Coffee & Chat which was attended by 45 participants.
Cohort 2: Venture 2 Impact and The Cooper Institute.
Fund recipients spoke at the 2023 Annual ACIC Symposium in Charlottetown, voicing their perspectives in the Atlantic Canadian international cooperation sector.
1. Venture 2 Impact utilised the fund to invite their international partner The Forest Stewardship Council-Indigenous Foundation (FSC-IF), based in Panama. Fredy Duque of FSC-IF spoke at the Symposium on the importance of Indigenous-led climate solutions and met with Venture 2 Impact team members to co-develop a skills-based volunteering program which launched in Panama City.
2. The Cooper Institute has been engaged with migrant worker issues on Prince Edward Island for 12 years. The Cooper Institute’s Gabriel Allahdua was selected to speak at ACIC’s Annual Symposium as part of the Symposium’s panel on decent work and economic opportunity. The panel explored the impact of extractive labour and capital exploitation practises around the world. Gabriel was selected in order to speak about his perspective on Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program and his advocacy work for improved working and living conditions for those brought to Canada through this program.
Network and Member Events, Trainings and Roundtables
ACIC recognizes the importance of accessing space to share the distinct perspectives of Atlantic Canadian partners to ensure they are heard and considered in national and international forums. ACIC invited key decision-makers to Atlantic Canada to hear from members and youth participants to issues most important to us as a region.
International Volunteer Day Event: Where Compassion Meets Solidarity
To mark International Volunteer Day on December 5th, 2022, ACIC organized a film screening and panel event at Halifax Central Library, in partnership with the Nova Scotia Department of Culture, Tourism, and Heritage. The event recognized and fostered connections between volunteers and community members in the Atlantic provinces and profiled Atlantic Canadian volunteers in a variety of contexts: humanitarian volunteer efforts in response to the war in Ukraine, disaster relief during the floods in Pakistan, and Indigenous youth volunteering with community-based organisations. The event featured a panel discussion and the screening of the short film ‘Ukraine: One life at a time.’ More than 40 people attended and engaged with panelists, curious about the ways they can volunteer and engage in their local and global communities.
SDG Week
In March 2023, ACIC was invited to join Minister Karina Gould, former Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, at a roundtable discussion hosted by Colleges and Institutes Canada to mark SDG Week. Panellists discussed challenges faced by youth and communities in education, engaging as global citizens, etc. ACIC staff member Jordan Smith discussed ACIC’s work with Indigenous youth to address the SDGs. More than 90 participants attended this virtual event.
Members’ Roundtable
In June 2023, ACIC hosted a roundtable with Patricia Peña, Assistant Deputy Minister - Partnerships for Development Innovation at Global Affairs Canada. ADM Peña later joined us for the opening address of our Annual General Meeting. The roundtable was an opportunity for ACIC members to discuss upcoming opportunities and priorities with Global Affairs Canada and share challenges and lessons learned. The stakeholder meeting was attended by 13 organisational member representatives, and 33 people attended the AGM.
Ministerial Roundtables
In March 2024, ACIC hosted the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development, for a series of sector meetings in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The three meetings engaged 11 youth participants and representatives from 15 member organisations, and provided space for ACIC members and youth to highlight their work and ask questions on key issues for Atlantic Canadians participating in the international development sector.
Two Member Meetings (Halifax, NS and Sackville, NB): ACIC members spoke about current issues in their work, including sustainable funding, Canada’s role in international cooperation and trade, the plight of migrant workers, Canada’s role in peacekeeping around the world, the need to include diverse youth in international cooperation and development efforts and the need to focus on climate change and its impact.
Youth Event (Halifax, NS): ACIC youth program alumni from across Atlantic Canada met Minister Hussen to discuss pressing concerns including the need to, and how best to engage both urban and rural youth, international student experience, immigrant and refugee settlement and global solidarity efforts.
Minister Hussen engaged in open dialogue with the various audiences and key messages were shared about the important work being done by Atlantic Canadians, both locally and internationally.
Networking Events
Networking meetings play a crucial role in bringing together ACIC members and those interested in international cooperation in Atlantic Canada. These events support relationship-building, information-sharing among sector stakeholders, while allowing members to profile their work and create increased opportunities for greater collaboration. ACIC has hosted 9 networking meetings in the four provinces – PEI (3), NS (3), NB (1) and NL (2). Themes included discussion of cross-sectoral issues such as localization and anti-racism, while highlighting the work of new and established members.
ACIC Member Spotlight: Connecting to Africa
Connecting to Africa’s mission is to facilitate opportunities for Nova Scotian organisations of African descent to engage in partnerships with organisations in Africa. These partnerships strengthen the transformation and expansion of capacities for Nova Scotians of African descent, as well as Africans on the continent. Connecting to Africa’s work is based on: 1. Actively participate in activities that promote a better understanding and analysis about Africa and share elements of African diasporic culture among community groups in Nova Scotia; 2. Support cross-cultural, educational and Africanetric development initiatives with organisations on the continent; 3. Promote learning projects designed to increase the capacity for Nova Scotians of African descent to engage in international development initiatives.
2023 International Volunteer Day Panel in Halifax.
ACIC Members meeting Hon. Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development in Halifax, March 2024.
ACIC Member
Spotlight: Venture
2 Impact
Venture 2 Impact (V2I) has delivered impactful and sustainable business and IT programs by leveraging the expertise of employees from Fortune 500 companies around the globe since 2016. Their work has helped NGOs and individuals, especially women and girls, unlock their potential through training, mentorship, and technical tool development in Asia, Europe, and Africa. V2I has connected over 20 NGOs with more than 250 volunteers, contributing close to 16,000 volunteer hours, and impacting more than 2 million people. V2I works alongside their partners and the local community to co-create impactful and long-lasting approaches to complex challenges.
Member Training and Capacity Building
A key role for ACIC is to develop a training and capacity building program that meets the needs of the sector. Our analysis process utilizes sector scans/surveys, engagement in external working groups, learning partnerships with sector experts, and strong monitoring protocols. This enables us to design effective interventions that include a wide and diverse range of tools and resources that elevates the work of our membership.
Media Engagement Training:
ACIC hosted a virtual media engagement training which explored how to use media to engage diverse stakeholders and create social impact. During this one-day training, participants learned how to leverage storytelling and social media outreach to connect with their stakeholders. Participants discussed social innovation, leveraging the power of stories, and creating content with a focus on measuring results. Eight participants attended from across Atlantic Canada.
Safer Spaces Dialogues:
ACIC’s Safer Spaces gatherings connect ACIC member organisations with communities to engage in difficult conversations for change. ACIC hosted a Safer Spaces dialogue for Anti-Racism at the Tatamagouche Centre in Nova Scotia in May 2023, facilitated by community leader Wayn Hamilton. The session used a rights-based approach to discuss anti-racism and the role of civil society organisations and individuals in anti-racism work within the sector and the wider community. 10 ACIC members and staff attended. Over the course of a year, with support from Wayn, participants then went on to implement anti-racism learning and activities in their personal and professional lives, and in their organisations.
“The diversity of staffing and membership makes this particular problem [addressing anti-racism] even more complex. And that shows up a little bit in the training that we did… because there were some people that were fully entrenched in this work on a more regular basis, and there were some others who were just coming into this for the very first time, recognizing that their own organisation needs a lot of work, but they were grateful and happy that ACIC was thinking about this topic in a way that it allowed them to be included.”
- Wayn Hamilton
Shirley Case Leadership Award
Created to honour the life of Shirley Case, a former ACIC intern who was killed in Afghanistan while working with the International Rescue Committee, this Award is presented annually to an individual in Atlantic Canada who has demonstrated a spirit of global citizenship in a local, national, or international capacity and who has helped create a more just and sustainable world. The Award alternates each year between significant achievement and emerging leaders.
In Fall 2022, the significant achievement award was awarded to Kathryn Anderson (right). Based in Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia, Kathryn has shown sustained dedication and engagement in the global cooperation sector and an intrinsic sense of volunteerism for over 30 years as a leader, educator, author, change-maker, retired diaconal minister of The United Church of Canada, and founder of the Guatemala Breaking the Silence Program at the Tatamagouche Centre.
In Fall 2023 the emerging leader award was awarded to Chanarae Turnquest (left) of Charlottetown, PEI. A recent Environmental Studies graduate from the University of Prince Edward Island, Chanarae volunteers with several civic organisations to promote global citizenship and support local-global initiatives in PEI. She is deeply passionate about engaging/empowering women: she is a Board Member of the Women’s Network and works as a Program Officer for the PEI Coalition for Women in Government.
ACIC Members and Staff in Tatamagouche, NS for an Anti-Racism Safer Spaces gathering, May 2023.
Leo Cheverie Significant Achievement Award
In October 2023, ACIC launched the Leo Cheverie Significant Achievement Award in recognition of the memory of Leo Cheverie, a past board member and friend of ACIC. Leo was a longtime social justice, environment, labour and global justice activist from PEI who truly exemplified a lifetime of consistent and significant contribution to global solidarity, volunteerism and activism. He was committed to working with others on economic equality and human rights as well as strengthening community. Leo held many volunteer positions with ACIC over the years, including participation on advisory committees, supporting our events, and on the board of directors. He served as ACIC Board Chair from 2012-2014. We deeply miss his guidance and how he brought his full commitment and knowledge to every role.
In recognition of Leo’s long association with ACIC and his dedicated engagement with the many local, regional and international organisations that form our membership, ACIC has established an award in his name. The Award recognizes community leaders who, like Leo, have made significant contributions to their local and global communities. The first call for nominations will take place in the fall of 2024.
Public Engagement & Activation
Public engagement enables individuals and organisations to move from basic understanding to deeper involvement and informed action on sustainable human development issues locally and globally. ACIC creates and maintains pathways for knowledge exchange and meaningful discussions on international cooperation in Atlantic Canada, leading to active participation and mobilization through tangible actions.
International Development Week
Together with our members, ACIC celebrated International Development Week in February. International Development Week celebrates the role of Canadians in building just, equitable and sustainable communities, locally and globally. Through a variety of events and activities, ACIC engaged over 10,000 Canadians in exploring the IDW theme, “Go For The Goals,” which emphasised the importance of working towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for all.
International Development Week 2023
ACIC partnered with the Coady Institute to host Reema Nanavaty, the Executive Director of Self Employed Women’s Association, to deliver the IDW keynote address, entitled ‘Voice, Visibility, and Viability: Path to Women’s Economic Power.’ Almost 100 people joined from around the world and Atlantic Canada to hear about SEWA’s work and Reema Nanavaty’s experience with women’s empowerment. SEWA is one of the single largest women workers central trade unions in India and has over 2.1 million women workers associated with it. Reema Nanavaty spoke about some of the issues surrounding women’s empowerment and the central role women can play to fight poverty and vulnerability.
ACIC also partnered with the IKERAS program (Faculty of Indigenous Knowledge, Education, Research, and Applied Studies) at the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) to present a screening and discussion of the film ‘The Ice Walk,’ in Charlottetown, PEI. The film was directed and produced by Eliza Knockwood, who graciously hosted the screening and the Q&A session. The documentary highlights the story of the journey that the Mi’kmaq people had to take across the ice from mainland Prince Edward Island, Canada to Lennox Island First Nation Reserve where the Mi’kmaq had been forced to settle, prior to a bridge being built in the 1970s. The event aimed to build relationships and trust between ACIC members and the Indigenous communities of PEI and raise awareness of Indigenous issues to those who live on PEI.
“I had done the water walk as a child, but doing it in the film was the first time the meaning to it was explained to me.”
- Film Screening Youth Panelist
In response to the widespread devastation caused by Hurricane Fiona in Atlantic Canada and especially Prince Edward Island in September 2022, ACIC hosted a discussion, led by Choyce Chappell, PEI Provincial Coordinator. The discussion focused on how PEI residents were affected by the hurricane and spoke about local readiness in communities to handle increasing natural disasters. This was linked with global climate change issues and how weather is affecting communities around the world.
Sobaz Bejnamin (middle left) and drummers performing during ACIC’s 2023 IDW event, ‘Film Screenings, Discussions & Development’ at the Halifax Central Library.
In Nova Scotia, ACIC hosted an evening of film screenings and discussions on international cooperation in partnership with the Halifax Central Library. Two films were screened to engage audiences on the topic of the SDGs for International Development Week during Black History Month. The films screened were ‘Race Is A Four Letter Word’ and ‘A Chocolate Farmer.’ The screenings were followed by discussion with expert speakers, including Sobaz Benjamin the director of Race is a Four Letter Word.
ACIC partnered with Youth Art Connection to host five Nova Scotian artists for an evening of musical performance celebrating art and community connections at the Halifax Central Library. The artists’ work represented a wide range of music, culture, and history and was interspersed with stories about their lived experiences. Over 200 people attended. The event showcased the intersections between art, culture and peace-building.
Throughout the weekend, ACIC hosted an information desk at the Halifax Brewery Farmers’ Market, the Saint John’s Farmers’ Market and the Antigonish Farmers Market to engage Atlantic Canadians in learning about global food security. The information stalls displayed posters to engage visitors about the importance of food security in our local and global communities.
We also ran a social media quiz highlighting food security issues in Nova Scotia and globally. 60 people participated in the quiz and took part in a random draw for market money to spend at their local farmers’ market.
ACIC’s information desk (left) at the Halifax Brewery Market, and Bucky Blanks (right) performing during ACIC’s IDW ‘Celebrating Culture and Connections’ event at the Halifax Central Library.
International Development Week 2024
Our keynote event, ‘Connecting to Africa in Global Solidarity’ was hosted in partnership with the Halifax Central Library and ACIC member organisation Connecting to Africa. The event celebrated African Heritage Month and International Development Week. African Nova Scotian youth spoke about their experience as international interns – how the experiences shaped them, helped them connect to Africa and Africentric values. Panellists spoke about how a pan-African worldview can inform a deeper global understanding through African-centred awareness, action and advocacy. The evening included drumming, music, presentations, and was well attended by youth of all ages.
This event also came on the heels of the announcement of $24.5 million in funding for the International Youth Internship Program, which provides international internship experience for youth across Canada, including a new partnership between ACIC and the Marine Institute of the Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador. A special message/announcement of the fund was shared by the Minister of International Development, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen.
ACIC hosted a career information night for university students interested in international cooperation, in partnership with the Canadian International Council and Saint Mary’s University in Halifax. This event began with a panel discussion featuring guests working in different aspects of international cooperation (trade, development, diplomacy), followed by a networking World Cafe. Panellists included Lyra S. Carr (United States Consul General Halifax), Christine Hanson (Regional Director of International Trade for Atlantic Canada, Global Affairs Canada), and Indigo Christ (International Youth Internships Program Manager, Atlantic Council for International Cooperation).
ACIC hosted two film screenings of ‘Mr. Toilet, World’s #2 man’ at libraries in Nova Scotia: The Shatford Library (Hubbards, NS) and Halifax Central Library (Halifax, NS). The documentary dives into the life of Jack Sim, aka Mr. Toilet, a man on a mission to revolutionise global sanitation, shedding light on a critical yet often overlooked issue affecting billions worldwide. ACIC member Ben John, Executive Director of Help 2 Overcome spoke about his work in plumbing and sanitation in Sierra Leone. Two representatives from the Mcrissar Foundation spoke about the importance of access to clean menstrual health and hygiene products in Nigeria and connections to water and sanitation.
‘Pursuing International Careers’ panel at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, NS.
Ben John speaking after a film screening of ‘Mr. Toilet, World’s #2 Man’ in Hubbards, NS.
In PEI, we hosted a film screening of ‘Gina’matimg: A Time of Learning’. Members of the community were invited to the screening and a talk with the film’s director and producer. Inspired by conversations with Elders in her previous work ‘The Ice Walk’, Eliza Knockwood’s newest work follows three Indigenous and one ally youth who seek knowledge from Epekwitk Elders and community allies to learn to survive from the land and turn reconciliation into reconcili-action. The talk focused on the importance of intergenerational wisdom sharing, and connecting to the land in acts of reconciliation.
At Dalhousie University in Halifax, and in partnership with Dalhousie University’s International Development Society, we hosted a panel discussion to understand parallels between the housing crisis in Nova Scotia and those around the world. Speakers included Dr. Catherine Leviten-Reid, a local affordable housing scholar and activist; Nomonde Gwebu, a lecturer and PhD candidate working on the housing crisis in South Africa; and Gabriel Alluduah, an author and activist working on justice for migrant workers. The event focused on the rise of blame on marginalised communities and ‘outsiders’ as the root of the housing problem, problems in housing faced in Nova Scotia, in South Africa, and with migrant workers, and initiatives led by organisations in Nova Scotia and South Africa which aim to address the issues.
We also partnered with the PEI Immigrant & Refugee Services Association to host an information session for newcomers. The small island community context makes the social dimensions of weather events difficult for (some) newcomers to navigate. ACIC’s PEI Provincial Coordinator held an information session where the discussion focused on parallels between the context on PEI and the attendees’ countries of origin, to strengthen participants’ storm preparedness in the local context.
Intern panel during ACIC’s IDW 2024 Keynote event, ‘Connecting to Africa in Global Solidarity’.
Members’ Public Engagement Fund
The ACIC Members’ Public Engagement Fund (MPEF) supports ACIC membership to adopt promising practices and innovative techniques for engaging Atlantic Canadians on global development issues. The fund allows ACIC members to explore innovative, creative and non-traditional approaches to public engagement, fostering deep learning that leads to informed action on local and global issues. Public engagement activities and events take place throughout the year, with many taking place during International Development Week.
Between 2022 and 2024, ACIC funded a number of projects through this initiative which were used to host innovative, diverse projects throughout the Atlantic region. Below are the profiles of a few of the organisations that received funding through this initiative:
The Black Business Professional Network (BBPN) is a volunteer-led community based organisation that aims to recognize, develop, and support members of black communities in business and professional sectors of New Brunswick. BBPN hosted a virtual conference titled ‘An empowered youth, a catalyst for future global economic leadership: Perspectives and the way forward.’ Activities included panel discussions with practitioners in the fields of inter national development, entrepreneurship, human rights, art and culture, with youth skills-building workshops in STEM, IT, Media, Communications, and Community Development. The conference offered networking opportunities, connecting youth with community organisations, and garnered 9,000+ interactions on social media.
Youth Art Connection (YAC) works with diverse, talented artists under 30 to help them build arts-based businesses and social impact projects. YAC organized an International Development Week activity that strengthened links between International Development Week and African Heritage Month, both of which take place annually in February. This concert and art exhibit at the Halifax Central Library profiled young African Nova Scotian artists and their roles in developing inclusive, safer, and sustainable communities. The event also provided an opportunity to network and understand how art and culture promotes peace and connection among communities locally and overseas. A diverse audience consisting of over 200 people attended.
In 2024, ACIC funded five organisations via the Public Engagement Fund during International Development Week. Together, they hosted 13 events, attended by over 950 participants across the four provinces. The events covered thematic areas of human rights, health, international cooperation, advocacy, youth engagement, global solidarity and more.
Public Engagement Fund Highlights:
Coady Institute’s online event, ‘Challenging Hegemony in International Development,’ highlighted the work of Coady’s Pathy Fellows. Each Pathy Fellow works on a community-driven initiative of their choosing for one year. During the online event, the Fellows shared their experiences working on these initiatives, including converting rickshaws from fossil fuel to electric power, initiatives promoting feminism, eradicating gender-based violence. The community-based initiatives took place in Pakistan, Nigeria and East Africa.
Renaissance College worked with an ACIC youth program participant, Srijain Shreshtha, to host a series of film screenings of ‘Poverty Inc.’ at high schools in the Fredericton area. The film screenings were followed by workshops and presentations on youth advocacy work with tips on how to create grassroots movements in the Atlantic Canadian context. These workshops were designed by Julia Fursova, PhD, Assistant Professor at Renaissance College.
Memorial University hosted seven public engagement events including a fair highlighting the work of local researchers to advance Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, a global opportunities fair, an online seminar on black women leaders’ experience, and a roundtable on Canada’s progress on Agenda 2030.
Venture 2 Impact’s one-day design thinking bootcamp was offered to 16 members of non-profit organisations in Halifax, Nova Scotia. One participant noted, “I didn’t realize how much of a design thinker I already was until taking this bootcamp. I definitely learned a lot about myself and my organisation’s capacity and impact after scrutinising it.”
Individual member events:
The Members’ Public Engagement Fund also supports individual members by providing funding to attend events, conferences and trainings. Individuals then return to their communities to share their learnings from these events.
Individual member Olivia Allen attended the UN 2023 Water Conference. With a background in water resources and environmental science, Olivia’s attendance of the conference was an opportunity for peer learning and dialogue with environmental stakeholders. Upon returning from the conference, Olivia hosted a small-group discussion at a virtual public event, allowing her community to learn from her experience.
National Partnerships
Inspiring Action for Global Citizenship
The Inspiring Action for Global Citizenship Program aims to promote awareness of global issues among the Canadian public and stakeholders across Canada. The program is implemented by the eight provincial and regional councils for international cooperation in their respective province or region. ACIC’s IAGC program works with civil society stakeholders in Atlantic Canada to foster leadership through policy dialogue, programming, and public engagement. The program leverages partner resources, expertise, and networks to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Further, it aims to inspire Atlantic Canadians, especially youth, as global citizens in order to enhance their contribution to Canada’s international development efforts towards gender equality, the empowerment of women and girls, reducing poverty and inequality, and the achievement of the SDGs.
Inter-Council Network offers national programs with local impact
The Inter-Council Network (ICN) is a coalition of the eight provincial and regional Councils for International Cooperation committed to global social justice and social change, currently hosted by the Atlantic Council for International Cooperation. Representing over 350 diverse civil society organisations, the ICN provides a national forum in which the Councils collaborate for improved effectiveness of the sector and identifies common priorities for collective action. The ICN currently has two initiatives funded by Global Affairs Canada: Spur Change and Funds for Innovation Transformation (FIT), hosted by the Alberta Council for Global Cooperation and Manitoba Council for International Cooperation respectively.
Policy Engagement
The ICN is deeply invested in an ongoing research initiative that seeks to create an enabling environment for sector members to effectively utilize decolonial, anti-racist, and feminist approaches in public engagement (PE). In October 2022, the ICN published a report focusing on better practices in public engagement in the international cooperation sector. This report, titled ‘Towards a More Decolonial, Anti-Racist, and Feminist Public Engagement,’ authored by ICN Policy Officer Judyannet Muchiri, focuses on social justice questions around equity and power.
Building on the work above, our new research looks at the challenges faced by sector actors in implementing these progressive approaches and aims to develop recommendations for policymakers.
The research adopts different data generation methods including surveys, interviews and focus groups. A large-scale survey was administered at the start of 2024 and provided useful insights for the next phase of data generation. Interviews and focus groups will follow and research findings will be shared later in 2024.
Spur Change
The Spur Change program is a five-year capacity-building and knowledge-sharing initiative that provides support for Canadian SMOs in the planning, implementation and monitoring of development projects.
Project goals:
1) Increase the effectiveness of SMOs in delivering sustainable results that support the Feminist International Assistance Policy and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals;
2) Increase the engagement of Canadians, particularly young people, as global citizens in support of the policy and the goals;
3) Foster knowledge-sharing between Canadian SMOs and their local partners.
Spur Sparks 2023 Conference Series:
The 2023 annual conference was held as a series of regional events to answer participants’ call for a space for deep, relationship-based exploration and peer knowledge-sharing. A total of 166 participants attended seven events.
Building equity (Resource Mobilisation for impact):
In collaboration with Change the Game Academy and JNClarke consulting, our latest training was rolled out with three asynchronous online units and in-person workshops across the country. A total of 154 participants from Small and Medium-sized Organisations took part.
Menu approach training:
Each council of the ICN hosted regional training based on the needs of their members and the public. 88 representatives from Small and Medium-sized Organisations took part.
Share & Learn (Global Citizenship Education Series)
:
Adopting a regional approach from the Spur Sparks series, a series of events were held in partnership with regional education leaders to better equip educators to engage students as global citizens. 106 educators participated in six events.
Youth Champions Program:
15 youth participated in the final cohort of the Youth Champions program, a nine-months-long peer-to-peer learning exchange between SMOs and youth in Canada and abroad. 16 public engagement activities were completed by the Youth Champions to engage Canadian youth on the SDGs. 22,949 people were reached through the Youth Champion-led activities.
By the numbers:
54
Atlantic-based participants took part in Spur Change activities throughout the year
15
Atlantic based SMOs participated throughout the year
190
Canadian SMOs reached in Y5
17
International SMOs reached in Y5
35
Other sector organisations reached in Y5
“As an organisation with local and international programming, the professional development activities we attended through Spur allowed us to align our program management processes and better manage our local programming.”
- Annual survey respondent
Fund for Innovation and Transformation (FIT)
FIT supports Canadian small and medium-sized organisations (SMOs) to test innovative solutions that advance gender equality in the Global South. The program is open to civil society organisations, social enterprises, post-secondary institutions and the private sector.
Since launching in 2019, the FIT program and team have made substantial progress in supporting the testing work of Canadian small and medium-sized organisations (SMOs) and their local partners in the Global South to advance gender equality. With over 50 SMOs completing their projects by the end of 2023, FIT has been facilitating knowledge sharing opportunities for SMOs to showcase their results.
“In the last five years FIT has developed a responsive program to support innovators. Canadian SMOs and their local partners have brought a renewed energy into the sector, demonstrating some amazing testing results. They’ve more than proven they have a unique role to play in international cooperation. In terms of Atlantic Canada, FIT has funded two organisations: Coady International Institute and Dalhousie University/Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace, and Security who have been active members of FIT’s Community of Practice, sharing results, learning and insight from their innovation testing.”
- Christina MacIsaac, Director of Innovation, FIT
ICN Youth Delegations
Each year, the Inter-Council Network selects delegates, representing the provincial and regional councils, to attend multilateral spaces and conventions to meet with policymakers and international changemakers.
In 2023 and 2024 two cohorts of eight youth delegates from across Canada attended the 67th and 68th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67/68) In New York City.
Youth play an integral role in the international community’s effort of achieving sustainable development and gender equality. With about 1.8 billion young people worldwide between the ages of 10 and 24, actively engaging youth in decision-making processes enables cross-generational collaboration to truly implement Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 17 – inclusive partnerships that collectively seek solutions that benefit our society, the planet, and its inhabitants. Strengthening cross-generational collaboration entails providing mentorship and education of youth, as well as valuing young people’s opinions and creative solutions.
Through engagement with global leaders and participation in high-level discussions, delegates developed a deeper appreciation of the complexities of international policy-making. Upon returning, the Youth Delegates participated in public engagement activities in order to reflect on their participation in events across Canada.
Although I was already aware that digitalization and technology aggravate inequality gaps and gender relations, attending a total of 21 conferences [during CSW67] allowed me to put clear sociological concepts on the fact that online harassment is the continuum of violence that happens in everyday life. The concrete examples that were put forward accurately demonstrated the major impacts on women staying away from technology globally. Indeed, women are underrepresented in the world of technology, and it was fascinating to see the many ways that women and gender minorities are organizing around the world to engage women and gender minorities as key players in various facets of security, awareness and organizing.
- Magalie Lefebvre, ICN Youth Delegate 2023
2024 ICN Youth Delegation and ICN Staff at CSW68 at United Nations Headquarters, New York City, USA.
Webinars
The Inter-Council Network is committed to creating space for important conversations to happen. With the understanding that open dialogues and discussions are crucial for global solidarity, ICN brings together people that are at the forefront of driving change to share lessons and insights from their work.
The ICN hosted three webinars during 2023 with a total reach of 234 participants:
- Global Youth, Global Voices: Fostering Equity and Justice in International Cooperation
- Global Solidarity in the Digital Era: Webinar Series
Communicating for Change
Navigating a Changing Landscape
International Development Week (ICN)
During International Development Week 2023, the ICN collaborated with the provincial and regional councils to produce a series of videos highlighting youth-led initiatives to address the SDGs. It is important to highlight youth voices who care deeply about the development of their communities, at home and abroad. Each council nominated two young people to film a one-minute video about the SDG(s) and their work. The video series was released online on February 7, 2023.
ICN IDW Cookbook - Recipes for Change
Food is interconnected with almost all aspects of society, including public health, the environment, the economy, and gender equality. During International Development Week 2024, we asked individuals across Canada how food connects them to global development and the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, and their visions of a better world. Recipes for Change is a collection of recipes and stories that explores the intersections of food, wellbeing, and community.
National Leadership
ACIC, through its connection with the ICN, is represented on several government civil-society working groups. These groups provide a space for civil society representatives to engage in policy dialogues with Global Affairs Canada, and are an outcome of Global Affairs Canada’s policy on Civil Society Partnerships for International Assistance.
The Task Force on Increasing Effectiveness (TaFie): TaFIE was created to enhance Global Affairs Canada’s engagement with partners and work collaboratively to reduce administrative burden in order to maximise the effectiveness of our international assistance.
The GAC/International Assistance Sector Partners Forum on Strategic Issues Coordination: This Forum provides a dialogue space to exchange on strategic issues of common interest being jointly identified and not being currently discussed in other existing partners’ forums.
Canadian Delegation to the High Level Political Forum: In 2022 and 2023, ACIC’s Executive Director was invited to be part of the official Canadian delegation of the HLPF, actively participating in pre-meeting consultation with civil society stakeholders, and taking part in the debrief/ closing session.
ACIC is also a representative of the ICN on the Grants and Contributions Transition Initiative (GCTI) partner advisory group. ACIC also engages in national and international spaces to bring forward the perspectives of Atlantic Canadian sector actors.
Building Climate Resilience in Atlantic Canada: Community Perspectives:
At the Together|Ensemble Conference in June 2023, ACIC spoke about investing in climate change adaptation in Atlantic Canada. Together|Ensemble is a pan-Canadian conference on the Sustainable Development Goals that brings together government, NGOs, academia, and industry representatives. ACIC’s PEI Provincial Coordinator Choyce Chappell spoke on a panel exploring how communities in Atlantic Canada can enhance their capacity to anticipate and respond to climate change and socio-economic resilience while leaving no one behind.
ACIC’s Executive Director, Jennifer Sloot (right), member of the 2023 Canadian delegation to the High Level Political Forum at United Nations Headquarters in New York City, USA.
Communications
ACIC’s communication channels are an important part of how we continue to connect with our network, introduce new programs and projects, and engage with our network on global citizenship education and sustainability.
ACIC’s website was re-launched in 2023 adding a new visual and structural design, and moving to a new hosting platform. This new website allows users to more easily access and navigate information on ACIC’s programs.
1,550 Newsletter Subscribers
10,000+ Website users
2,200 Twitter/X Followers
1,400 Instagram Followers
1,800 LinkedIn Followers
2,900 Facebook Followers
ACIC Committees
We would like to thank the following individuals and organisations for their support of ACIC through their voluntary committee work, constantly providing insight and knowledge that helps us realise our mission and goals.
2022-23
Governance Committee
Mica McCurdy
Eric Smith
Lee-Anne Lavell
Jennifer Sloot
Ad-hoc Nomination Committee
Eric Smith
Jennifer Sloot
Human Resources Committee
Eric Smith
Shelagh Savage
Jennifer Sloot
Membership Commitee
Fadi Al Qassar
Della Webster
Louise Webb
Jason Kontak
Saadia Ambreen
Governance Committee
Eric Smith
Lee-Anne Lavell
Jennifer Sloot
Abdou Kanteh
Haruka Aoyama
Ad-hoc Nomination Committee
Haruka Aoyama
Eric Smith
Jennifer Sloot
Human Resources Committee
Eric Smith
Shelagh Savage
Jennifer Sloot
Membership Commitee
Raushni Abraham
Abby Dooks
Della Webster
Louise Webb
Haruka Aoyama
Risk Committee
Heather Dicks
Bahar Haghighat
2023-24
Looking Forward: ACIC’s New Strategic Plan
Our Mission
The Atlantic Council for International Cooperation (ACIC) is a coalition of individuals, organisations and institutions working in the Atlantic region to build and model just, equitable and sustainable communities, locally and globally. ACIC connects leadership across generations by strengthening members and partners, bridging dialogue and building networking and learning opportunities. ACIC also represents and amplifies the voice of Atlantic Canada and connects the Atlantic with other provincial, national and international stakeholders.
Our Vision
Leaders of tomorrow partner with leaders of today for more just, equitable and sustainable communities.
Our Values
We aspire to be an organisation that not only addresses local and global challenges but transforms them. We embody the core values we believe are needed as the foundation upon which we build and model more just, equitable, and sustainable communities.
Who We Are
At ACIC, we are a dynamic collective. Our strength lies in the diversity of our community, each group contributing a unique perspective, experience, and passion to our shared mission.
As a coalition, we are made up of, and aim to consult, serve and impact the following groups, while also co-creating our work and imagined future together - they are our Communities of Focus.
Communities of Focus
Members: Members form a diverse and engaged community, bringing unique perspectives and experiences to the heart of our mission, and leading change initiatives all around the world.
ACIC Staff: Committed and skilled professionals, our staff members are the driving force behind the implementation and realization of our initiatives.
Board of Directors: Our Board of Directors comprises visionary leaders who steer our organisation with expertise, ensuring sound governance and adherence to our mission and values.
Our Five-Year Outlook
Youth & Program Alumni: Youth and program alumni actively contribute fresh perspectives and experiences, and embody the lasting impact of our programs on future generations.
Partners & Collaborators: Partners and collaborators play a pivotal role in fostering meaningful relationships and leading innovative endeavours.
Atlantic Canadian Public: The Atlantic Canadian public represents the broader community we serve, contributing to the collective effort of fostering justice, equity and sustainability both locally and globally.
Our work over the coming five years is focused on fostering just, equitable, and sustainable communities, both locally and globally. Guided by this vision for the present and the future, our core values will guide us in our relationships, planning, programs, and operations. Our strategic directions will be achieved alongside, and in service to our Communities of Focus and those centred in our work.
Financial Statements 2022-24
Statement of Financial Position
ASSETS
Current Cash and cash equivalents
Accounts receivable
Harmonized sales tax receivable
Prepaid expenses
Long-Term Investments
2024
$975,202
$27,011
$20,015 -
$1,022,228
$60,332
$1,082,560
2023
$948,621
$9,083
$25,827
$2,204
$985,735 $11,180 $996,915
2022
$583,200 $8,984 $473 $235 $600,892 $68,515 $669,407
LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS
Current Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
Employee deductions payable
Deferred revenue
Net Assets
Unrestricted net assets
Internally restricted net assets
$95,647
$29,850
$506,087
$631,584
$331,625 $119,351
$450,976
$1,082,560
$75,365 $43,732 $473,457 $592,554
$295,635 $108,726 $404,361 $996,915 $76,647 $765 $296,628 $374,040 $189,769 $105,598 $295,367 $669,407
Statement of Revenues and Expenditure
REVENUE
Project Revenue
Inspiring Action for Global Citizenship
Inter-Council Network
Youth Engagement on SDGs
International Internship for Indigenous Youth Spur Change
International Youth Internships Program
Other Revenue
Other Summer students 2024
EXPENDITURES
Project Expenditures
Inspiring Action for Global Citizenship
Inter-Council Network
Youth Engagement on SDGs
International Internship for Indigenous Youth Spur Change
International Youth Internships Program
Other Expenditures
Other Summer students
Excess of Revenue Over Expenditures
$623,275
$465,487 -
$197,004
$24,200
$15,358
$18,117
$10,094
$1,353,535 2023
$654,455 $459,722
$19,889
$489,630$17,259 $18,584
$1,659,539
2022 $444,973 $253,612 $80,105 $208,697 $6,638$22,546 $13,884 $1,030,455
$600,312 $445,839$197,004
$23,501
$17,722
$12,192 $10,350
$1,306,920
$612,467 $431,953 $19,899 $457,529$10,123 $18,584 $1,550,545
$419,996 $246,795 $80,105 $203,423 $5,927$18,117 $10,094 $1,353,535
$108,994 $43,186
Atlantic Council for International Cooperation 210-2099 Gottingen St., Halifax NS, B3K 3B2