EDUCATIONAL SESSION TRACKS

Beyond the Land Acknowledgement: Embedding Indigenous Perspectives into a Campus Tours Program

Nathan Herrington, International Student Recruiter and Advisor & Patrick Ray, Associate Int'l Student Recruiter/Advisor & On Campus Recruitment & Kirsten Molstad, Director, On-Campus Recruitment, The University of British Columbia

The University of British Columbia’s campuses are located on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the Musqueam and Syilx Okanagan Nations who have been stewards and caretakers of these territories since time immemorial To acknowledge and support this important role, UBC strives toward building meaningful, reciprocal, and mutually beneficial partnerships with the Musqueam and the Syilx peoples.

Land Acknowledgements are an important practice of recognizing the traditional people of a place while affirming their sovereignty and ongoing presence This practice should also be a catalyst for further reflection, conversation, and action

UBC is in the process of implementing an Indigenous Strategic Plan which provides guidance for action and a framework for reconciliation in a post-secondary context For many years, our Campus Tours program has been reflecting on how we can thoughtfully embed decolonial perspectives and conversations into our work.

This session invites those who are new to this journey and those who have more experience to share and learn together. It will be hosted by campus tours staff at UBC and will provide an overview of our learning so far and facilitated discussion about what these efforts can look like in different contexts.