NEWS - SVNH Awarded City of Vancouver 2010 Cultural Harmony Award

Every year the City of Vancouver honours individuals and/or organizations for outstanding contributions toward promoting cultural harmony in the City of Vancouver. This award program, established in 1996, is sponsored by the City, the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation and the City’s Special Advisory Committee on Cultural Communities and recognizes innovative work related to diversity that is being done in our community.

Building on the belief that diversity is a source of strength, vitality, and prosperity the Cultural Harmony Awards recognize individuals and organizations that display a significant and sustained commitment to the promotion of cultural harmony in Vancouver. The judges consider the process, subject and/or effect the recipient has initiated to improve understanding, acceptance and positive relations among people of different backgrounds – cultural, ethnic, gender, age, economic class or any other cultural identification.

Organizations were judged on the range of activities and breadth of influence or inspiration the achievement has on people, organizations or the community; the significance of the achievement itself; the impact for potential fundamental and lasting positive change; and the manner in which the activities were performed, for example, through creativity or the use of innovation, consultation and collaboration.

Vancouver City Council and Mayor Gregor Robertson recognized SVNH at a Council meeting with a framed plaque on November 16, 2010.  Two days later recipients were also honoured with a smaller plaque and a tree planted in their name in the Park Board’s Cultural Harmony Grove on the south shore of False Creek, located east of Burrard Marina. 

It is a great honour to have received this award, one that we will always appreciate, respect and try to live up to in the future.  We appreciate the work of our staff, board and especially volunteers who help contribute to our success.

Our thanks to Rod Raglin at the East Side Revue for this picture and contribution to the article.