Quilt of Belonging Launches Innovative New Website
IT’S HERE! Quilt of Belonging is excited to share the launch of its dynamic new website. Over a year in the making, this wonderful project was made possible by a $56,500 grant made by the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) in early 2015. Volunteers, web designers, writers, researchers, translators, and a graphic designer worked to create a website that continues to grow the Quilt on-line.
The OTF grant supported research to update cultural profiles for every world nation and all First Peoples in Canada and are now enhanced with photos and videos. New nations have become part of the on-line Quilt. The bilingual website also has specific data available in Mohawk, Ojibwe, Odawa, Cree, and Algonquin and Inuktitut for the Inuit cultures. Wonderful partners helped — The Native North American Travelling College, The Debajehmujig Creation Centre and The Canadian Ethnocultural Council.
“Quilt of Belonging brings us a message of unity and equality as Canadians,” said Jim McDonell, MPP for Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry. “It isn’t just an object of incredible beauty and the fruit of communities’ effort from across the country – it is a living testimony to the spirit that binds our country and our communities together. Through this OTF grant, Quilt of Belonging will be able to spread its message to a wider audience, who will be able to access Quilt cultural data, information and education resources, some in their own language. I am very pleased to see the Ontario Trillium Foundation continuing to invest in Quilt of Belonging – a tangible proof that Ontarians and Canadians of all origins, faiths and cultures are one”.
The grant allowed the Quilt to develop free on-line educational resources provide games, crafts and activities which are designed to be fun and relevant for students at all grade levels. Quilt of Belonging has long been included in school textbooks throughout Canada as educators have found it an effective tool for reaching youth with the messages of inclusion, acceptance, diversity, respect and belonging.
Viewers can learn, shop, donate, tour, catch-up on the Quilt’s latest news, or dialogue on the blog. Simply go to www.quiltofbelonging.ca or www.fibresdumonde.ca .Quilt of Belonging’s message remains “A place for all” and this new website made possible by Trillium reflects and expands that vision. There is something for everyone. It is accessible to everyone. And everyone is included!
An agency of the Government of Ontario, the Ontario Trillium Foundation is one of Canada’s largest granting foundations. With a budget of over $136 million, OTF awards grants to some 1,000 projects every year to build healthy and vibrant Ontario communities. www.otf.ca
Photo: (left to right) Linda McLaren, Mr. McDonell, Esther Bryan, Kevin Lamoureux,
Jane Rietze, Eric Locey
Contact Info:
Esther Bryan
Quilt of Belonging
613-347-2381
esther@quiltofbelonging.ca
www.quiltofbelonging.ca
