In a move to take a stand against discrimination, the City of Kawartha Lakes has joined the Coalition of Inclusive Municipalities.
Kawartha Lakes Mayor Doug Elmslie said it’s important to be a part of the Coalition of Inclusive Municipalities, an initiative that fosters diversity, equality, and inclusivity across Canadian municipalities.
“Kawartha Lakes is committed to the fight against racism and discrimination,” said Elmslie in a news release.
“We hope that our commitment will inspire other municipalities to follow suit and collaborate in promoting inclusive communities and equality for all,” Elmslie added. “We eagerly look forward to sharing updates on the initiatives and events organized by our municipality with the coalition.”
Earlier in December, the Canadian Commission for United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) congratulated Kawartha Lakes on joining the coalition.
Uniting with 110 municipalities across Canada including Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes is part of the International Coalition of Inclusive and Sustainable Cities, an initiative launched by UNESCO in 2004.
VIDEO: Coalition of Inclusive Municipalities
As a member, Kawartha Lakes now has access to a network of Canadian municipalities that can help to identify tools, best practices, and resources for combating discrimination, the municipality noted.
“This will contribute to our role as policy maker and guarantor of human rights,” reads the news release.
Earlier this year during a Kawartha Lakes committee meeting, Christine Briggs, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility partner, shared a report requesting council give authorization for the mayor to sign the declaration to join UNESCO’s Coalition of Inclusive Municipalities.
The Coalition of Inclusive Municipalities said its member communities advance initiatives to improve their practices to promote social inclusion, establish policies to eradicate all forms of racism and discrimination, and promote human rights and diversity.
“Because it values and respects all its members, an inclusive municipality builds a society without fences, where everyone has an equal chance at participating in its economic, political, social, cultural, and recreational life, and to thrive there,” the coalition noted on its website.
Coalition members can share their experiences and undertake initiatives together to eliminate all forms of discrimination.
Learn more about the Coalition of Inclusive Municipalities on the Canadian Commission for UNESCO’s website.
