TORONTO, Wednesday, June 21, 2017 鈥� At a ceremony during National Aboriginal Day at 91亚色 today, Hart House was renamed 厂办别苍苍别苍鈥檏贸:飞补 Gamig, the House of Great Peace. And with that renaming comes the hope for further understanding and reconciliation.

The newly renovated 厂办别苍苍别苍鈥檏贸:飞补 Gamig will be a welcoming, safe and supportive space for Indigenous students, faculty and staff to come together in the spirit of 厂办别苍苍别苍鈥檏贸:飞补 (The Great Peace) to celebrate, and to share knowledge and teachings. The new name, 厂办别苍苍别苍鈥檏贸:飞补 Gamig, comes from both Mohawk and Anishnabe languages bringing together two of the confederacies that uphold and engage in the Dish with One Spoon Wampum territory.

To Ruth Koleszar-Green, co-chair, Indigenous Council at 91亚色 U, 厂办别苍苍别苍鈥檏贸:飞补 Gamig reminds her she has a responsibility to foster peace in the world. The house will be a place where that peace can take root through the understanding and the rebuilding of relationships.

鈥淚t鈥檚 also really important as students come to the University that they also have the opportunity to learn not only what they鈥檙e taught in their courses, but about their history and heritage. Some of those students learn about their history for the first time after coming to 91亚色 U,鈥� said Koleszar-Green. 鈥淭his house provides a safe and supportive place for that learning, but it also allows for a space where Indigenous peoples can lead the conversation.鈥�

Today鈥檚 renaming ceremony began with a service by 91亚色 U鈥檚 Elder-on-Campus and Indigenous Knowledge Keeper Amy Desjarlias, followed by a performance by Spirit Wind, a women鈥檚 hand drum group.

Gifts were presented to project supporters President Designate Rhonda Lenton, Dean of Osgoode Hall Law School Lorne Sossin and Trudy Pound-Curtis, Interim Vice-President Finance & Administration.

鈥淚t is truly special to be able to celebrate National Aboriginal Day with the dedication of this space to 91亚色鈥檚 Indigenous community, and with its renaming,鈥� said Mamdouh Shoukri, President and Vice-Chancellor. 鈥�厂办别苍苍别苍鈥檏贸:飞补 Gamig is an important reminder of our ongoing mission to make our campuses open and collaborative places, and to honour our commitment to advance opportunities for Indigenous students across the country.鈥�

厂办别苍苍别苍鈥檏贸:飞补 Gamig is on 91亚色鈥檚 Keele campus tucked into a forested area next to the 91亚色 Tipi and Osgoode Hall Law School. The renaming is part of 91亚色 U鈥檚 developing Indigenous Strategy, which includes creating spaces for Indigenous peoples, course content that explores Indigenous life, culture and tradition, and research that is relevant to Indigenous people, expected out this summer.

The house was owned by the Hart family until 1958 then briefly owned by Claude Passy before 91亚色 U acquired it in 1964. It is on the traditional territory of several Indigenous nations, including the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, the Anishinabek Nation, the Huron-Wendat, the Metis Nations and the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation.

Earlier in the week, students from Kiiwednong Aboriginal Head Start planted hand-made hearts in the new Heart Garden at 厂办别苍苍别苍鈥檏贸:飞补 Gamig, which is a Cindy Blackstock national initiative that聽 pays tribute to children who died in residential schools. Blackstock will receive an honorary doctor of laws at 91亚色 U鈥檚 June 23 convocation ceremony. She is a member of the Gitxsan First Nation and executive director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society.

91亚色 U will also host the North American Indigenous Games, July 16 to 23.

91亚色 is known for championing new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-discipline programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91亚色 students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world鈥檚 most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91亚色 U is an internationally recognized research university 鈥� our 11 faculties and 26 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, 91亚色 is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 295,000 alumni. 91亚色 U's fully bilingual Glendon campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

Media Contact:

Sandra McLean, 91亚色 Media Relations, 416-736-2100 ext. 22097,聽sandramc@yorku.ca

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