Harmony Movement » Press

Harmony Award Banquet

jennifer — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:06:32 +0000

Prestigious Awards Banquet pays homage to MTV icons and celebrates diversity amongst education and media.

Diversity Education Leader Harmony Movement honors social justice activists Sol Guy and Josh Thome of MTV Series “4Real”, at annual awards banquet October 29^th, 2009.

Toronto, October 29, 2009: The annual Harmony Awards Banquet, which recognizes leaders in the areas of diversity, activism and education, will take place on October 29^th 2009 at Arcadian Court, in Toronto Ontario. The event, which provides scholarships to ten exceptional students across Canada, honors an outstanding educator and will present a special award to the MTV series “4Real” co-founders Sol Guy and Josh Thome. The banquet is the organization’s main fundraising initiative and has presented the coveted Harmony Award to past honorees such as Roméo Dallaire and Steven Lewis.

This prestigious event attracts over 400 attendees every year including government officials, as well as community partners and leaders within Toronto’s education system. “We wanted to recognize and celebrate students, educators and activists that were making an impact in their immediate communities and around the world”, says Executive Director Cheuk Kwan. “The Harmony Award gives us that opportunity, at the same time providing a platform for meaningful exchanges amongst all those who are committed to diversity in education”.

This year’s event will be hosted by a surprise celebrity host and includes performances by Juno-nominated singer Zaki Ibrahim and international artist Waleed Kush. Silent Art Auction and Dinner is included. Tax receipts will be provided.

Press passes are available upon request

For more information about the Harmony Awards Banquet or to purchase tickets, visit: www.harmony.ca

WHAT: Harmony Movement Awards Banquet

WHEN: Thursday, October 29, 2009: 6pm Reception, 7pm Ceremonies Commence

WHERE: Arcadian Court, Simpson Tower, 401 Bay Street, Toronto ON

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Harmony Movement facilitates diversity and equity education programs in schools and communities across the GTA and southern Ontario, that promote inclusion by educating and empowering youth. Harmony Movement delivers more than 100 diversity initiatives and works with thousands of young people every year.

www.harmonymovement.ca

Based in Vancouver, 4REAL uses the power of the media to inspire young people both in Canada and around the world to take action for positive social change. 4REAL has become a global force with Canadian roots. The TV series now airs in 166 countries and 34 languages. In 2008, Sol and Josh became the first Canadians to receive the National Geographic Emerging Explorers Award for their work.

www.4real.com

For media inquiries and further information please contact:

Munira Ravji, Press Coordinator

647.403.7042 or at press@bene-fete.com

Grange Avenue film wins award

nana — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 19:10:59 +0000

Grange Avenue, the award-winning short film by Allan Tong, has been awarded the Dramatic Prize at the Motorcity International Film Festival (www.motorcityfilmfest.com) in Detroit. The festival will screen the film on Saturday, August 15 at noon, at the Motor City Casino Hotel.

Grange Avenue tells of a forbidden love affair between a male Chinese immigrant and a white woman set in 1954 Toronto. Harmony Education Foundation is proud to be one of the sponsors of the film. To find out more about the film click here.

Toronto Star honoured for its diversity efforts

ryan — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 06:38:33 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TORONTO, October 25, 2007 – Star honoured for its diversity efforts Harmony Award given for `framing issues, championing solutions’ Robyn Doolittle Staff Reporter After more than a century of fighting for social justice, the Toronto Star has been named as this year’s Harmony Award winner. “We are very proud to be honoured by Harmony, an organization whose mission and mandate is aligned with the best traditions, values and aspirations of the Toronto Star,” said publisher Jagoda Pike, who along with editor-in-chief Fred Kuntz, accepted the award at a banquet last night. “The Star will soon celebrate its 115th birthday and throughout that time it has been a fierce advocate for social, economic and political reforms that work against injustices of all kinds.” “Our continuing vision at the Star, set by our first publisher, Joseph Atkinson, is a nation where harmony and equity are our hallmarks, a 21st-century Canada in which diversity is celebrated and discrimination denounced.” Since its inception in 1994, the Harmony Movement has laid out three objectives for change: launch an education and awareness campaign in the country’s schools; be a strong voice for tolerance when tensions arise; reward those individuals and organizations that consistently promote and uphold the organization’s values. “As someone who grew up in this city, I’ve been reading the Star for 55 years,” said Gordon Cressy, one of Harmony’s co-founders. “I still get it delivered every morning. The Star has always framed the issues and then helped champion solutions. And not just in the stories they’ve told, but the people they’ve hired. I guess it’s all part of the Atkinson legacy around justice.” Cressy, joined by two other Toronto activists, Dr. Joseph Wong and Mary Anne Chambers, who later became an MPP, formed the Harmony Movement. “Since then, we’ve made big strides in Ontario,” said Cheuk Kwan, who has been Harmony’s executive director since 2000. “We’ve gotten away from the simple black vs. white issue here, and now we’re dealing with a post-modern multiculturalism problem.” One of the most prevalent issues on the table today deals with loyalty to Canada versus to someone’s home country, said Kwan. “And this debate raises the question, what exactly are `Canadian values.’” Sexual orientation, gender, disabilities, culture and ethnicity are topics young people in classrooms across the country are addressing, thanks to Harmony. Programs such as Generation Girl, a six-week program designed to get girls in grades 6 and 7 talking about their identity and media influences, and the Harmony Youth Council, which focuses on getting youth to take an active role in bettering their communities, are just two of the ways Harmony is working to create a more inclusive Canada. Harmony has also positioned itself as a strong voice against intolerance, as well as rewarding individuals and organizations that work to uphold its values. Last night the Toronto Star was awarded the Harmony Award for its continuous work to break down diversity barriers in Canada. Past award winners include Stephen Lewis and former Star columnist Michele Landsberg, June Callwood, and Temple Har Zion and Islamic Ja’affari Centre. Kuntz said the paper’s ongoing tradition of fighting for individual and civil liberties has been reflected in the recently launched magazine, Desi Life, which focuses on issues central to the GTA’s South Asian community, a Canada Day series that asked young Canadians “what does being Canadian mean to you?” and the groundbreaking investigation into police racial profiling. “The Star’s coverage has been on the forefront of these issues,” Kuntz said. “It’s part of the reason why we’re the most successful newspaper in the country.” For further information, contact: Cheuk Kwan 416-385-2660 (Harmony Movement) / 416-804-1527 (cell)