Harmony Awards

Harmony Movement is proud to recognize outstanding individuals and organizations who are doing amazing work to promote equity and diversity in their communities and in the classroom.

This award is presented to an individual or organization that has made significant contributions in the promotion of harmony, diversity and equity in Canada. Past award recipients include Jessica Yee, Roméo Dallaire, The Toronto Star, Stephen Lewis and Michele Landsberg.

The award is given annually in recognition of an individual or organization who has made a significant contribution towards eliminating barriers to diversity in Canada. Award recipients are leaders in Canada who have a commitment and have worked tirelessly to enrich the diversity of our country. The award is presented annually at the Harmony Award Banquet.

Eligibility of Nominees – Any Canadian individual, organization, group or business may be nominated for the award. Candidates could include, but are not limited to, educators, writers, community workers, artists, service clubs, social action groups, multicultural organizations, schools, media, businesses, professional organizations, coalitions. Successful candidates must agree to be publicly acknowledged and to be present at the annual Harmony Awards to receive the award.

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This award recognizes an individual or group of youth that have been inspired by Harmony Movement programming to end discrimination and inequity in their school or community by taking action to create safer more inclusive spaces. Award winners receive a grant to do future social justice work.

The Harmony Social Changemaker Award recognizes an individual or group of youth who have participated in Harmony student programming and are doing amazing work in equity and social justice in their schools and communities. Award recipients have taken action to counteract discrimination, bullying or other areas to create a safer, more inclusive society and have plans to make further social change.  Award winners will be granted $1000 to be used towards a future proposed event/initiative as outlined in the application that works to combat discrimination.  The award will be presented at the Harmony Award Banquet.

Eligibility  – Any youth or group of youth who have participated in Harmony Movement programming, who have successfully ran initiatives or events in their school or community to promote diversity, equity and inclusivity.  Award winners will include a proposal for future events and/or initiatives they will use the award money toward.  Successful candidates must agree to be publicly acknowledged and to be present at the annual Harmony Awards to receive the award.

The Harmony Educator Award recognizes a front-line teacher who courageously demonstrates his/her passion and commitment to inspiring and educating our youth to be leaders for social justice and change.

The Harmony Educator Award is presented to a “front-line” educator (such as a teacher) who has day-to-day and direct interaction with the student community,  in recognition of their exemplary achievements in promoting diversity in both their schools and their communities. This year, the award has a specific focus on those championing anti-racism and mental health work.

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The Mary A. Samuel Harmony Leadership in Education Award pays tribute to an educator in an administrative or research and academia role who has made significant contributions in advancing equitable and inclusive education during his/her career.

The Mary A. Samuel Harmony Leadership in Education Award is presented to an educator who is in an administrative role (such as a principal, equity officer, trustee, etc.) or in research and academia, in recognition of their exemplary achievements in promoting diversity in their school/board and community.

The Harmony School of the Year Award is presented to an elementary or secondary school that has completed one or more of Harmony’s student leadership programs and has been actively engaged in promoting diversity, equity and inclusivity within the school and its surrounding communities.

The Harmony School of the Year Award is presented annually to an elementary or secondary school that has completed the Harmony Diversity Leadership Certificate Program (DLCP), or the Equity Leadership Training Program (ELTP) within the past school year, in recognition of their exemplary achievements in going above and beyond the training to promote diversity, equity and inclusivity in both their schools and their communities.

This award recognizes an individual in a community setting who has demonstrated significant commitment to advancing equity, diversity and social justice through educational and community engagement activities. The “community” includes members and staff within an organization (workplace community), people receiving services, participants of a community program, and stakeholders and community members at large.

Consistent with our Social Changemakers philosophy, recipients of the Harmony Educator Community Award have demonstrated: (1) a commitment to social justice and change; (2) the ability to engage diverse groups and communities around common issue or goal; (3) the use of creative and innovative methods to deliver the message.

The Harmony School of the Year Award is presented annually to an elementary or secondary school that has completed the Harmony Diversity Leadership Certificate Program (DLCP), or the Equity Leadership Training Program (ELTP) within the past school year, in recognition of their exemplary achievements in going above and beyond the training to promote diversity, equity and inclusivity in both their schools and their communities.