Protocol Agreement Signed by Rick Hansen Foundation and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami

“The 25th Anniversary of the Man in Motion World Tour is providing our Foundation with a unique opportunity to build partnerships with organizations that share our vision of a healthier and more inclusive world,” said Rick Hansen.   “The steps we have taken today with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami lead us closer to achieving this goal, and we are honoured to be working together to inspire and foster leadership among youth who have the power to be difference makers in their own community, and engage ITK our activities in a way that respects Aboriginal languages, traditions, protocols and cultures.”  

 

As the first agreement of its kind to be signed by the RHF and an Aboriginal organization in Canada, the Rick Hansen Foundation and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami will seek out opportunities to work in a cooperative and mutually supportive manner on initiatives related to Inuit youth; accessibility and disability; inclusion; Inuit education; health & wellness, including Inuit mental health as a priority; and sustainability.  

 

“I am very excited about this partnership,” said national Inuit leader Mary Simon, President of ITK. “Rick Hansen’s Man in Motion cross-Canada tour inspired me 25 years ago, and gave me hope that anything is possible when you put your mind to it. I’m honoured to be signing this protocol today on behalf of the Inuit of Canada. It’s my wish that our Inuit youth will be inspired and dare to dream big. With this protocol agreement ITK and the Rick Hansen Foundation want to energize our Inuit regions to take positive actions, and make healthy life choices to improve our own lives and our communities.”

 

The protocol agreement is built upon the three main themes that drive the vision of the Rick Hansen Foundation - Healthy Planet, Healthy People and Inclusive Society.  As the national voice for Inuit, ITK represents and promotes the interests of Inuit on a wide variety of environmental, social, cultural, and political issues and challenges facing Inuit on the national level .

 

RHF and ITK are currently working together on the Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Relay which began on August 24, 2011, through the engagement of the medal bearers from Inuit Nunangat (the four Arctic regions) who are being recognized through their participation in the Relay as part of the 7000 Canadian Difference Makers who are being honoured for the impact they are having in their communities, and in the lives of others.

 

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, formerly Inuit Tapirisat of Canada, is the national voice of 55,000 Inuit living primarily in 53 communities across the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (Northwest Territories), Nunavut, Nunavik (Northern Quebec), and Nunatsiavut (Northern Labrador), land claims regions.

 

 

For more information please contact:

 

John Gibson RHF Media Relations Rick Hansen Foundation tel:1-604-644-0811 e-mail: jgibson@rickhansen.com

Stephen Hendrie Director of Communications Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami tel: 613-277-3178 e-mail: hendrie@itk.ca