You are invited to attend Wellness Matters – A Dialogue on Connection, Belonging and the Power of Well-being on Wednesday, October 12, 2016 from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. at the Victoria Conference Centre. Join moderator Mayor Lisa Helps and panelists Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi and Khalil Shariff, CEO of the Aga Khan Foundation Canada for a conversation that promises to be informative, inspiring and interactive!

What makes us happy? What makes us well? What kinds of communities and connections do happy, well people create together? And how can we create and nurture the habitat for happiness and well-being in our communities? These topics and more will be explored on a local and global scale.

Following the panel discussion, participants will have the opportunity to ask questions, engage with one another, and share their thoughts on sounding boards. This creative input will be compiled to create a “crowd-sourced” well-being handbook that will be made available by the event’s partner agencies.

About the Panelists

Mayor Naheed Nenshi is currently serving his second term and is Calgary’s 36th mayor. During his first term in office, Mayor Nenshi’s leadership resulted in many positive changes to build better communities, keep Calgarians moving, and transform government to reinforce a culture of constant citizen-focused improvement at the City of Calgary. His passion is to make cities, especially Calgary, work better.

To support community wellness, the City of Calgary invested $70 million towards establishing the Genesis Centre of Community Wellness, which opened its doors in 2012 and houses branches of the Calgary Public Library and YMCA Calgary, a human and social services centre, indoor and outdoor sports facilities and community gathering places.

Khalil Shariff joined Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC) as Chief Executive Officer in August 2005. He was previously with the Toronto office of McKinsey & Company, an international management consultancy. Mr. Shariff served on AKFC’s National Committee for five years and has cultivated his interest in international development and conflict resolution through activities including Deputy Editor-in-Chief for the Harvard Negotiation Law Review; Policy Coordinator and Research Associate for the Harvard Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research; and Legal Intern for the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in Arusha, Tanzania.

Established in 1980, the Aga Khan Foundation Canada is a registered Canadian charity and an agency of the worldwide Aga Khan Development Network, a group of development agencies with individual mandates that address social, economic and cultural dimensions of development. Active in 30 countries, these agencies share a mission to improve living conditions and opportunities for the poor, without regard to their faith, origin or gender.

Community Partners

Wellness Matters – A Dialogue on Connection, Belonging and the Power of Well-being is hosted by the Victoria Foundation with support from the City of Victoria, Canadian Club of Victoria, Canadian Diabetes Association, Downtown Victoria Business Association, Heart Pharmacy and Fort Properties Ltd. Each of the community organizations works to increase the well-being of citizens and create community connection and belonging.

This year, the Victoria Foundation is celebrating its 80th anniversary and will publish its 11th annual “Victoria’s Vital Signs”. The publication is a community check-up that evaluates the Capital Region as a place to live, learn, work and grow, and measures the health of our city, assigning grades in a number of areas that are critical to Victoria’s vitality. A community foundation and a registered charity, the Victoria Foundation connects visionary donors with causes that truly matter, to invest in people, projects and non-profit organizations that make our communities stronger – now and for the long-term.

Pre-Registration
Pre-register early to attend the event as seats are limited. Tickets are free and can be obtained through Eventbrite in advance.

Complimentary refreshments will be provided. For more information, visit: www.victoria.ca