2015 RCE Saskatchewan ESD Recognition Event
RCE Saskatchewan held its 7th annual ESD Recognition Event on May 6, 2015, at the University of Saskatchewan. For the third consecutive year, RCE Saskatchewan’s patron, Her Honour Vaughn Solomon Schofield, the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan, joined Prof. Lyle Benko and Dr. Roger Petry, Co-coordinators of RCE Saskatchewan, in presenting award certificates to 24 deserving projects. The event began with welcoming remarks by Dr. Ernie Barber, Provost and VP Academic of the University of Saskatchewan followed by the Lieutenant Governor who delivered her guest remarks. Over the course of the morning a total of 54 representatives of the 24 projects came forward, giving a two-minute presentation on each project and accepting their award certificate. The projects covered a broad range of activities and took the form of both formal and non-formal education. Projects were undertaken by individuals, community groups, K-12 students, post-secondary institutions, not-for-profit organizations and a crown corporation/state enterprise. Following the award presentations several updates on new RCE Saskatchewan initiatives during the past year were provided including the Interdisciplinary Action Research Team (IdArt; co-coordinated by Nwakaku Okere and Minsoo Cho), the recently concluded 1st Annual Student Sustainability Expo (hosted by the University of Saskatchewan and led by Lee Garinger and Arkin Kauf of the RCE K-12 ESD Working Group), along with updates about RCE Saskatchewan's participation in the 9th Global RCE Conference in Okayama, Japan. The Lieutenant Governor was then presented with a gift: a basket made locally by a 101-year-old aboriginal woman. After lunch, a forum was held focusing on the role of Higher Education and ESD entitled Best Practices in Collaboration in Education for Sustainable Development with virtual participation from the UN University, the past Executive Director of AASHE, and representatives of 4 RCEs: RCE Grand Rapids, RCE Greater Sydney, RCE Greater Portland, and RCE Tongyeong. Attendees included senior leadership from the province’s post-secondary institutions along with morning participants able to stay for the afternoon forum.