On 3 May, 2023, RCE Saskatchewan held its 15th annual ESD recognition event, where it honoured 34 sustainability projects - a record number for the event. The awards were created to honour sustainable development leaders from businesses, towns and cities, educational institutions and community-based organisations. More than 300 initiatives have been recognised since the award program’s inception in 2008.

The awards were presented by the RCE’s honourary patron His Honour the Lieutenant Governor Russ Mirasty, Saskatchewan’s first Indigenous representative of the crown. Dr. Charles Hopkins, who first introduced the idea of an RCE to Saskatchewan, in his keynote address praised the event and said “We need to gather physically and spiritually. The RCEs try to build a sense of place, by bringing together the knowledge keepers with the educators… I celebrate all of you as place makers,” he said. “The feeling of community that you have here is so special.”

Video greetings from the United Nations University, RCE Curitiba-Parana, and RCE Georgetown brought an inspiring global RCE presence to the event.

Held in a different community every year, this year’s event featured a tour of the town of Prince Albert and its Museum’s Kistapinanihk / Omanicye Makoca / Tl'ogh tele exhibit (“The Gathering Place”) which features Prince Albert's Indigenous history from 10,000 years ago to 1905.

Special awards were given in honour of Lyle Benko and Dr. Garth Pickard, two of RCE Saskatchewan’s founders, with a new award introduced this year for the best community-led ESD project.

RCE Co-Coordinator, Dr. Roger Petry, is thrilled with the record number of applicants to this year’s awards. “Saskatchewan has been and can continue to be a global leader in sustainable development, and all these recipients are positive, focused, creative, and deserving of recognition. Each has a wonderful story to tell, and our annual awards ceremony is an opportunity for them to shine.”

Further information about the event is available here.