Educators from across the province gathered at the Saskatoon Inn on Wednesday night to kick off a conference devoted to Indigenous education.
Organizers say the focus of the Think Indigenous Education Conference is to showcase the strength of Indigenous education to a wider audience.
The conference is put on by the University of Saskatchewan’s Indian Teacher Education Program.
The educators, participants and presenters were all welcomed to the three day conference by several dignitaries.
Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations Chief Bobby Cameron says he hopes the conference will provide a fresh look on themes like inherent and treaty rights to education, traditional languages and how reconciliation plays out in education.
“We hope everyone can walk away after the next two days and come out with some recommendations to improve Indigenous education going forward,” says Chief Cameron.
The FSIN chief was joined by Metis Nation of Saskatchewan President Robert Doucette in welcoming the participants.
“It’s always good when you can go to a conference and see how things work in a different and to take those learning opportunities back to where you come from and hopefully implement them,” says Doucette.
The conference will run until Friday and will take place between the Saskatoon Inn and Lakeview Church.
Keynote speakers at this year’s education conference include Indigenous child welfare rights activist Cindy Blackstock, Indigenous human rights lawyer Sharon Venne and University of Regina Education professor Shauneen Pete.
About 600 educators from across Saskatchewan are expected to attend.