UFV's Peace Centre Wins International Award for Indigenous Partnership

“We work to be responsive to communities,” said Dr. Keith Carlson, PARC director and a Canada Research Chair in Indigenous and Community-Engaged History. “Our best initiatives emerge from invitations that communities make for us to partner with them; to create something for and with them.”

Among PARC's projects is Beyond Blankets: A Stó:lō Lands Exercise, an immersive learning experience that walks participants through Stó:lō history and the impacts of settler colonialism. The centre hosts community dialogues, cultural learning, and public education that connect academic study with community priorities. Students participate through coursework, placements, and events.

The award submission noted that PARC moved institutional reconciliation beyond statements and into public practice.