Archive for 2017
Seeds of Truth: A Tale of Two Mountains (Part 1)
August 31, 2017
We arrived in Guatemala City late Saturday night. Inside the hostel there was a bare wall where a lonely 14 inch TV aired the McGregor / Mayweather fight. What a spectacle. I knew before attending this exchange that there are…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, Latin America
Seeds of Truth: On our way to Guatemala
August 30, 2017
It was so exciting – and such a relief – to meet up with members of the KAIROS Blanket Exercise Youth Exchange at the airport this afternoon before boarding our flight to Guatemala. Although we’ve had several orientation conference calls…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, Latin America
Seeds of Truth: Indigenous women, food security and the genocide of the Americas
August 24, 2017
My name is Tyra Cox and I am of Sahtu Dene and Anishinaabe lineage within Canada (North America). As an Indigenous women, there were very specific areas of Indigenous rights that I wanted to explore on the journey with Central…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, Latin America
Spirited Reflection: Social Justice in the 500th anniversary of the Reformation
August 18, 2017
In 2017, Lutherans worldwide are commemorating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation spearheaded by Martin Luther in 1517. With the assistance of the printing press, Martin Luther’s 95 Theses became the historical document to spark changes in the church. Luther…
Post filed in: Spirited Reflections
Seeds of Truth: Healing Together
August 16, 2017
I’m fortunate to be a part of the first KAIROS Blanket Exercise youth exchange to Guatemala being organized in partnership with Breaking the Silence and New Hope Foundation, Guatemala At the end of May, we had the opportunity to meet…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, Latin America
Spirited Reflection: The virtue of justice
August 4, 2017
Justice is one of the four cardinal virtues identified by the philosophers of ancient Greece. These four virtues (wisdom, justice, courage and temperance) were adopted by Christianity and placed into the traditional list of seven Christian virtues along with the…
Post filed in: Spirited Reflections
Spirited Reflection: Paper Dolls and the United Nations World Day against Trafficking in Persons – July 30
July 24, 2017
In 2007, my workplace registered me to attend a conference on the topic of human trafficking. At that time, human trafficking was barely being talked about in the media. It had been declared a criminal offense in Canada only two…
Post filed in: Spirited Reflections
Seeds of Truth: The Value of Traditional Crafts
July 20, 2017
I have the privilege of being one of the participants of the KAIROS Guatemala Youth Exchange, and it has been an amazing experience so far. I am a settler living in unceded Mi’kmaq territory under the Peace and Friendship treaties…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, Latin America
The history of Indigenous Peoples as told through blankets
July 17, 2017
The history of Indigenous peoples on the northern part of Turtle Island, what is now known as Canada, was told through a Kairo Blanket Exercise at St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Southampton on June 21. Reverend Graham Bland of St….
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, Latin America
Spirited Reflection: Spiritual Validity
July 12, 2017
The erroneous mainstream view of Indigenous peoples as being one indistinguishable group across North America with misguided and superstitious spiritual beliefs is summed up in the term Indian. When the damage done to Indigenous cultures by the reservation system, the…
Post filed in: Spirited Reflections
Seeds of Truth: The KAIROS Blanket Exercise through Guatemalan eyes
July 10, 2017
Excerpts from an Interview with Lilian Bolvito Gonzalez on Radio Canada International, June 24, 2017 Radio Canada: We will now chat with a Guatemalan youth who participated in the Blanket Exercise on June 2 on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. Her name…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, Latin America
How we can start to walk the path of reconciliation?
July 7, 2017
On July 1, hundreds of new citizens swore their allegiance to this country and promised to faithfully observe its laws. Unlike me, they received a very brief overview of the history of Indigenous peoples. Like me, they did not promise…
Post filed in: Migrant Justice
KAIROS Canada Day Statement / Déclaration de KAIROS pour la fête du Canada
June 29, 2017
On July 1, many people across Canada will gather to celebrate 150 years of Confederation. In solidarity with many Indigenous peoples, communities, and organizations, KAIROS chooses not to celebrate, but rather to use this moment to affirm our commitment to…
Post filed in: En français, Indigenous Rights
100 photos of the Kitchi Blanket Exercise: Coming together in a collective commitment to build reconciliation
June 29, 2017
Post filed in: Uncategorized
Seeds of Truth: Reflections on the KAIROS Blanket Exercise and Youth Exchange with Guatemala
June 27, 2017
I’ve only had the opportunity to experience the KAIROS Blanket Exercise (KBE) once prior to the one I participated in leading up to the Kitchi Blanket Exercise on Parliament Hill on June 2. When I first tried the KBE, it…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
Spirited Reflection: Celebrating Ecumenism
June 27, 2017
I want to take a moment to say thank you to KAIROS, for all the work you do. It is of such importance, and such good work. I’m always a little hesitant to use the word righteous when it comes…
Post filed in: Spirited Reflections
Remembering John Dillon
June 26, 2017
KAIROS is shocked and deeply saddened by the sudden loss of our dear friend and colleague John Dillon. John served the Canadian churches in ecumenical social justice for 44 years. He was a researcher, writer, analyst, but most importantly a…
Post filed in: Uncategorized
Recordando a John Dillon
June 26, 2017
KAIROS recibió con sorpresa y profunda tristeza la noticia de la muerte repentina de nuestro querido amigo y compañero de trabajo John Dillon. John sirvió a las iglesias canadienses en justicia social ecuménica durante 44 años. Era investigador, escritor, analista…
Post filed in: Uncategorized
TVO’s “The Agenda” – Troubles with Mining Abroad
June 23, 2017
KAIROS recently supported a five-person delegation of political, faith and Indigenous leaders from the Philippines that toured across Canada from March 20 – April 9 under the banner “Our Land, Our Rights, Our Peace”. The delegates spoke about human rights…
Post filed in: Asia-Pacific, Ecological Justice
Appeal for famine relief in South Sudan
June 21, 2017
News about the impact of long term climate change – exacerbated by human- made famine and often compounded by cholera – in northeast Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen has become increasingly prominent. In northeast Nigeria and Somalia, the disaffected…
Post filed in: Africa
KAIROS Times: June 2017
June 20, 2017
Remembering John Dillon / Recordando a John Dillon Hundreds participated in largest KAIROS Blanket Exercise ever Seeds of truth: Reflection on the KAIROS Blanket Exercise Youth Exchange with Guatemala orientation Philippine delegates on TVO’s The Agenda KAIROS statement of solidarity…
Post filed in: KAIROS Times E-Newsletter
Spirited Reflection: Finding peace through non-violence
June 13, 2017
I was asked by my national church (The Presbyterian Church in Canada) to join KAIROS and the United Church of Canada staff on a trip to Israel and Palestine (West Bank) in April. We were there to meet partners and…
Post filed in: Spirited Reflections
New resource! Q&A on fossil fuel divestment
June 7, 2017
In May 2016 KAIROS convened Divest for our Future – a day of learning and discernment on fossil fuel divestment for its members, including church staff responsible for finance, pensions or social/climate justice, the KAIROS Steering Committee, and the Ecumenical…
Post filed in: Ecological Justice
Seeds of Truth: Reflection on the KAIROS Blanket Exercise Youth Exchange with Guatemala orientation
June 6, 2017
“These bean seeds in my pocket keep me mindful of Mother Earth; they keep me grounded.” ~ Hannah “These Amaranth seeds are to share. Go ahead, eat them. Amaranth was once nearly wiped out in my area of Guatemala, but now…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, Latin America
Spirited Reflection: Reconciling Trinity
June 5, 2017
“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 We sat around the glowing rocks. The rattle, glowing above the rocks, kept rhythm, while…
Post filed in: Spirited Reflections
Hundreds participated in largest KAIROS Blanket Exercise ever
June 3, 2017
Despite the threat of rain, about 800 people converged on Parliament Hill on June 2 for the largest KAIROS Blanket Exercise ever. They came to mark the second anniversary of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action and…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
