Citizens of the world are challenged to find appropriate responses to deepening global poverty, the HIV/AIDS pandemic, environmental degradation, natural disasters, such as the earthquake which hit our partners at SEWA in Gujarat, India earlier this year, and the escalating acts of violence and war throughout the world. In the face of such enormous challenges, people could easily become consumed with despair. At St. Francis Xavier University we are privileged to be associated, through the Coady International Institute, with community leaders and their organizations, who are not paralyzed by the enormity of the challenges that face our world. These people are working co-operatively and creatively at the local, regional, national and global levels to achieve peace, justice and prosperity for all people.
The Coady International Institute works with people and organizations worldwide to provide opportunities for leadership, education, mutual learning and other forms of support. Identifying and developing effective approaches to building strong and healthy civil societies and assisting in building the capacity of citizens and their organizations to understand and implement those approaches is our role. We accomplish this through an unwavering commitment to Education, Innovation and Action.
It is through this commitment that we have identified a number of key strategic areas where we are focusing our new programs. This report shares with you details of these areas and the exciting initiatives the Coady is introducing. For example, we have developed new courses and certificate programs such as Peace and Conflict Transformation and Community-Based Natural Resource Management. We have also expanded our partnerships overseas as well as here in Canada where we have new projects with the International Development Research Centre, Okanagan University College and the First Nations Fishers Mentorship Initiative.
Needless to say, our staff, Advisory Committee and other committed volunteers have had a busy and productive year. We thank them for their wisdom and tireless efforts.
Our attempts to increase and diversify our funding base are succeeding, but we will need to greatly intensify our fundraising activities particularly in the areas of student bursaries, our Global Connections Centre project and research partnerships.
We thank our supporters. It is through your generosity that we are able to grow and improve our programs.
For more information on our programs and giving opportunities, please contact us directly.
Mary Coyle
Director
Coady International Institute
University Vice President
St. Francis Xavier University
Dr. Sean Riley
President
St. Francis Xavier University