Rebuilding Together

The Public Discourse - All Episodes

We talk with Mohammed Hashim and Jelana Bighorn about how we can confront the problem of hatred and prejudice in our society and promote the oneness of humanity. Hashim is executive director of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, and Bighorn is an educator.

The Public Discourse - S3.EP 2 - Confronting Hatred & Prejudice

This is an edited conversation among panelists who spoke about the role of religion in eradicating violence against women, hosted by the Bahá’í Community of Canada’s Office of Public Affairs in partnership with the Southern Chiefs’ Organization, the Stop Violence Against Women coordinating committee of Perth County, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, and the Canadian Council of Muslim Women.

The Public Discourse - S3.EP 3 - The Role of Religion in Eradicating Violence Against Women

We talk with Shain Jackson and Dr. Roshan Danesh about the work of transforming society to reflect the principles of justice and oneness, with a focus on Indigenous peoples. Jackson is Coast Salish from the community of Sechelt, and President of Spirit Works Limited. Dr. Danesh is a lawyer, conflict resolution innovator, and educator.

The Public Discourse - S3.EP 4 - Championing Justice

We talk with Anne Snyder and Eric Farr about the nature of an educational process that can empower people to contribute to social progress. Snyder is Editor-in-Chief of Comment Magazine and Farr is a PhD student at the University of Toronto.

The Public Discourse - S3.EP 5 - Education and Social Progress

We talk with Hossein Amanat, Siamak Hariri, and Prof. Brigitte Shim about how a building or a place can help to illuminate the inner life of a person, and what role architecture can play in the spiritual upliftment of society. Amanat, Hariri, and Prof. Shim are principals at their respective Canadian architecture firms.

The Public Discourse - S3.EP 6 - Beauty and the Human Spirit

We talk with Dr. Shahrzad Sabet and Akaash Maharaj about how principles and concepts - like oneness, love, justice, and equality - can help to guide our thinking about how to rebuild after COVID-19. Dr. Sabet is a Research Fellow at New York University, and Maharaj is the CEO of the Mosaic Institute.

The Public Discourse - S2.EP 1 - Rethinking & Rebuilding

We talk with Cyril Cromwell and Kyle Schmalenberg about the current conversation on race and identity, and consider how principles of justice, oneness and equality can help us to overcome the divisions between “us” and “them”. Cromwell is the Learning and Development Manager at YouthREX, and Schmalenberg is a freelance filmmaker.

The Public Discourse - S2.EP 2 - Overcoming Us vs. Them

We talk with Jessica Prince and Thea Symonds about the implications of the principle of gender equality for how we think about work, childcare, education, and family life after COVID-19. Prince is a lawyer and board member of the Women's Legal Education and Action Fund, and Symonds is Coordinator for the Violence Against Women Coordinating Committee in Perth County.

The Public Discourse - S2.EP 3 - Advancing Gender Equality

We talk with Taban Behin, Brian Dijkema and Hoda Farahmandpour about how we should think about the nature of technology and its relationship to the education of young people. Behin is a PhD student at the University of Victoria, Dijkema is Vice-President of Cardus, and Farahmandpour is a PhD student at the University of Toronto.

The Public Discourse - S2.EP 4 - Education, Technology & Community

We talk with Tanika McLeod and Ashraf Rushdy about how young people are adapting to the conditions created by this health crisis, and the ways in which they can help to lead processes of social transformation. McLeod is a young entrepreneur and Rushdy works with the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity.

The Public Discourse - S2.EP 5 - Youth & Social Transformation

This is an edited conversation among representatives of national religious communities, who gathered as part of the DemocracyXChange Festival to talk about how faith can be a vehicle for dialogue. It includes representatives of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, Canadian Council of Churches, World Sikh Organization, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and the Baha’i Community of Canada.

The Public Discourse - S2.EP 6 - Faith as a Vehicle for Dialogue

We talk to people across Canada about the values and principles that inform the way they are thinking about society, and how we can create a better public discourse. Staff of the Office of Public Affairs bring together guests who are contributing to the national conversation, and explore with them how insights from religion, science, and practice can help to foster new approaches to challenges facing Canadian society.