Media

PRINTABLE VERSION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 6, 2011

Media Contact:
Aiden Abram  |  P: 519-741-1318 x. 226  |  C: 519-835-9368  |  E: aiden@communitybasedresearch.ca

4-DAY EXPO SHOWCASES COMMUNITY-UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIPS ON LOCAL & GLOBAL ISSUES  MAY 10-14
600 SOCIAL CHANGE RESEARCHERS & COMMUNITY PRACTITIONERS CONVERGE ON WATERLOO REGION

(Waterloo, Canada - May 6) 

CU Expo 2011 (May 10-14, 2011) will bring together research and practice to strengthen practical approaches for social change across a range of issues from poverty to public health - that combine the strengths of academia and community in unique partnerships and programs. This event will draw 600 community practitioners, academics, students and policy makers from across North America and the world to Wilfrid Laurier University. Registration remains open for CU Expo, and one-day bursaries are still available for local community members.

Conference themes and activities are inspired by the United Nations Millennium Development Goals with 250 sessions designed for participation, sharing and mutual challenge in mind - roundtables, forums, skill building workshops and more. Participants will visit community organizations on Thursday May 12 to showcase local examples of successful Community-University partnerships and host workshops. 

A Night in the Park on Thursday evening (530pm-9pm) is a free public event in Victoria Park with local music and dancing, food and craft vendors, and more. Participants will be entertained and challenged throughout the conference by artist groups such as The MT Space, DodoLab, and musician Jane Bennett with the Improvisation, Community and Social Practice program.

Keynote speakers: 

• Rajesh Tandon: India-based Chair of Global Alliance on Community-Engaged Research (GACER) and founder of the Society for Participatory Research in Asia.
• Jessica Yee: Self-described “multiracial Indigenous hip-hop feminist reproductive justice freedom fighter!”, and founder and Executive Director of the Native Youth Sexual Health Network.

CU Expo 2011 is led by the Centre for Community Based Research, based in Kitchener. Partners include US-based Community-Campus Partnerships for Health, UCP-SARnet (an int’l Community-University research network), and the University of Guelph, University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University. CU Expo is a Canadian-led international movement. This is the 4th CU Expo, which are held every 3 years.

Media Contact:

Aiden Abram, Conference Facilitator
T: 519-741-1318 x. 226  |  C: 519-835-9368  |  E: aiden@communitybasedresearch.ca