Literacy touches every part of our lives. One definition of literacy is that it’s the ability to engage with the written word. However, literacy has many different meanings, from the simple to the robust. While every newcomer to Canada faces unique conditions, literacy is a common factor.
Today, society demands a sophisticated understanding of written language. Everyone deserves access to literacy and learning. United for Literacy is dedicated to making that possible. Literacy is a foundational tool to ensure newcomers to Canada can thrive. Bridging the literacy gap is something we can do. It’s our most effective tool for improving the lives of millions of Canadians.
During this forum, we will address questions such as; How are newcomers to Canada integrating with the educational system? Should people have to "integrate"? What can people do to welcome newcomers to Canada in a meaningful way? and how can parents support their children's learning?
United for Literacy’s National Forum on Literacy and Immigration will begin to address some of these complex questions. With over a century of experience in the field of literacy, United for Literacy is proud to be part of the conversation.
Join us on Wednesday, October 16 at 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. EST for an important forum discussion.
From 2:35 to 3:15 p.m. EST, we welcome you to connect with our panelists in breakout rooms to continue the conversation.
Registration will open early September. Stay tuned for more!
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Yves-Gérard Méhou-Loko
Secretary-General of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO (CCUNESCO)
Yves-Gérard Méhou-Loko is the Secretary-General of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO (CCUNESCO), which has operated under the aegis of the Canada Council for the Arts since 1957. The CCUNESCO is one of 200 national commissions around the world working to advance the mandate of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). As Secretary-General, Yves-Gérard leads the CCUNESCO in its efforts to engage, support and amplify the work of Canadian civil society organizations and knowledge holders in the fields of education, sciences, culture, communication and information.
A global citizen with a passion for education, equity and diversity, and human rights journalism, Yves-Gérard has lived and worked on three continents. He studied political science at Université Laval and the Université du Québec à Montréal and completed a master’s in Public Administration at the École nationale d’administration publique. Previous roles include host and producer for Radio-Canada, senior investigator with the Office of the French Language Services Commissioner of Ontario, manager of the Ontario Ombudsman’s French Language Services Unit and Equity and Human Rights Commissioner for the Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario.
Born in France with Beninese origins, Yves-Gérard has been the vice-president of the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadiennes du Canada since June 2021 and is very active in defending minority groups.
Faduma Musse
Executive Director of the Somali Canadian Association of Waterloo Region , ON
Faduma Musse is an elementary teacher with the Waterloo Region District School Board and proud mother of four beautiful girls.
Faduma has always been passionate about creating equal opportunity both in the classroom and in the community. She has many years of experience in the settlement sector and frontline social service sector. Through this extensive experience she has gained a wealth of knowledge on the diverse needs of marginalized populations and has aligned herself in work rooted in creating social change.
Faduma is proud to be apart of the SCAWR team as the organization continues to move forward in meaningful ways.
Jeremias Tecu
Lead Settlement Worker in Schools, Fredericton, NB
Jeremias Tecu is from Guatemala and has been living in Fredericton, NB, for more than 22 years. He moved to Canada as a refugee with his family of five, including three children, two of whom were school-aged. None of them spoke any English. From the beginning, it was rough, but the Multicultural Association of Fredericton provided support for our fast integration. Jeremias worked for the UNHCR, providing support for Guatemalan refugee families in Mexico until 1999. With his experience and skills working with refugees, he applied for a Resettlement Worker position at the Multicultural Association of Fredericton. He worked in this position from 2002 until October 2009 and has been working as the Lead Settlement Worker in Schools since then.
Jeremias is also:
• An active member and past board director of the Canadian Council for Refugees
• A board director and president of Madhu Verma Justice for Migrants in Fredericton, NB
• A coordinator member of Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network (BTS)
• Founder of MCAF-FDSA Futsal Program
His story of surviving the Guatemalan civil war is told in Eve Mills Allen’s book, In the Arms of Inup .
Parisa Mahboubi
Senior Policy Analyst and lead of the C.D. Howe Institute human capital policy program, Toronto, ON
Parisa Mahboubi is a Senior Policy Analyst and leads the C.D. Howe Institute's human capital policy program. Her research interest focuses on social policy with a concentration on demographic, skills, education, and labour market concerns, including labour-market outcomes of second-generation immigrants in Canada. In addition to authoring research studies, she regularly writes a column for The Globe and Mail’s business section.
Prior to joining the C.D. Howe Institute in 2016, Parisa worked at the Statistics Canada Research Data Centre and as an Instructor and Research Assistant at the University of Guelph while completing her PhD studies.
She has a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Economics from Shiraz University in Iran and a Master of Arts and a PhD in Economics from the University of Guelph.
Venantie Nutmende
Community Coordinator, United for Literacy, Manitoba
Venantie is currently the Community Coordinator for United for Literacy in Manitoba. Previously, she has worked as a Project Coordinator at MFL Occupational Health Center, a Resettlement Assistant Program case worker, and a Women’s Guidance Counsellor.
Her skills include public policy analysis, project execution, counselling, and community support. She enjoys reading motivational literature in her free time.
Join us on Wednesday, October 16 at 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. EST for an important forum discussion. From 2:35 to 3:15 p.m. EST, we welcome you to connect with our panelists in breakout rooms to continue the conversation.
