UCW commits to nation-wide Indigenous movement to end gender-based violence ahead of Moose Hide Campaign Day on Thursday, May 11, 2023
Vancouver, BC – April 19, 2023 – University Canada West (UCW), a Vancouver institution with more than 11,000 students, is proud to announce it has been named an Ambassador Campus with the Indigenous-led Moose Hide Campaign, the BC-born national movement to engage men and boys in ending violence towards women and children.
While efforts to promote truth and reconciliation are increasingly prevalent across Canada, crimes associated with gender-based violence continually occur. The Moose Hide campaign is dedicated to speaking the truth about gender-based violence: every year more than 60,000 women in BC are physically or sexually assaulted, and one in three Canadian women will be sexually assaulted in her lifetime.
By becoming a Moose Hide Ambassador Campus, UCW recognizes the need for safe post-secondary campuses and pledges to provide secure spaces for its students and their communities. To mark UCW’s commitment, Omar Karim, National Director, Post-Secondary Engagement and Initiatives, from the Moose Hide Campaign presented University Canada West with a commemorative plaque on April 19, 2023.
“Moose Hide Campaign Day shows how even simple actions speak louder than words,” says UCW President Sheldon Levy. “We wear a Moose Hide pin to show our determination to end violence against women and children. And when we see thousands more people wearing their pins, we feel a tangible hope for a better future. Moose Hide creates bonds among strangers and unites us all against violence. That’s why UCW is now a proud Moose Hide Ambassador Campus.”
The Moose Hide Campaign and its supporters recognize that gender-based violence is unacceptable and 100% preventable. By promoting the education of men and boys and including them in the narrative, the Moose Hide Campaign hopes to end this issue that can compromise the safety of everyone’s mothers, sisters, wives, daughters and friends.
“We are humbled by the support and leadership taken by University Canada West as a new Ambassador Campus Partner,” says Raven Lacerte, Co-Founder, Moose Hide Campaign. “It is so important that Universities and Colleges come together to take a stand against violence and to create safer campus communities. Our partnership with UCW presents a valuable opportunity to collaborate and engage students throughout the year, facilitating crucial dialogues.”
Initially established as a local grassroots movement in 2011 by father and daughter Paul and Raven Lacerte, the Moose Hide Campaign has quickly grown to establish itself as a nationwide movement of communities and organizations. By joining one of their campaigns, such as the Ambassador Campus program, organizations can effectively promote the implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Inquiry Calls for Justice.
The Moose Hide Campaign and University Canada West invite everyone to act and show their support to end gender-based violence on May 11, 2023.
For more information and to register, visit moosehidecampaign.ca/campaignday.
About University Canada West (UCW)
University Canada West (UCW) is an innovative business and technology-oriented institution in Vancouver, Canada, offering undergraduate and graduate degrees for domestic and international students.
UCW offers a range of career-focused programs including, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Arts in Business Communication, Associate of Arts and Master of Business Administration. Courses are offered at our two downtown Vancouver campuses – our West Pender Campus in the heart of Vancouver’s financial district and our state-of-the-art Vancouver House Campus.
About Moose Hide Campaign
The Moose Hide Campaign is a grassroots movement of Indigenous and non-Indigenous men and boys who are standing up against violence towards women and children. A cornerstone of the Moose Hide Campaign is the moose hide pin. Wearing the moose hide pin signifies your commitment to honour, respect, and protect the women and children in your life and speak out against gender-based and domestic violence.
Contact:
For media inquiries or to arrange an interview contact Jessica Kerr, UCW Public Relations Manager, at [email protected].
