Facilitated by Heidi Schaeffer, the role and objectives of the Peaceful Communities group will be shared with new staff at the centre on Aug. 27, and on Sept. 30, Leni Rautiainen will lead a presentation for the centre’s clients, volunteers and board members.

Heidi and Leni are community facilitators for the Peaceful Communities steering committee.

“It will be interesting to see how the group will react,” says Carmela Valles, the centre’s executive director. She explains the centre’s clients have different opinions on the state of peace in Peterborough.

For example, two people who have come to Peterborough from war-torn countries have opposing reactions to the Peaceful Communities movement, she says. “One says, ‘Are you kidding? Why do we need that? Peterborough is safe.’ While another gives a passionate response about the beauty of it, how positive it is, and how they wish more communities would do that.”

Although client’s perceptions of peace in Peterborough range, generally, those perceptions depend on how long they’ve lived here, says Carmela.

“There is not a uniform experience, there are different levels.”

But, generally speaking, people who are very new to Peterborough are pleased with how peaceful it is – especially those who have come from unstable countries. To them, says Carmela, Peterborough is very peaceful.

On the other hand, she adds, people who have lived here longer – say, five years or more – tend to experience more racism, she says.

Again, generally speaking, “people who are settled and who have had more experience here say they’ve experienced subtle types of racism or even more overt discrimination. We’re hoping those concerns will be recognized (through involvement in Peaceful Communities).”

Even the clients’ perceptions of what is racist differs, says Carmela. For example, one of the clients has had enough of people asking her how she likes winter. “She’s been here for 12 years. She feels she shouldn’t have to answer that anymore. She feels it is insulting and patronizing.”

However, another client sees nothing wrong with being asked that question, adds Carmela.

The upcoming presentations will help address these concerns, and will further educate about Peaceful Communities’ vision of peace, says Carmela.

“From our perspective as an agency serving immigrants and refugees to the area, peace means a sense of belonging to our new community. It is a form of meaningful settlement where our values, talents and skills are recognized and respected. Peace means freedom to be who you are, to be able to celebrate the diversity you bring and the contributions you can make.”

Carmela hopes the centre can achieve that through awareness and education. “Education plays a pivotal role in any change one wants to happen,” she says.

The New Canadians Centre joined the Peaceful Communities steering group in fall of 2001.

Send this page to a friend

Articles may be reprinted with permission. Contact us at peaceful@newsroom5.com or 1-800-294-0051