Date of event Tuesday, February 12, 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Location of event Alice MacKay Room, Lower Level, Central Library
 

Beginning almost a decade ago, Vancouver Opera and First Nations artists, designers and cultural experts came together to create a breathtaking new production of Mozart’s "The Magic Flute", set in the powerful realm of Coast Salish territory. Before the opening of a much-anticipated remounting of that production, key First Nations and opera collaborators will come together to explore the inner workings of this remarkably successful experiment. Gain insight into the dance and gesture, design, and the henqeminem language that have enriched this respectful rendering of Mozart’s great work. 

Free admission. Seating is limited. 
Co-sponsored by Vancouver Opera, http://www.vancouveropera.ca
Presented in collaboration with First Peoples’ Cultural Council.

For more information on Library events, visit http://www.vpl.ca/cgi-bin/Calendar/calendar.cgi 

Date of event Wednesday, February 13, 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Location of event Alice MacKay Room, Lower Level, Central Library
 

Please join us for an evening filled with non-fiction, featuring Globe and Mail journalist Sandra Martin with her new bookWorking the Dead Beat: 50 Lives that Changed Canada and award-winning author Zac Unger with his latest, Never Look a Polar Bear in the Eye, chronicling his family’s trip to the Arctic’s edge.

Working the Dead Beat honours the lives of Canada’s famous, infamous and unsung heroes in Sandra Martin’s unique collection of obituaries of the first decade of the 21st century. A beautifully written and compelling tribute to a group of individuals who tell the story of our country, and to the obit writer who chronicles these extraordinary lives.

In Never Look a Polar Bear in the Eye: A Family Field Trip to the Arctic’s Edge in Search of Adventure, Truth, and Mini-Marshmallows, Zack Unger takes us to an utterly unique and remote place, where the line between man’s territory and mother nature’s has become perilously blurred.

Admission is free. Seating is limited.
Co-sponsored by Vancouver Writers Fest, http://writersfest.bc.ca and the Vancouver Foundation.

For more information on Library events, visit http://www.vpl.ca/cgi-bin/Calendar/calendar.cgi 

Date of event Wednesday, February 27, 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Location of event Alice MacKay Room, Lower Level, Central Library
 

Please join us for an evening of fun and laughter with Canadian humourist Arthur Black and award-winning actorJackson Davies, best-known for his role as Constable John Constable on The Beachcombers.

Arthur Black is the author of a growing collection of award-winning books. In his latest book, Looking Blackward, he analyses a paranoid, hypersensitive, melodramatic society in a colourful collage of stories from small-town antics to international farces. He reveals the absurdity of our ideas and decisions – such as airlifting surplus bunnies from an island off the coast of BC to a rehab farm in Texas –  muses on our relationship with technology and lambastes the craze for blood sports and our anachronistic fetish for suits and ties.

 Arthur Black hosted CBC Radio One’s Basic Black program from 1983 until 2002, while also using his comedic talents to host Life Network’s Weird Homes and Weird Wheels. He is one of two living writers to have won the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour three times.

Jackson Davies presents the new book, Bruno and the Beach. This lively, highly illustrated book celebrates Canada’ longest running dramatic TV production The Beachcombers, which aired on CBC TV from 1972-1990.Written by Jackson Davies and co-creator Marc Strange, Bruno and the Beach offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the lives of those who gathered at Molly's Reach and shaped a national pastime. It includes insiders' anecdotes, Beachcombers trivia, production crew pranks and personal stories of the folks who appeared on both sides of the camera.

Admission is free. Seating is limited.
Co-sponsored by the Vancouver Writers Fest http://www.writersfest.bc.ca and the Vancouver Foundation.

For more information on Library events, visit http://www.vpl.ca/cgi-bin/Calendar/calendar.cgi

Date of event January 26, 2013
Location of event Astorino's Ballroom, 1739 Venables St.

When was the last time you were at a good old-fashioned toga party? When was the last time you attended a coronation? Well now’s your chance to kill two birds with one stone! Put on your finest toga, come dressed as your favorite Greek God or Goddess, Hero or Heroine or even your favorite mythological creature and get ready to party like it’s 700 BC! It'll be an unforgettable night of revelry, dancing and fun! 

Date: January 26, 2013
Time: Doors at 8 pm / Coronation at 9 pm / Party till you drop! 
Address: Astorino’s Ballroom (1739 Venables st)
Tickets: 15$ with costume / 20$ without costume

Tickets are available at www.inthehousefestival.com or at the door.

Date of event Thursday January 31, 2013
Location of event Fraserview Hall

An evening with First Nation’s activist and author Cindy Blackstock: “Equity, Human Rights and how we are failing Aboriginal children, or how to get the government to spy on you”

Thursday January 31st: 5:30pm – 9pm (Doors open, dinner served and silent auction begins at 5:30pm, program begins at 6:30pm)

Fraserview Hall (8240 Fraser St, near Marine Drive, in Vancouver)

Individual tickets are $50, reserved tables of 8 are $400

Tickets include a delicious buffet Indian dinner and a silent auction full of amazing gifts, services, tickets to arts events, getaways and more. There will also be a raffle for two WestJet tickets for anywhere Westjet flies!

Purchase individual tickets online at http://firstcall.bpt.me
To purchase reserved tables of 8 or to find out about the benefits of sponsoring the dinner please contact Sarena at 604-873-8437 or [email protected].

We are thrilled to announce that Cindy Blackstock, Executive Director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada and an Associate Professor at the University of Alberta, will join us as this year’s keynote speaker.

We will be honoring Cindy with First Call’s Champion of Child and Youth Rights Award. Cindy has been at the forefront of advocating for equal rights for Aboriginal children on the national stage for over a decade. A member of the Gitksan Nation, she has a powerful story to tell of her experiences bringing a federal human rights complaint to challenge the documented inequity of child welfare funding on First Nations reserves, and her many other efforts to mobilize support for a brighter future for all Aboriginal children in Canada.

Our annual dinners are an occasion to celebrate our child rights advocacy work with our partner organizations and allies, as well as to raise much needed funds to support our work. We hope you can join us on January 31st for good food, good company, and a powerful speaker with an important message.
For more information about Cindy’s work and ongoing Human Rights case please visit:

· The First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada’s website

· The FNCFCSC I am a Witness Campaign (including a short video about the Human Rights case)

· The Star: “Tribunal will rule whether Ottawa retaliated against native rights’ advocate Cindy Blackstock”

· CBC’s The Current: Government surveillance of native youth advocate

· CBC Trailbreakers: Crusader of Aboriginal child services Cindy Blackstock won't back down

· CBC Doc Zone 8th Fire: Q & A with Cindy Blackstock

Date of event Wednesday January 30th, 2013 – 6:00-8:00 PM
Location of event YWCA, Welch Room 1 & 2 – 4th Floor, 535 Hornby St, Vancouver

Sharing Stories, Shaping Identity: A FREE Workshop

We all have a story. Learn to tell yours.

Learn to share your story of heritage and identity for free with story-crafters from the Passages to Canada Speakers Bureau.

YWCA, 535 Hornby Street, Welch Room 1 & 2

Wednesday, January 30th from 6:00 to 8:00 PM 

– Hear Naveen Girn, South Asian Canadian cultural researcher and historian, share his story 

– Work with storytelling facilitators to improve your communication and presentation skills

– Network with like-minded professionals

Light refreshments will be served.

Register online at passagestocanadavancouver2013.eventbrite.ca 

Contact us at:

1-866-701-1867

[email protected]

www.passagestocanada.com

Twitter: @Passages2Canada

Presented with the Vancouver Mokuyokai Society

Date of event Monday January 7, 2013- Monday, April 29, 2013
Location of event St. Andrew's United Church @ 1044 St. George's Avenue, North Vancouver

DISCOVER MINDFULNESS-AWARENESS MEDITATION
The practice of meditation is found within many traditions throughout the world. Mindfulness-awareness meditation (Shamatha-Vipashyana) helps settle the mind and bring forth its natural qualities of spaciousness, clarity, and attentiveness. St. Andrew’s United Church and the North Shore Meditation Group are co-sponsors of this free, weekly drop-in meditation group practice. Monday night sessions start at 7 pm with guided instruction and practice for about 20 – 25 minutes, followed by walking meditation, then more sitting practice. At 8 pm there is a question and answer period around any practice questions and a dharma talk or conversation. There is no requirement to attend the whole session: you can stay for as little or as long as you like. Leadership is provided by Shambhala Buddhist Meditation instructors. Everyone is welcome.

Date of event Thursday, Jan 24
Location of event 3250 Commercial Drive

A rare opportunity to hear Gen-la Kelsang Dekyong give a Public Talk on Modern Buddhism in Vancouver.

Gen-la Kelsang Dekyong is the elected General Spiritual Director of the New Kadampa Tradition. She has studied and practised Kadampa Buddhism under Venerable Geshe-la's guidance for many years. Gen-la Dekyong provides an inspiring example of a modern-day Kadampa practitioner for us to follow. Students around the world are moved by her faith and devotion to her Spiritual Teacher and her committment to benefitting others.

Gen-la came to Vancouver January 2012 and inspired over 400 people during her visit.

How to Register:
http://www.eventbrite.com/event/4773729353?ref=ebtnebtckt&ebtv=C
Cost: $15 at the door
Contact Info: Phone: 6042212271
Email: [email protected]
Time: Thursday, Jan 24, 2013 07:00 pm – 09:00 pm
Venue: Croatian Cultural Center
3250 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, BC V5N, Canada

Gen-la will also be leading a special event: the annual Western Canada Dharma Celebration on the weekend after this talk in Whiterock, BC see here for more details meditateinvancouver.org/mbevents