Unprecedented Aboriginal Participation » Partnerships & Collaboration
Partnerships & Collaboration
Building strong relationships with Aboriginal peoples is critical to achieving our goal of unprecedented Aboriginal participation. That's why we're working closely with the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) to reach out to local, provincial and national Aboriginal groups - First Nations, Inuit and Métis.
We are proud to be Official Partners in the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games - an historic first for Indigenous peoples.
An historic protocol for the Four Host First Nations and VANOC
On November 30, 2005, VANOC and the Lil'wat, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations signed an historic protocol celebrating our relationship and a mutual commitment to work in partnership to achieve successful 2010 Games. This Protocol marks the first time an Organizing Committee has entered into such a partnership with Indigenous peoples.
The Protocol supports shared collaboration that will:
- Increase opportunities to showcase art, language, traditions, history and culture
- Promote skills development and training related to the Games
- Build lasting social, cultural and economic opportunities and benefits
- Improve health, education and the strengthening of the communities through sport, economic development and cultural involvement
- Create Youth sport legacy
- Increase participation in Arts festivals and events
- Increase participation in medal ceremonies, Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies
Reaching out
We have been working closely with VANOC to reach out to Indigenous peoples across the country to encourage participation in the 2010 Winter Games. This outreach has included: the engagement of the national Aboriginal representative groups, as well as regional and local Aboriginal and other organizations.
Three instruments have been used to formalize these relationships: memoranda of understanding (MOUs) signed with national political partners, memoranda of intent to regionalize the Assembly of First Nations MOU, and statements of cooperation with non-political partners.
Thank you to all of our partners who have contributed to achieving unprecedented Aboriginal participation in the 2010 Winter Games.
Feature Stories
Welcome to fourhostfirstnations.com
Welcome to the newly re-launched website for the Four Host First Nations. The Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games are fast approaching, and with them the launch of the 2010 Aboriginal Pavilion or Chiefs' House, as we call it. The Chiefs' House is our invitation to the world to come and learn about the diversity of Aboriginal people in Canada. We also invite you to experience the Aboriginal Artisan Village and Business Showcase.
In Their Words: Tewanee Joseph
Tewanee Joseph is a member of the Squamish First Nation of Canada. He grew up on the Capilano Reserve in North Vancouver, British Columbia, where he excelled at a number of sports including lacrosse. Now, as the chief executive officer of the Four Host First Nations Society, Joseph works on behalf of the Lil'wat, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations - on whose shared traditional territories the Games will be held - to ensure that the Nations' traditions...
Vancouver 2010 Olympic Emblem Launch
On April 23, 2005, 60 performers from the Lil'wat, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations performed together on stage at the unveiling of the Official Emblem of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Leonard George, renowned First Nations leader and cultural performer from the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, was among those on stage that day.
