B.C. begins public engagement process for new South Asian Canadian museum

VANCOUVER – The Province of British Columbia has created a new site for residents to give their input on a planned new South Asian museum.

The public engagement process will provide multiple opportunities for participation informed by Simon Fraser University’s Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue and the ministerial advisory committee, a government release said, and the committee is composed of appointed members who identify as South Asian selected for their experience in community engagement, lived experience and cultural knowledge.

“Public input, especially from South Asian communities, is vital to moving forward on this first-of-its-kind museum. This website will provide a platform for everyone involved to be heard and I am confident that the engagement will help bring together a shared vision that reflects the needs and aspirations of South Asian communities in B.C.,” said B.C. Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport Lana Popham in a statement.

 The Centre for Dialogue’s role is to provide strategic advice to the B.C. government so that engagement is designed with the principles of equity, inclusivity, accessibility, anti-racism and anti-casteism, the release said, and the new museum will build on the Punjabi Canadian Legacy Project and the South Asian Canadian Legacy Project, which showcased the past and present contributions of South Asians in B.C. with more than $1.2 million in government support.

“For almost 130 years people from South Asia have been calling British Columbia home, but this has not always been a welcoming place for them. By working with community members we can build a unique and meaningful museum that will better reflect and preserve the diverse and rich history of South Asians in the province for generations to come,” provincial parliamentary secretary for anti-racism initiatives Mable Elmore added.

More information is available at the new website.