Why We Exist
We exist because we all need each other. We all depend on each other and we are all valuable, important and worthy of the same treatment and the same opportunities.
We can only build the future, a future worthy of our children, by standing together and fostering a community of equality and dignity for all.
We are a country steeped in indigenous histories and fused together in a mosaic of cultures. We pride ourselves of living in a community who respects and values differences. Equality is a right, and as it is with many of our rights, we must fight for it. We must never take it for granted and always remind each other of its importance.
We exist to ensure all of us experience this right. That we never forget how our differences make us stronger and how our conviction of being a fair and just community is always upheld.
We all have a role to play. Each one of us is responsible for the quality of the community we live in. We all play a role in building our community and in building the future. We can all demonstrate our support and the value and respect we have for each other, with every interaction and at every moment. It’s our choice what kind of future we build. Our actions define us.
Vision, Mission & Values
VISION Our desired future.
Calgary is a just and equitable society for all.
MISSION Our role in working to achieve this future.
ActionDignity’s mission is to work together with ethnocultural, racialized, and equity seeking groups to create transformational changes in our communities and society.
VALUES These are the fundamental beliefs and principles upon which our strategies, actions and decisions are built.
ActionDignity embraces and promotes the following values:
• Respect for diversity
• Equity and social justice
• Active citizenship and democratic participation
• Collaboration
History
Collaboration among ethno-cultural organizations dates back to the 1980s when the Calgary Chinese Community Service Association (CCCSA), the Council of Sikh Organizations (COSO) and the Calgary Vietnamese Canadian Association (CVCA) came together to address their common needs and to “have a stronger voice to effectively and adequately address integration and participation on issues of ethno-cultural communities”. In 1994, the same three organizations formed the Community Partnership for Access and Participation (CPAP), a collaboration that promoted cross-cultural initiatives to facilitate access to services of its member organizations, enhance participation in services of mainstream institutions, conduct joint staff development and volunteer management. On June 28, 2001, less than three months before the September 11 incident, CPAP spearheaded a Community Consultation that brought together over 70 leaders from various cultural backgrounds. The participants discussed key issues and barriers faced by ethnic communities, developed a collective vision and recommended strategies for common action. It was in this consultation that the idea of “an ethno-cultural council” was developed “to act as a watchdog on diversity issues”.
ActionDignity (then Ethno-Cultural Council of Calgary) was publicly launched on March 21, 2002, on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the first day of spring, ushering in a season of hope and new beginnings amidst growing intolerance of cultural diversity during the six months after September 11. Nine ethno-cultural organizations and several individuals joined in as initial members, together with individual leaders. It then registered as an Alberta Society on December 16, 2002 and registered as a Charitable Organization on October 15, 2012.
Since its inception, the organization has been in the forefront of many initiatives addressing issues of diversity, human rights, racial inequities and public participation. It has built leadership and organizational capacity in Calgary’s ethno-cultural communities and enhanced the presence and participation of members of these communities in civic activities, public consultations and elections. It developed innovative approaches that strengthens the role of ethno-cultural communities in the design, access and better delivery of services, domestic violence prevention and neighbourhood strengthening. It also participated in an important research on the impact of changes to public policies especially on immigration.
In 2017, the organization embarked in a rebrand exercise, realizing the importance of good communication and recognizing its important role in trying times where such issues as social justice, human rights and equity seem to be in the forefront for many communities. The new name, Action Dignity Society, was publicly launched on December 17, 2017.
