Ontario Heritage Trust presents: Dialogue on Intangible Heritage with Wade Davis
TORONTO, Dec. 11, 2017 /CNW/ - As part of the Ontario Heritage Trust's exploration of intangible heritage, Professor Wade Davis presented a compelling lecture at the Isabel Bader Theatre in Toronto Thursday. The significance of intangible heritage – the stories we tell, the languages we speak, our ceremonies, beliefs and cultural practices and the knowledge, skills and values we share – is increasingly being recognized in Canada and in countries around the world. In his inspiring lecture, Davis shared his observations on different ways of knowing, the irreplaceable value of cultural diversity and answers to the fundamental question of what it means to be human.
"Every culture has something to say and deserves to be heard," he said, as he shared stories and photos of Indigenous societies from the Amazon to Australia, from Tibet to the Canadian Arctic. "I've noticed how fearful people are in a cross-cultural context … it's not complicated, it's just good manners."
Named by the National Geographic Society as one of the Explorers for the Millennium, Davis has been described as "a rare combination of scientist, scholar, poet and passionate defender of all of life's diversity." Davis is an ethnographer, writer, photographer and filmmaker and the author of more than 20 books, including the international bestseller, The Serpent and the Rainbow.
The lecture will also feature prominently in an upcoming episode of CBC Radio's program, Ideas. Paul Kennedy, the host of Ideas, introduced Davis and led the question and answer segment with the audience.
Thursday's lecture was presented by the Ontario Heritage Trust as part of a three-part exploration of intangible heritage this fall. In October, the Trust published an issue of the magazine, Heritage Matters, focused on the diverse facets of intangible heritage. The Trust also hosted a symposium on November 22 that examined intangible heritage and the role of technology, cross-cultural exchange and intergenerational transfer. Harvey McCue (Waubageshig), Chair of the Ontario Heritage Trust, noted that, "Intangible heritage creates a deep connection to place, community and culture. It is only by understanding our past and our present that we can move forward together to build a more diverse, equitable and inclusive society."
More information about intangible heritage can be found on the Trust's website, including links to the latest issue of Heritage Matters and a photo album from the November 22 symposium.
The Ontario Heritage Trust is the heritage trustee and steward for the people of Ontario. In this capacity, it conserves provincially significant cultural and natural heritage, interprets Ontario's history, educates Ontarians and celebrates the province's diversity. In 2017, the Trust is celebrating 50 years of service to Ontarians.
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