Whistler Multicultural Society
Building Equitable Community
Whistler Multicultural Society's (WMS) vision is that newcomers, immigrants and all culturally and racially diverse people are resilient and are thriving. Our programs build inter-cultural interaction and connections, develop awareness and understanding of our local diversity, and seek to grow equity and inclusion. We aim to build the voice and profile of newcomers, immigrants and equity-deserving members of our local communities, and to develop community inclusion initiatives.
December is Universal Human Rights Month....
Universal Human Rights Day
On December 10, Human Rights Day commemorates the signing of the Universal declaration of Human Rights in 1948.
By defending human rights, we can prevent harm before it happens..
By protecting human rights, we protect our future..
By advancing human rights, we create a fairer world..
Upholding human rights isn’t only about addressing present injustices, it's about reshaping unjust societies and empowering marginalized groups. See this video about human rights and how we need to protect them.
In 2024, we're even more aware of how important it is to fight for human rights for all. Canada is not immune to the realities of inequality, systemic racism, and racial injustice. Unfortunately, too many equity-seeking communities in Canada—including racialized communities, LGBTQ2 individuals, persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples, and religious minorities—face significant discrimination, disparities and systemic barriers across a broad range of areas such as employment, housing, health care, and public safety. The wait for equal respect for the human rights of Indigenous Peoples has been far too long, over too many generations. We encourage Canadians to embrace the diversity and compassion that make our country strong, inclusive, and prosperous, as we build a better future for all.
Spiritual & cultural celebrations
The right for all of us to celebrate and worship as we wish is an important human right.
Around the world, many holidays are celebrated in December. Some of these holidays are secular and some are spiritual or religious.
Some religious holidays celebrated in December are:
Christmas - Christianity. Celebrating the birth of Christ.
Bodhi Day - Buddhism. A Buddhist holiday that commemorates the day Siddhartha Gautama attained awakening or enlightenment and became the Buddha 2600 years ago.
Pancha Ganapati - Hinduism. A modern Hindu festival honoring Ganesha, one of the most worshiped Hindu deities.
Chanukah or Hanukkah - Judaism. In the Jewish Festival of Lights; the Menorah, which contains eight candles, is lit – one candle for each night of Hanukkah.
Some secular holidays celebrated in December are:
Kwanzaa - An African American and Pan-African holiday celebrated by millions of the African community throughout the world
Yule or Winter Solstice - a festival originating in pagan traditions, marks the winter solstice
New Year's Eve - also known as Old Year's Day, is the evening or the entire day of the last day of the year, 31 December.
Day of Remembrance & Action on Violence Against Women
On December 6, 1989, 14 young women were murdered at Polytechnique Montréal in an act of violent misogyny.
The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women is about remembering those who have experienced gender-based violence and those who we have lost to it.
It is also a time to take action. Achieving a society free from gender-based violence requires everyone to educate themselves and their families and communities on gender-based violence, centre the voices of survivors in our actions and speak up against harmful behaviours.
Ways you can honour the victims of this tragedy on December 6:
Wear a white ribbon. You can make one at home or order one online.
Observe a moment of silence at 11:00 am.
Attend a vigil in your community.
Check out PearlSpace' website; join events, learn more about how you can help stop the violence and advocate against gender-based violence in our own communities.
Working for newcomers, immigrants, and diversity across the Sea to Sky