• The first event is the 2011 International Action on Wellness Symposium, hosted by Alberta Health and Wellness, which will take place in Banff from October 11-13. The conference theme is “Building a Healthier Tomorrow Together.”
• The second is the 2011 National Recreation Summit, from October 23-26 in Lake Louise. The Summit is a joint effort between the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association (CPRA) and the Interprovincial Sport and Recreation Council (ISRC) along with federal government agencies. The event will be co-hosted by Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation and the Alberta Recreation and Parks Association (ARPA). The conference theme is “Recreation, Community and Quality of Life.”

Both events are intended (in different ways) to promote networking, partnerships and collaborative efforts.

For instance, one of the objectives of the 2011 Symposium is to “stimulate new partnerships and opportunities for networking and engagement between multiple sectors (within and beyond the traditional health sector) and at all levels of society that promote wellness.”

The 2011 Symposium follows on the heels of an Action on Wellness Forum hosted by Alberta Health and Wellness in 2010. Due in part to the success of the 2010 Forum, the idea of launching an international symposium gained strength.

Like the 2010 Forum, the 2011 Symposium will approach wellness from four themes: healthy eating, active living, mental well-being and addiction prevention.  More than 100 speakers will be on tap, while hundreds of attendees are expected from Alberta, Canada and around the world.

"Everyone has opportunities to be a positive influence and model healthier behaviour wherever they work, live learn and play,” said Gene Zwozdesky, Minister of Health and Wellness.  “Alberta’s first-ever International Action on Wellness Symposium will bring together wellness experts from around the world to the beautiful Banff Springs Hotel to inspire attendees and give them the tools and strategies to champion wellness in their own communities.” 

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About the 2011 National Recreation Summit
This Summit will bring together over 200 invited leaders and experts from across Canada, including those with expertise in recreation development, public policy analysis and government affairs. Each province and territory, federal government agencies, and CPRA member associations were asked to select and nominate individuals representing a diverse range of interests and experience.

According to Rick Curtis, Chief Executive Officer of the ARPA, the Summit is a “first of its kind event” and will mark the beginning of a “renewed, re-energized and collaborative agenda for enhancing the impact of recreation and parks on building healthy, active communities and enriching the quality of life throughout Canada.”

He added, “The Summit is intended to be the beginning of an ongoing dialogue, not an end. It is envisaged that it will be the start of a regular mechanism for consultation involving CPRA, the ISRC, federal agencies and other stakeholder groups.”

At this Summit, special attention will be given to the identification and assessment of ways in which community engagement strategies and actions can innovate and enhance the delivery and quality of public recreation and parks services at local levels.

The Summit will be organized around five themes: Confronting Canada’s Public Health Crisis; Respecting Nature and Our Environment; Building Community; Contributing to Public Sector and Social Innovation; and Repositioning the Recreation and Parks Field.

One half-day will be devoted to each theme. Each half-day will include three sessions, including:

• a plenary address encompassing a high level view of issues and opportunities relevant to the theme;
• a plenary challenge panel which will collectively offer a ground level perspective on urgent current issues within the theme; and
• facilitated workshops, where all Summit participants will explore concepts, ideas and actions identified through the plenary addresses.

As well, a series of commissioned papers will be prepared and distributed to participants in advance of the Summit. The papers will investigate topics and background material relevant to each theme, and related challenges.

Curtis noted that all prepared materials will be made available to the Summit participants as well as the general public through posting on the Lifestyle Information Network website by the end of September.

Importantly, the attendees at this Summit are asked to not only prepare well and engage fully at the Summit, but also to commit to dedicated time over the next two years following the Summit, in support of collaborative results or actions that arise from the Summit.

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Looking Ahead
Gathering key stakeholders together to discuss approaches and strategies is a useful way to make progress on aspects of wellness, recreation and active living.

For instance, here in Alberta, the provincial government’s recently released Active Alberta Policy represents a ten-year policy that sets out a vision for recreation, active living and sport. Developing this type of policy is a good example of a collaborative effort, including a wide range of stakeholder consultations.

As stated in the policy, it is partly based on “research that clearly points to the importance of active lifestyles to the physical, social and emotional health and well-being of Albertans and their communities.”

As for the impact that these two October conferences can have, Curtis noted that both of them have a “strategic and timely” focus and “will serve to advance vital, ‘upstream’ preventative/wellness measures and initiatives to improve public health and enhance the quality of life of our citizens.”

Given that both conferences have wide-ranging programs and plenty of opportunities for networking and collaboration, it won’t be surprising if both events help to trigger or establish new partnerships for action – just what is needed to advance wellness!

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Learn More
International Action on Wellness Symposium

National Recreation Summit