What is Mundialization?
Who are we?
What we do?
Terms of Reference
Committee Members
Meeting Information
Upcoming events
Media Releases
Our Twin Cities send Canada 150 Greetings
The City of Burlington's Twin Cities are celebrating and recognizing Canada 150 from across the world.
The City of Apeldoorn, The Netherlands created the video below for us to watch and a letter from Mayor Berends.
They city of Itabashi, Japan has also sent us a letter from Mayor Takeshi Sakamoto.
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A visit from Princess Margriet of the Netherlands |
What is Mundialization?
The definition of "mundialization" is the act of a city or local authority declaring itself a "world citizen" and being aware of global issues with a sense of shared rights and responsibility. The word itself stems from the Latin word "mundus" which means "world". The concept involves the twinning of cities from around the world, in the belief that peaceful cooperation depends on mutual trust and appreciation among peoples of different nations, races, cultures and systems. Mundialization encourages citizen connections as a way of fostering world peace and global understanding.
Who are we?
The Burlington Mundialization Committee is a citizen committee reporting to Council through the Committee of the Whole.
In 1984, a Mundialization Committee of volunteer citizens was formed in Burlington to pursue twinning with another country. A by-law was passed in 1985 to declare Burlington a "World Community" dedicated to international co-operation (mundialization) and that the City of Burlington, as part of its Mundialization program, proceed: (a) to undertake a twinning program with a municipality in another country, and (b) to fly the United Nations flag with the Canadian flag from City Hall at all times.
On May 12, 1989, Mayor Bird signed a twinning agreement with Mayor Kurihara of Itabashi, Japan.
On May 6, 2005, Mayor Mac Issac signed a twinning agreement with Mayor de Graaf of Apeldoorn, the Netherlands.
Read about our Twin Cities: Apeldoorn, The Netherlands and Itabashi.
Want to find out about our up coming events
Read the latest United Nations news and activities.
What we do?
Our mandate is to promote the City of Burlington as "A World Community" dedicated to the United Nations philosophy of peaceful co-operation among the peoples of the world and encourage community understanding of different cultures global issues by:
- Maintaining our twin city relationships in accordance with the agreements
- Promoting activities that celebrate our similarities and respect our differences
- Organizing a celebration of the United Nations Day each year around Oct. 24
- Providing advice and assistance on twin city relationships to Burlington City Council
- Developing achievable annual action plans with assistance of City Staff
- presenting an annual report to Council with assistance of City Staff
Each year on or around Oct. 24, Mundialization Committee members organize an event to celebrate the importance and achievements of the United Nations and its mandate to promote peace, understanding and tolerance among people of all cultures and backgrounds.
Terms of Reference
View the terms of reference (pdf) of this committee
Committee Members
Ed Dorr, Chair
Johanna Haan, Vice-Chair
Rob Lyng, Chair, Itabashi Sub-committee
Chuck Morris
Bill Stafford
Charles Minken
Miles Ross Chair, Apeldoorn Sub-committee
Mary Vuk
Peter Bridger
Sabrina Yott, Chair, United Nations Sub-committee
William Swybrous
Rory Nisan
Hassan Raza
Niki Vahidian
Arnold Koopman
John Coyle
Council Representative
Councillor Blair Lancaster, Ward 6
Staff Representative
Lisa Palermo, Committee Clerk
905-335-7600 ext. 7492
lisa.palermo@burlington.ca
Meeting Information
Agenda and Minutes
| 2017 |
| Agendas, minutes and meeting dates from January 2017 onward can be found on the City Meeting/Event Calendar. To access agendas, minutes for citizen advisory committees, follow the below instructions: 1. Visit burlington.ca/calendar 2. To find citizen advisory committee meetings, filter your search in the Search Criteria section. 3. Select "City Meetings" from the Calendar drop down menu. 4. Select "Citizen Advisory Committee" from the Category drop down menu. 5. You may choose to use the Start Date and End Date selections to refine your search. 6. To find a specific citizen committee meeting, type the name of the committee in the Keyword(s) textbox. 7. Click Search to display the results. 8. Click on the title of a particular meeting to view details of that meeting. If you wish to request documents in alternative format or with communication supports, contact the Clerks Department at 905-335-7600, ext. 7698. |
| 2016 |
Events ....
For more information, please visit the city calendar.
| Solo presents Madame Butterfly |
| Lecturer | Tuesday, October 24, 2017 | 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Burlington Central Library, 2331 New Street, Burlington | Call 905-639-3611 ext. 1321 to register. Love waits for no one. The story of the young geisha Cio-Cio San, her devotion to her American husband, and her subsequent heartbreak, unfold to Puccini's Madame Butterfly. (coc.ca) Guest speaker: Sabatino Vacca, Artistic Director, Southern Ontario Lyric Opera Company. |
| Throwback Thursday Classic Films @ Central Library |
| Thursday, October 26, 2017 | 2 p.m. doors open 30 minutes before show time, FREE | Madame Butterfly (1993; Rated R) 1.5 hours |
| The Golden Age of Dutch Painting |
| Wednesday, November 29, 2017 | 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Burlington Central Library, 2331 New Street, Burlington | Call 905-639-3611 ext. 1321 to register.
Lecturer Bryan Wylie talks about the genres of painting made popular on the 17th century by Dutch painters. |
| Past Events... |
| Canada Netherlands Friendship Day
Canada Netherlands Friendship Day 20th anniversary Highlights:The Royal Canadian Legion Colour Party, Burlington's Teen Tour Band, elementary and high school students, Mayor Rick Goldring, Netherlands Consul General Anne van Leeuwen, a special salute to our veterans, Apeldoorn and Burlington student art display and refreshments. |
| During the month of May - Student Art Exchange - City of Burlington and City of Itabashi |
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Students from St. Elizabeth Seton Elementary School, Burlington and Fujimidai Elementary School, Itabashi are participating in an art exchange. The Burlington and Itabashi student's art will be displayed at the Art Gallery of Burlington during the month of May. Date: Month of May 2017 |
| Sakura Festival |
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Burlington Mundialization Committee's annual Sakura Festival, an important Japanese custom to welcome spring, will be held at the Art Gallery of Burlington. This free event includes demonstrations of: taiko drumming, koto harp, odori dancing, kimono fashion show, martial arts and yosakoi dancing. |
| Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet and Professor Pieter van Vollenhoven announce visit to Burlington |
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Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet of the Netherlands and her husband, Professor Pieter van Vollenhoven, will pay an official visit to Canada from May 13 to 16, 2017. Princess Margriet and Professor van Vollenhoven will talk to Burlington elementary students involved in the Mundialization committee's Apeldoorn art and letter exchange program and high school students from Burlington that connect with Apeldoorn students and exchange visits to learn more about each other's culture and history. The princess and her husband live in Burlington's twin city of Apeldoorn in the Netherlands. The official visit to Canada is to deepen and foster the valuable friendship between Canada and the Netherlands and to remember the anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands by the Canadian Armed Forces during Second World War. Mayor Goldring will host the princess and her husband at a number of events in her honour:
Residents are invited to the tree-planting cermony at Apeldoorn Park on Tuesday, May 16, 2017 at 2 p.m. The event includes a plaque unveiling and greetings from Mayor Goldring and Princess Margriet. Local members of federal and provincial parliament, Halton Region and Burlington City Council will attend. The Brant Street Pier will be lit orange during the evening of the official visit. |
| Reach Out Centre for Kids (ROCK) receive donation from Japanese philanthropist, March 7, 2017 |
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Japanese philanthropist Taroo Enomoto, from Burlington's twin city, Itabashi, Japan, has donated 450,000 yen (about C$4,753) to the Reach Out Centre for Kids (ROCK). Enomoto, who is from Itabashi, Japan, has donated close to C$40,000 to Burlington over the past 28 years, including donating rhododendrons to Paletta Lakefront Mansion. His generosity towards Burlington began in 1989 with the twinning of Burlington and Itabashi, Japan. The bond has been strengthened through the city's Mundialization Committee and multiple exchanges. The twinning agreement between Burlington and Itabashi was signed at Burlington City Hall by former Mayors Roly Bird and Keizo Kurihura on May 12, 1989. The relationship has developed since that time through regular citizen visits, official delegations and memorable anniversary celebrations. Mayor Rick Goldring, Councillor Blair Lancaster and members of the Mundialization Committee l presented a cheque to ROCK at ROCKs Our Community Cares (OCC) Centre. "Mr. Enomoto's many contributions can be seen and enjoyed throughout our city. His support of child and youth organizations like ROCK, invests in our future," said Mayor Rick Goldring. "We are thankful for his ongoing investment in the mental health and wellbeing of our youth." Ward 6 Councillor Blair Lancaster, City Council's representative on the Burlington's Mundialization Committee, "I am very pleased that the Burlington Mundialization Committee is recommending that the funds once again be given to the Reach Out Centre for Kids (ROCK), in keeping with Mr. Enomoto's wishes that the money benefit children/youth in Burlington." Joanna Matthews, vice-president of strategic development, ROCK, "One in five young people is battling a mental health issue. They deserve access to mental health services and supports that respond quickly and comprehensively to their needs, as close to home as possible. As a lead agency for child and youth mental health in our community, ROCK will use this generous donation to ensure immediate access to children and youth in need through our Burlington walk-in counselling clinic. We are grateful to Burlington's Mundialization Committee and to Mr. Enomoto for this support." |
Media Releases
Please refer to our News centre.