Mayor Henderson signed the declaration to continue to foster a welcoming and inclusive community.
Mayor John Henderson has signed a declaration to have Cobourg join the Coalition of Inclusive Municipalities (CIM) to continue to support diversity and inclusion and to work against racism and discrimination locally. The declaration was unanimously endorsed by Council at the Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday, December 7, 2021, and Mayor John Henderson officially signed the declaration on Monday, January 4, 2021 to commemorate World Braille Day.
“By joining this UNESCO-led initiative our town can exchange information with other signatory cities across Canada on how they work against racism and discrimination locally,” said Mayor John
Henderson for the Town of Cobourg. “I am thrilled that this motion has passed and that we are putting plans in motion to continue to foster a welcoming and inclusive community.”
The Canadian Commission for UNESCO’s (CCUNESCO) Coalition of Inclusive Municipalities brings together municipalities that want to improve their policies against racism, discrimination, exclusion, and intolerance. Together, municipalities undertake initiatives to eliminate all forms of discrimination with a goal to building open and inclusive societies. The Town of Cobourg has joined 83 municipalities across Canada that are committed to respecting, protecting, and promoting human rights and diversity.
“The Town of Cobourg is proud to become a member of the Coalition of the Inclusive Municipalities and to continue to support equity, diversity, and inclusion within our community,” said Jamie Kramer, Accessibility Coordinator for the Town of Cobourg. “Becoming a signatory is also a commitment to developing a Plan of Action to fulfill the 10 Common Commitments of the coalition.”
The Town of Cobourg is committed to a Plan of Action to fulfill the 10 Common Commitments for CIM members and will continue to roll out action plans in the coming years. One of the ways the
Town has already started to implement these commitments is by providing printed materials in multiple formats, incorporating a Google translate option on all pages of the municipal website and
the most recent Council adoption of a Multi-Year Accessibility Plan.
For more information on the Town of Cobourg’s Diversity and Inclusion initiatives please visit our webpage or watch the Coalition of Inclusive Municipalities video to see what it means to become a member.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
