Congratulations to Ecocity Builders and the BCIT Centre for Ecocities (the Centre) for receiving the 2020 Incredible Impacts Award, presented collaboratively by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) and the BestCities Global Alliance.
The Incredible Impacts Award celebrates international conference legacy initiatives that lead as examples of excellence within the global meetings industry and serve as a platform for positive societal impact beyond the conference. The Centre for Ecocities is a legacy of the Ecocity World Summit 2019 (Summit) and is committed to support the vision of Ecocity Builders, the owners of the Summit Series, to provide tools and training to cities locally, and around the world, to help them become ecologically healthy. As one of three award recipients this year, the Centre is recognized for its innovation and impact made in areas of sustainability, accessibility, and ecology. This award also marks the Centre’s first international award of recognition.
“The three winners have demonstrated their efforts and how they raised awareness of, and positively influenced their communities through education on critical issues,” said Senthil Gopinath, CEO, ICCA.
BCIT, along with the City of Vancouver, hosted the Ecocity World Summit 2019 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Parallel events were also held across all BCIT campuses to maximize opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to participate in the conference. International partners and institutions were also encouraged to commit to the same goals of engaging staff, students, and faculty in these educational opportunities. Informed by the Summit’s theme of Building the Bridge to Socially Just and Ecologically Sustainable Cities and the International Ecocity Standards, the Centre is now moving forward by working with ten municipalities across British Columbia, including Vancouver, to help them close their sustainability gap.
“Thank you to everyone involved for your dedication, expertise, and collaboration in supporting the Centre for Ecocities to deliver transformative tools to cities and businesses in Canada and around the world. Together, we will overcome challenges and make an impact on our community,” said Dr. Jennie Moore, Director, Institute Sustainability, BCIT.
What’s coming for BCIT Centre for Ecocities?
“We are on a next phase now to explore how the BCIT Centre for Ecocities can best connect internally to engage students and faculty in fantastic educational experiences with a host of international partners and educational institutions committed to these same goals,” explained Jennie.
BCIT Centre for Ecocities is collaborating with strategic partners, including Colleges and Institutes Canada, UN Habitat, UNEP and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, to develop educational resources aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. These resources are aimed to support students and young people around the world in becoming climate change-makers and sustainability leaders. If you have an idea to share, please submit to BCIT Centre for Ecocities.