As part of a growing awareness campaign, Canadians will be celebrating the 9th annual Intergenerational Day on June 1st. Intergenerational Day was initiated in 2010 by students and not-for-profits as a way to promote connection between older adults, children and youth.
“Our youth are the future,” said OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas. “But we must all learn from our past. Without meaningful connection, so much knowledge and wisdom is lost from one generation to the next. As a social justice union, it’s our duty to help build those intergenerational bridges.
“I’m so proud of the work our union and our Young Workers’ Committee are doing to serve our members and our province,” said Thomas. “It’s important that we create spaces where everyone is welcome, where everyone is heard and where everyone can learn and grow. This is the very foundation of a compassionate society.”
“Building intergenerational bridges is about building relationships and resilient communities,” said OPSEU First Vice-President/Treasurer Eduardo (Eddy) Almeida. “We’ve got a lot to learn from one another, and we’ve all got a role to play in the fight for a better Ontario for all.”
Intergenerational Day is also an opportunity to reflect on the hard work of the generations that came before us who built this province and the high-quality public services that we all enjoy today.
It’s a day to recognize the battles that were fought, and it’s about renewing our commitment to public services and working with a new generation who will carry the torch forward for many generations to come.