This article is presented on behalf of The Tree of Peace Friendship Centre
June 26, 2020, marks the 50th Anniversary of The Tree of Peace Friendship Centre.
For those people who are not familiar
with the Friendship Centre, a brief historical overview has been prepared.
The Tree of Peace was incorporated in
June 1970 through the vision of its’ founding members who saw the need for a solid foundation of an aboriginal institution that in turn gathers strength from the community. The Tree of Peace established itself and is recognized by the community as an institution serving both indigenous and non-indigenous peoples in the communities of Yellowknife, Ndilo and Dettah.
The mandate and mission statement of the Tree of Peace Friendship Centre is to improve the quality of life for indigenous peoples by facilitating self-determined social, wellness, educational, employment, economic, recreational and cultural activities which respect indigenous people’s cultural distinctiveness. The centre has also strives to provide assistance and programming to elders, youth and the most vulnerable in the community.
Approximately 25 years ago, it was identified that in order to one day become self-sufficient, the realization of a new building complex had to be one of our goals. Hard work and determination by the board, staff and volunteers made this dream a realization, when we moved into our new 15,000.00 square foot building complex on February 13, 2004. We are proud to say that this achievement was accomplished without any type of funding from the municipal, territorial or federal governments.
Our many accomplishments during the past half century, would not have been possible without the assistance of many people. The Tree of Peace wishes to thank and recognize the founding members as well as all current and former senate members, staff and volunteers who have all contributed to our many successes. We also affirm that we will continue to promote and administer high quality programming for the benefit of the entire community. We want to maintain our growth, striving towards self-reliance and economic independence from our traditional benefactors, the government.
During this very grave and anxious time due to COVID 19, we pray that each of you stay safe and strong. Take this time of isolation, to enjoy quality time with your families and friends and to enjoy our beautiful north.
Masi cho
Visit the Tree of Peace Friendship Centre website at https://www.ttopfc.com/
