Oni at SAW

OTTAWA—Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, will be at SAW Gallery and Club SAW in Ottawa on November 7, 2007, at 7:00 p.m., to explore the ways in which youth in Ottawa are using the urban arts to combat youth crime and improve their neighbourhoods.

As part of her national tour to encourage young Canadians from disenfranchised neighbourhoods in a dialogue to consider how they can use art to bring about change in their communities, the Governor General will participate in her seventh community forum on youth and the urban arts, two of which took place on foreign soil. The discussion will include approximately 125 young artists representing various neighbourhoods and organisations from the National Capital Region, as well as decision makers, Order of Canada recipients and philanthropists.

This event will be co-produced by the SAW Video Association and SAW Gallery, two centres that provide programs for emerging local artists, and will be hosted by Oni the Haitian Sensation and Buddha, both of the Canadian Floor Masters. Opening remarks will be given by representatives from the host organizations and the Governor General, and there will be a presentation of a video of highlights from SAW Video’s 2006 youth program. The Governor General will then launch a discussion on youth involvement in the urban arts. The evening will conclude with hip hop, spoken word and break-dancing performances.

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