About IIM
 
 
 
History
Mission Statement
Directors and mentor
Focus of programs
Appreciation
 
 

 

 

A brief history: 1963 – 2012

The adventure began in 1963 with Jacques Langlais, priest of the Holy Cross congregation, which joined in 1967, Robert Vachon, Franco-American priest of the Congregation of La Salette, United States, and in 1971, Kalpana Das, educator of Indian origin and Hindu tradition.

Incorporated in 1968 as the Centre Monchanin, it subsequently took the name Monchanin Cross-Cultural Centre in 1979. Since 1990, the new name, Intercultural Institute of Montreal, has reflected the organisation's mission and activities.


Commitment

The Intercultural Institute of Montreal is a non-profit research and social action organization, dedicated to promoting an ever-deepening understanding of cultural pluralism, intercultural relations and social change. Its scope is at local, national, and international.

Although harmonious ethnic relations and cultural diversity are generally recognized as desirable, little is understood about the transformative possibilities they offer our pluralistic world.

IIM is committed to exploring these possibilities in order to meet contemporary economic, ecological, social and civilizational challenges. These can only be met by a sincere search for wisdom and cosmovision from each and every culture, through dialogue, understanding and co-operation.

The philosophy and practices of IIM find their roots in the non-institutional and community sectors of our societies. The Institute’s spirit has been one of engaging itself in a dynamic interaction between the public and private or the formal and informal sectors, without compromising its identity as a community organization.

Characteristics of IIM’s programs and approach

IIM has always sought to offer proposals, not to erect rigid opposition to the dominant approach, but towards the introduction of alternatives as regards pluralistic societies throughout the world. IIM offers a series of programs and services in a spirit of cooperation. Since its foundation to this very day, its programs have run a long and innovative course. The evolution of its programs and services were marked by the following characteristics:

The 60’s: The intercultural socialization of youth and adults with the background of different life-styles and different cultural and religious origins; the experience of culture-learning and of intercultural/interreligious dialogue; the establishment of an information and documentation service on cultures, religions and intercultural studies; the founding of the international Journal InterCulture.

The 70’s: The development of closer links with Indigenous Nations; the creation of programs to support and sensitize the public to the way of life of First Nations, to the socio-political issues with respect to their self-determination; the introduction of a program of intercultural education for children and workshops of cultural sensitization for teachers; intercultural consultation and reference services; the promotion of the rights of minority cultures.

The 80’s: Intercultural forums on social topics of the day; training in intercultural relation and communication: 45 to 60 hours training programs for professionals in education, social and health services in many institutions and community organizations; training programs for agents of international development and cooperation, and for agents of human rights.

The 90’s: Setting an International Network for Cultural Alternatives to Development (INCAD); promoting movements of regeneration of local communities and of their systems of knowledge throughout the world; establishing a data base on local and indigenous knowledge systems; research-action projects on specific issues, with regard to groups such as youth, elders, and immigrant families within ethnocultural communities of Quebec and, more recently, on interculturality within community development and social action.

2000 to today: Events of September 11th 2001 have incited IIM to reorient its reflection and action, with regard to interreligious dialogue. Hence, IIM has constituted an Interreligious Committee for social action. Within the framework of this Interreligious Committee and in collaboration with the Chair of Religion, Culture and Society at the University of Montreal, IIM has developed an action project within the school milieu on the theme: “Youth, Identity and Religiousness: the role of the school”. Participants in this project comprise students from the secondary IV and V, parents, teachers and spiritual animators. In 2007, IIM held the Colloquium, in collaboration with the Chair on Interuniversity research Group on diversity in Quebec (CRIDAQ), at the University of Quebec in Montreal, “Pluralism here and elsewhere” in order to deepen its reflection on the diversity in our society from an intercultural perspective.



Together because we are differents
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