A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to making our online Bringing the Salmon Home Festival (May 3 & 4, 2022) such an incredible success. You can see (or re-watch) and share the diverse festival presentations by clicking on the free ‘Watch now’ link for any event listed on the festival page at ColumbiaRiverSalmon.ca.
We express deep gratitude to our honoured guest presenters and hosts for so generously sharing your stories, knowledge, and expertise. And we thank all who joined as audience members – your enthusiasm and positive feedback make all the months of organizing this event so worthwhile.
We also want to celebrate the many people working behind the scenes. This year’s festival program coordination was an ace team effort led by Valerie Michel, Troy Hunter, Carrie Terbasket, and Pauline Terbasket, supported by our Communications Advisory Group.
We’re happy to report that this year’s festival featured six online events over two days, with 50 guest speakers and hosts, and over 1,000 audience registrations! People tuned in from all over, including from the Yukon, British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana.
Guest speakers included representatives of the Syilx Okanagan, Ktunaxa, and Secwépemc Nations and US Tribes, and BC and Canada. We heard from an inspiring array of leaders, youth, elders, knowledge keepers, artists, musicians, and scientists.
Here are just a few of the many uplifting responses we’ve received from audience members:
“I truly appreciate the invitation to participate, to learn, and to feel hope through these thoughtful and responsible initiatives. I also truly appreciate the way presenters shared life stories.”
“A rich and informative festival. Thank you for sharing so much with us.”
“Thanks to all who contributed to the festival and shared their knowledge. I look forward to joining in contributing to the restoration of salmon!”
Bringing the Salmon Home: The Columbia River Salmon Reintroduction Initiative is the Indigenous-led initiative of the Syilx Okanagan, Ktunaxa, and Secwépemc Nations, together with Canada and British Columbia. This festival affirms the continuation and renewal of our collaborative journey together to bring the salmon home to the upper Columbia River, after being blocked by dams for over 80 years.
As Secwépemc Nation elder Louie Stevens shared so poignantly in our closing event Reflections: “I pray that one day salmon will be able to make it up here by swimming, instead of arriving in small packages from grocery stores.”
Please be sure to add your name to our Bringing the Salmon Home Supporters List.
And enjoy watching any of this year’s festival event videos at ColumbiaRiverSalmon.ca
With gratitude,
Bringing the Salmon Home: The Columbia River Salmon Reintroduction team
