WHO WE ARE
Developing solutions for global challenges
Our Mission
The Victoria Forum is an ambitious and broad-reaching initiative to develop solutions to the global challenges of our times, in strong alignment with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. By bringing together academics, policymakers, business leaders, Indigenous communities and civil society, with diverse experiences and points of view, we strive to develop ideas for a better world.
The Victoria Forum creates opportunities to explore the complex tapestry of challenges facing our world and search for solutions to them. While the threats we face are indeed stark, they also present opportunities for dialogue, collaboration, and the rebuilding of trust. Only by addressing the current trust crisis can we pave the way for a future that is not just shared but also prosperous and harmonious. In doing so, Indigenous ways of knowing, doing and being provide valuable insights.
Our Focus Areas
Our work is structured around three major, and often overlapping, themes, and reflect the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The entire initiative is aligned with SDG 17 as it is built on a partnership model. The individual SDGs are mapped against our work streams as follows:
Regenerative Economy
Regenerative Economy
Peace & Democracy
Peace & Democracy
Equity & Social Justice
Equity & Social Justice
OUR STORY
Creating connections across boundaries.
Our Journey
Founded in 2017 by the University of Victoria’s Gustavson School of Business, the Victoria Forum has proven its ability to convene powerful and productive conversations and inspire ideas for positive social and economic change. Recently spun off from the University into a registered, independent, non-profit organization, the Victoria Forum is embarking on the next stage of its evolution, formalizing its operating structure and increasing the extent of its activities. Central to the Victoria Forum are a focus on reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and a recognition that Indigenous ways of knowing, doing and being provide valuable insights.
Our major events continue to be co-hosted by the Senate of Canada and the University of Victoria. Beginning in 2024, the Victoria Forum will be held annually on the traditional territory of the lək̓ʷəŋən peoples and set against the beautiful backdrop of Victoria, BC, Canada.
A Brief History of the Victoria Forum
2017: The First Victoria Forum
The inaugural Victoria Forum took place on November 2017, and brought together approximately 500 participants, representing different levels of governments, business, academia and civil society, to take stock of the state of diversity and inclusiveness in Canada on its 150th anniversary, and to look to the future.The final report included thirty-eight constructive recommendations and was widely distributed to leaders at different levels of government, business, and civil society.
2020: Virtual Victoria Forums
The Victoria Forum hosted a series of webinars aimed at understanding the long-term implications of the pandemic. In so doing, they layed the groundwork for the Victoria Forum 2022 by applying the lenses of Turf, Trust and Truth to a broader range of economic, social and environmental divides.
2022: Bridging Divides: Turf, Trust & Truth
The 2022 forum combined face-to-face discussions in Victoria, BC Canada, with online plenary sessions, that brought together Indigenous leaders, governments, educators, industries, youth, and grassroots organizations to create essential solutions for local and regional growth.
2024: The Next Stage
The Victoria Forum is entering the next phase of its development, solidifying its operational framework and expanding the scope of its initiatives.
2025: Local & Regional Events
In 2025 the Victoria Forum will focus on organizing and hosting events both regionally and in Victoria, focusing on developing ideas for a better world.