Mayor of Victoria to Host International Conference on Community Safety and Wellbeing

Registration is now open for Intentional Transformation: Reimagining Inclusive Community Safety and Wellbeing, a conference taking place October 27-30 at the Victoria Conference Centre. Hosted by Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto, the international symposium will connect leaders from the fields of safety and wellbeing, urging them to challenge and explore the themes, trends, issues, and research relating to community safety and wellbeing.

"I invite residents, scholars, community and government leaders, subject matter experts, individuals with lived experience, service providers and knowledge keepers from across North America to come together in Victoria to share their insights and experiences with community safety and wellbeing," said Mayor Alto. "Sharing our diverse stories, perspectives and expertise, we will learn from one another, collaboratively deepen our understanding, reimagine the concepts and reality of community safety and wellbeing, and create intentional, practical solutions to address the challenges all our communities face."

Topics will include urban safety; safety challenges in small and rural communities; solving social challenges through increased collaboration; policing and bylaw enforcement; new understandings of addiction, health and wrap-around care; strategies for supporting youth services; combatting polarization and extremism; strategies for addressing homelessness; small business crime reduction and disorder reduction strategies; building community belonging, among a range of other ideas and solutions.

Keynote speaker, Professor Dr. Matthias Drilling from the School of Social Work at the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, will share an insightful presentation on poverty, urban design and social sustainability. The esteemed speaker lineup will bring a wealth of expertise and experience, ensuring the conference provides an exceptional and transformative learning experience for all attendees.

The conference begins Monday, October 28 and runs until midday Wednesday, October 30, with optional pre-conference study tours and experiences offered on Sunday, October 27. Conference delegates are invited to extend their stay through October 31 by registering for a complementary event at the same venue, offered by the Strong Cities Network and Foundation for a Path Forward about concrete city-led efforts to prevent hate and extremism and build local resilience.

Guests from Victoria, and across North America, are encouraged to attend. For more information and to register for Intentional Transformation: Reimagining inclusive Community Safety and Wellbeing Conference 2024, visit victoriaconference2024.ca.

Media Contact:
Colleen Mycroft
Manager, Intergovernmental and Media Relations
250.896.5325 | [email protected]