The Heart of the Continent Partnership’s
2011 International Community Congress:
Balancing Nature and Commerce in Communities that Neighbour Public Lands along the Ontario/Minnesota Border
4 Day Congress: Oct 24-27, 2011
Implementation Phase: Nov 2011–Oct 2012
4-day Agenda * Team Map * News Coverage * Results Sheet (pdf)
The work of the International Community Congress now moves into the implementation phase, as the teams begin to implement their action plans. Ten community teams came together for four days in October 2011 in Grand Portage Minnesota and Thunder Bay Ontario to create new projects that take advantage of the incredible natural resources of the area and to develop workable action plans to improve the sustainability of both their community’s individual economy and the public lands in the broader Heart of the Continent region.
Please watch this video introduction for International Community Congress participants sent by Minnesota’s Senator Amy Klobuchar:
75 Community Leaders Are Taking Part as members of Ten teams
Participant Resources:
- Using Social Media–presenter Glynnis McPhee Powerpoint
- Collective Impact–article from presenter Shawn Johnson
- Agenda–International Community Congress (final draft)
- Overview of the International Community Congress
- Benefits of attending the International Community Congress
- News Release (19 Sept 2011)
Workshop Purpose
The International Community Congress is a multi-day forum and training event that will bring together community teams, public land managers, and other interested parties from both sides of the international border with the purpose of learning how to best take advantage of the incredible natural resources of this area and to develop workable plans to improve the sustainability of their individual economies and the broader Heartof the Continent region as a whole.
The workshop will enhance the capacity for active citizenship and leadership in local communities by providing a structured environment for citizens to gather and create just and equitable opportunities for their community, and to connect socially, economically and environmentally with their neighboring public lands.
Goals
The goal of the International Community Congress is to build stronger economic, social and environmental connections between communities and their neighboring public lands for mutual benefit.
The initiative will build:
- Vibrant, sustainable community economies with a stronger community connection to public lands
- Regional awareness of the public lands throughout the Heart of the Continent Region
- Enhanced interest in public lands
End Results
- Each community team launches a new economic initiative that connects them with their public lands
- Different constituencies develop increased understanding amongst one another
- Communities connect with neighboring communities throughout the cross-border region
Who’s Involved
- Community Leaders
- Elected Officials
- Business Leaders
- Tourism Partners
- Nonprofit Leaders
- Chamber of Commerce
- Multi-Use
- Conservation
- University
- Public Land Managers
Contact
To learn more, please contact:
Lisa Radosevich-Craig
[email protected], 218-626-4336
Paul Danicic
[email protected], 612-332-9630