York University’s Commitment to the Okanagan Charter
As a signatory to the Okanagan Charter, York University is dedicated to promoting health and well-being across our campuses.
The Okanagan Charter emerged from the 2015 International Conference on Health Promoting Universities and Colleges, which was held in Kelowna, British Columbia. Named after the Okanagan region, it provides a framework for post-secondary institutions to embed health into every aspect of campus culture, operations and academics. The Charter’s vision is to advance human and ecological well-being by fostering healthier, more sustainable communities.
The Charter calls on post-secondary schools to embed health into all aspects of campus culture and to lead health promotion, action and collaboration locally and globally.
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Our Commitment to Well-being
At York, we recognize our role in enhancing the health and well-being of our community. A culture of well-being is not only beneficial for learning and work, but is also essential for academic success, personal growth and professional development. Our commitments under the Okanagan Charter include:
Continue to apply and build on key University priorities. These include: Well-being Strategy; Decolonizing, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (DEDI) Strategy; Sustainability Strategy, and the Internationalization and Global Engagement Strategy.
Continue to enhance our contributions to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Implement policies and programs that promote health and well-being across all aspects of campus life.
Advance our commitments to Truth and Reconciliation.
Strengthen partnerships with community organizations, government agencies and partners. This will help us address local health issues, share best practices and leverage resources for health promotion.
Maintain an inclusive campus culture that prioritizes decolonization, equity, diversity and inclusion.
Implement the recommendations from the Security Service Review.
Promote sustainability practices on campus to improve the health of people and the planet.
Expand well-being resources and programming that provide comprehensive supports for students, staff, faculty, instructors and alumni.
Land Acknowledgement
York University recognizes that many Indigenous Nations have longstanding relationships with the territories upon which York University campuses are located that precede the establishment of York University. York University acknowledges its presence on the traditional territory of many Indigenous Nations. The area known as Tkaronto has been care taken by the Anishinabek Nation, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, and the Huron-Wendat. It is now home to many First Nation, Inuit and Métis communities. We acknowledge the current treaty holders, the Mississauga’s of the Credit First Nation. This territory is subject of the Dish with One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement to peaceably share and care for the Great Lakes region.
Recognizing the Indigenous territory on which York University stands is integral to York’s commitment to well-being because it underscores its role in environmental stewardship, cultural respect, and sustainable living.
Whether acknowledged individually or as a community, the intentional act of connecting with the land is a way of enhancing well-being and promoting a more sustainable, harmonious relationship with the natural world and each other.