Historic music celebration attracts big name acts for worldwide awareness of health issues in Indigenous communities

Historic music celebration attracts big name acts for worldwide awareness
of health issues in Indigenous communities

October 18, 2016, Toronto, Ontario —  Join a historic music celebration live at The Vogue Theatre in Vancouver, BC on November 17, 2016 as performers Buffy Sainte-Marie, Susan Aglukark and Andrea Menard answer the call to help build awareness of health issues in Indigenous communities.

NationTalk proudly presents the ‘Indigenous Healing Our People Everywhere – iHope Benefit Concert 2016.’ Join Indigenous and other leaders in bringing worldwide awareness to suicide prevention through messages of Indigenous resilience, life promotion and reconciliation.

The facts are staggering. The suicide rate for Indigenous peoples is five to seven times higher than it is for other Canadians. iHope will shine a light on life promotion.  Let’s contribute to the shared message of hope on November 17th, 2016 at the Vogue Theater in Vancouver.

“Canadian Foundation for Health Improvement (CFHI) is honoured to be a part of an event which brings all Canadians together for hope,” said Rose LeMay, Director Northern and Indigenous Health, CFHI. “I want Indigenous youth to see Canadians stand up for hope and for inclusion – for reconciliation.  Thank you, NationTalk”

Music can be healing, and music will bring our nations together in celebration. Join us for this musical event! The iHope Benefit Concert 2016 hosted by Carla Robinson will feature International Indigenous performers including Buffy Sainte-Marie (First Nations), Susan Aglukark (Inuit)  and Andrea Menard (Metis) with special performances by West Coast traditional group Coastal Wolfpack and Murray Porter.

“The iHope Benefit Concert is a great example of how we, as Indigenous People, come together to support one another in times of need: it is a response that is unmistakably rooted in culture,” says Carol Hopkins, Executive Director of the Thunderbird Partnership Foundation. “We all need hope in our lives, and Thunderbird is proud to support this historic event.”

“The iHope Benefit Concert 2016 will be held between two extremely important health events in Vancouver the week of the 14^th of November, the First Nations Health Managers Association and We Belong, the International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership. At the iHope event we will also celebrate the hard work and dedication of those in the front lines everyday!” says Don Barraclough, President of NationTalk.

This amazing event is produced by NationTalk, with encouragement and input from the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement (CFHI), the First Nations Health Managers Association, and the Thunderbird Partnership Foundation.  Proceeds will be donated to the Thunderbird Partnership Foundation, Canada’s premiere Indigenous mental health organization.

Tickets go on sale today, the concert livestream will be available at www.Nationtalk.ca  on November 17^th, 2016 for online and mobile devices. For more information, please visit www.ihope2016.org  For further information about iHope2016 or NationTalk and for image or media requests, please contact Heather Richmond at heather@nationtalk.ca.

Follow    @ihopebenefit