From:  Library and Archives Canada

News release

November 17, 2021—Gatineau, Quebec—Library and Archives Canada

For a third consecutive year, Library and Archives Canada (LAC) is providing funding through its Listen, Hear Our Voices (LHOV) initiative to support First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation communities as they digitize their existing documentary heritage related to Indigenous languages and cultures.
 

Up to $100,000 per project is available for eligible organizations. New this year, the scope of the funding program has been expanded to include formats such as textual records and photographs, in addition to audiovisual recordings.
 

Indigenous nations, governments and non-profit organizations are encouraged to submit applications until noon on January 28, 2022 (Pacific Standard Time). Visit the Listen, Hear Our Voices web page for guidelines, eligibility criteria, the application form, or to register for an informational webinar on the application process.

Listen, Hear Our Voices is guided by the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and is one of the many concrete actions highlighted in LAC’s Indigenous Heritage Action Plan and in the National Action Plan developed in response to the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. To date, 50 projects from Indigenous organizations across the country have received funding to digitize their recordings and build the skills, knowledge and resources required to carry out this work in their communities.
 

About Library and Archives Canada

The mandate of Library and Archives Canada is to preserve the documentary heritage of Canada for the benefit of present and future generations, and to be a source of enduring knowledge accessible to all, thereby contributing to the cultural, social and economic advancement of Canada. Library and Archives Canada also facilitates co-operation among communities involved in the acquisition, preservation and diffusion of knowledge, and serves as the continuing memory of the Government of Canada and its institutions.
 

Library and Archives Canada is online at www.bac-lac.gc.ca. Stay connected through RSS and Twitter,  to keep up to date on the latest from Library and Archives Canada
 

Quotes

“We all have an important role to play in the reconciliation process with Indigenous peoples in Canada. Through concrete actions and initiatives such as Listen, Hear Our Voices, we are working with Indigenous partners to ensure their voices are heard and their stories are told so that their ancestors’ heritage is preserved for future generations.”

The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage

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“Colonial systems have been destructive to Indigenous peoples on so many levels, including on the cultural front. While we can’t erase the past and the damage caused, we can work towards building a better future together—one that acknowledges and honours the diversity and richness of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation heritage.”

Leslie Weir, Librarian and Archivist of Canada
 

Quick facts

• Listen, Hear Our Voices is one of the Indigenous documentary heritage initiatives LAC developed in 2017 to increase access to Indigenous-related content in the national collection and to support Indigenous communities in their efforts to preserve First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation cultures and languages.

• The Government of Canada’s Budget 2021 allocated LAC another $14.9 million over four years to support the preservation of Indigenous heritage. 

• During the Listen, Hear Our Voices application period, webinars will be offered to interested organizations. At these sessions, LAC staff will answer general application questions and provide tips on how to complete the application form.

• An Indigenous review committee, external to LAC and comprised of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation representatives from across Canada, will assess applications and make recommendations for funding.
   

Click here for the link

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