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The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on Saturday, March 21 is another opportunity to celebrate cultural diversity in our province, Premier and Finance and Energy Minister Wade MacLauchlan says.

“Prince Edward Island welcomes any and all people who are willing to help enrich our Island community,” said the Premier, who is the minister responsible for the Public Service Commission. “This coming Saturday – and every day – we must raise our voices together against discrimination and continue to build a Public Service and a culture that strengthens racial harmony and embraces inclusiveness.”

International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination was first proclaimed by the United Nations in 1966 and is observed annually on March 21. Canada was one of the first countries to support the declaration, committing through the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to develop and promote universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Prince Edward Island’s Public Service Diversity Policy supports creating a workplace that is free from any form of discrimination. The Public Service Commission’s annual Diversity Calendar is a daily reminder of the rich cultural makeup of our province, and its Diversity Consultant and Diversity Advisory Committee coordinate training and promotional activities for employees in the Public Service.

There are some 90 different ethnic groups in Prince Edward Island, including its original inhabitants the Mi’kmaq as well as people of European descent. Members of the Lebanese community who first immigrated in the 1880s, as well as more recent Chinese immigrant communities have become two of the largest ethno-cultural groups on the Island.

For more information, visit www.gov.pe.ca/diversity.