CAAN’s National Summit 2024

What started as a two-day event has now branched into 3 days full of excitement of moving CAAN forward. February 13 – 15 is CAAN’s National Summit.

February 13 – Day One:

Flow In the Glow: Guiding Local Opportunities for Wellbeing

The GLOWS Indigenous Health Grant is a co-created initiative between CAAN Communities, Alliances & Networks (CAAN) and Gilead Sciences Canada that seeks to advance health equity within Indigenous communities by enhancing engagement in cultural, HIV and viral hepatitis care.

The program will provide financial support to community organizations, enabling them to establish Indigenous-led solutions which meet the unique needs of Indigenous peoples in Canada. The Flow In The Glow Summit brings together the first cohort of recipients of the GLOWS Indigenous Health Grant to connect and share their projects, helping to inspire one another to continue leading the way in HIV and viral hepatitis initiatives.

Gathering Wisdom Summit

This summit is where all three Warrior Societies meet to discuss the Strategic Plan for the future of CAAN. If you are interested in joining a Warrior Society, you can reach Trevor Stratton at .

February 14 – Day Two

Wapiwin Akine (Seeing Collectively) Visioning Gathering

The goal of this national gathering is to present, share, and discuss information and ideas that will support the development of a strategic plan for CAAN Communities, Alliances & Networks (CAAN). Together, CAAN leadership, membership and others will practice wapiwin akine (seeing collectively) to inform a strategic vision and development of a written, living strategic plan.

In honour of a true and committed undertaking, CAAN is embarking on a visionary gathering on February 14-15, 2024 in Ottawa. This vision-quest journey resembles the notion of blue-sky thinking. In this journey, participants can meet their best selves through ceremony, drumming, and teachings, as we all work together as one collective group. Networking is encouraged: 30-minute morning and afternoon breaks, including 60-minute lunch breaks, are provided.

Re: membering 2-Spirit Stories of the Indigenous HIV/AIDS Movement

Woven in a vignette-style format, The Re:remembering Documentary highlights the vital contributions of Indigenous organizers including Two-Spirit trailblazers and individuals with lived experience related to STBBI’s amidst the tumultuous HIV/AIDS crisis on Turtle Island. Presented by CAAN Communities, Alliances & Networks, this film explores the intersection of Two-Spirit identity and the impact of HIV/AIDS with a focus on resilience and unique perspectives.