Alumni

In 2019, Canada’s parliament designated the second week of September as Mennonite Heritage Week, granting special recognition to Mennonite resilience, cultural production, and peacemaking efforts. The designation encourages deeper public appreciation of Mennonite contributions to “building Canadian society.” This call comes alongside increasing acknowledgment among some Mennonites of all that past and current participation in nation-building has entailed - prominently, white settlers’ involvement in the state’s varied colonialist projects targeting Indigenous peoples. This year, we mark Mennonite Heritage Week by drawing attention to an upcoming conference, to be held at Conrad Grebel University College in May 2022, that invites reflection on these parts of Mennonite history, in Canada and in other contexts.

From May 13-15, 2022, a group of international attendees will gather at Conrad Grebel University College for an education conference titled Indigenous-Mennonite Encounters in Time and Place. Next year may seem like a long way off, but right around the corner on May 13, 2021, a virtual preview (sampler) event will premiere on the Grebel YouTube channel at 7pm.

Even in these difficult times, Conrad Grebel University College continues to find ways to bring the community together to learn, share, and grow through fun and meaningful events. Pre-pandemic, Grebel alumni enjoyed returning to share their stories, give advice, and answer questions from young and eager students.