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Thursday, May 22

The day’s sessions and events will be taking place in or around the Kamloops Museum and Archives.

7:00 – 8:00	Early Bird Walking Tour: Downtown Heritage Corridor \| Sponsored by Equitable Real Estate
	Join the Kamloops Museum and Archives and the Secwépemc Museum and Heritage Park as we learn more about the people and buildings that are cornerstones to the Kamloops community. Participants will learn about the once thriving Cuban cigar factory, the first mayor of Chinese descent in North America, and visit the oldest public building in Kamloops on this early morning walking tour of the downtown heritage corridor.
	View Presenters Meghan Stewart, Kamloops Museum and Archives Kenneth Favrholdt, Secwépemc Museum & Heritage Park
8:30 – 9:00	Light Breakfast with Coffee & Registration Desk Open \| Sponsored by Equitable Real Estate
9:00 – 10:00	Opening Remarks
10:30 – 12:00	Concurrent Sessions
	Working With Community to Reclaim Narratives Through Film
	This session will explore the power of film in reclaiming untold narratives and the importance of collaborating with community to unearth and tell these stories. Presenters Jack Gin and Shay Paul will share how they are using film as a tool for cultural preservation and collective memory and are creating impactful projects that celebrate resilience and leadership within marginalized communities.
	View Presenters Jack Gin, Ginsight Films Shay Paul, Indigenous Resurgence Project
	Building Relationships through Mentorship and Knowledge Sharing
	Building relationships through mentorship and knowledge sharing is a core principle in the development of personal growth and in the growth of our peers, colleagues, and community. In this session you will engage in learning about mentorship and how these rooted experiences can have a positive influence but also be an important pathway of much needed change within the Heritage, Arts, and Cultural sector. Through break out tables you will make connections, share your knowledge as a mentor or mentee, and brainstorm and problem solve solutions together. Our goal is to further understand how our collective findings can impact you and your organization.
	View Presenters Julia Cyr, Kamloops Museum and Archives Jackie Jules, Secwépemc Museum & Heritage Park Dr, Sharanjit Kaur Sandhra, Belonging Matters Consulting Lachlan Gonzales, Secwépemc Museum & Heritage Park
12:00 – 13:00	Lunch \| Sponsored by British Columbia Association of Heritage Professionals
13:00 – 14:30	Concurrent Field Trips & Special Event
	Restoration Tour/Workshop of St. Andrews on the Square
	St. Andrew’s Church, the oldest public building in Kamloops, has risen from the ashes twice, symbolizing resilience as a cornerstone of both heritage and community. In this field trip session, historian Andrew Yarmie and lifelong volunteer Melody Formanski will discuss the church’s rich history, highlighting the individuals, organizations, and municipal efforts behind its restoration. Dusan Magdolen, Cultural Services & Events Manager for the City of Kamloops, will offer insights into the insurance claim process and the City’s practice of bringing various interest holders into the conversation for the rebuild. After the one-hour presentation at the Courthouse, a brief site visit to St. Andrew’s on the Square will showcase its architectural features, representing the late Victorian Gothic Revival style.
	View Presenters Andrew Yarmie, Kamloops Heritage Engagement Group; Thompson Rivers University Melody Formanski, Kamloops Heritage Society Dusan Magdolen, City of Kamloops
	Kamloops Railway Museum & Red Bridge Tour
	ALL ABOARD the Kamloops Heritage Railway Society (KHRS) and the venerable #2141 steam locomotive! The #2141 steam locomotive was built in 1912 for the Canadian Northern Railway, now the Canadian National or better known as CN Rail. Today, the only surviving locomotive of a group of 25 built has been a cherished piece of the Kamloops community since 1961. A new KHRS Board of Directors was recently formed who are committed to reviving the #2141 and creating a world-class experience for generations to enjoy. In collaboration with the City of Kamloops and CN Rail, Kamloops Heritage Railway Society has begun the process of restoring and reactivating the one-of-a-kind train. We invite you to join our passionate Leader of Railway Development, Jordan Popadynetz, for an informative tour of our maintenance facility and to witness #2141 being prepared for her triumphant return to steam operations. So climb aboard and let’s Time Travel Together!
	View Presenters Jordan Popadynetz, Kamloops Railway Heritage Society (2141)
	Sir Wilfrid Laurier Plaque Unveiling Ceremony (1 hour)
	Please join us in the dedication and unveiling ceremony of the Memorial To Sir Wilfrid Laurier on May 22, 2025, 1:00pm, at 100 Victoria Street West. On August 25, 1910, a delegation of Chiefs representing the Secwépemc, Sylix, and Nlaka’pamux Nations met with Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier in Kamloops and presented him with a powerful memorial document outlining the history of grievances. These grievances centred on the loss of their homelands and livelihood, asking the Canadian government to do justice by them and settle their land questions. We will gather to hear voices, share in knowledge and stories, and understand this significant history together as the plaque is unveiled in ceremony together.
	View Presenters City of Kamloops Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc
15:00 – 16:30	Concurrent Sessions
	Building Community into Process
	This conference session will highlight how community involvement enriches and strengthens cultural preservation and can offer valuable lessons for those immersed in collaborative projects. Representatives from the Kamloops Museum & Archives, the Kamloops Chinese Association, the Secwépemc Landmarks Project and Kamloops Pride will share experiences and effective strategies for how integrating community input into museum and heritage processes can create more inclusive, sustainable projects. Roundtable breakout discussions will allow participants to engage in the specific topic around the barriers and challenges with building community into process.
	View Presenters Joe Leong, Kamloops Chinese Association Remy McInnis, Kamloops Pride Shelley Witzsky, Secwépemc Landmarks Project Libby Chisholm, Secwépemc Landmarks Project
	Unveiled: A Collaborative Experience in the Dedication and Ceremony of the Memorial To Sir Wilfrid Laurier
	On August 25, 1910, a delegation of Chiefs representing the Secwépemc, Sylix, and Nlaka’pamux Nations met with Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier in Kamloops and presented him with a powerful memorial document outlining the history of grievances. These grievances centred on the loss of their homelands and livelihood, asking the Canadian government to do justice by them and settle their land questions. In this session you will learn about the history of the Memorial and the collaborative effort to bring awareness and understanding of this event and its significance to the Kamloops community.
	View Presenters Sarah Candido, City of Kamloops Julia Cyr, City of Kamloops Brandi Phillips, Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc
17:00 – 21:00	Evening Social hosted by the Secwépemc Museum and Heritage Park

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Thursday, May 22

Early Bird Walking Tour: Downtown Heritage Corridor | Sponsored by Equitable Real Estate

Working With Community to Reclaim Narratives Through Film

Building Relationships through Mentorship and Knowledge Sharing

Restoration Tour/Workshop of St. Andrews on the Square

Kamloops Railway Museum & Red Bridge Tour

Sir Wilfrid Laurier Plaque Unveiling Ceremony (1 hour)

Building Community into Process

Unveiled: A Collaborative Experience in the Dedication and Ceremony of the Memorial To Sir Wilfrid Laurier