The charter calls on post-secondary institutions world-wide to make a commitment to embed health in all aspects of campus culture and take the lead in actions that promote well-being both locally and globally.
“Issues of health and well-being—be they physical, mental or emotional—affect everyone,” said Chad London, dean of the College of Kinesiology and campus representative for the charter. “The U of S has a unique opportunity to lead by example and generate, share and implement knowledge and research findings to enhance health of citizens and communities, both now and in the future.”
With the adoption of the charter, the U of S has pledged to a number of commitments including: creating an environment that promotes and supports the health and well-being for all who study or work at U of S campuses; commit to work collaboratively across our staff and student portfolios; commit to include Indigenous world views in our approach to health and well-being; and commit to collaborate and/or share our best practice wellness strategies, initiatives and learnings across Canadian and international campuses.
The Okanagan Charter was an outcome of the 2015 International Conference on Health Promoting Universities and Colleges, held at the University of British Columbia Okanagan campus in Kelowna. Delegates from 45 countries designed the charter to confront increasingly complex issues about health, well-being and sustainability of people and the planet, with higher education at the forefront of the movement.
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For more information, contact:
Jennifer Thoma
Media Relations Specialist
University of Saskatchewan
306-966-1851
jennifer.thoma@usask.ca