Civic Engagement Toronto

Local Social Host Sign-Up: Lunches, Drinks & Curated Experiences

**Want to help bring your city’s community together?** We’re looking for local hosts to organize small group lunches, evening drinks, mixers, movie get-togethers and curated experiences. **No experience necessary,** just a friendly attitude, some local knowledge, and a willingness to meet a few new people. After each event, we’ll send a short feedback form so we can improve and support you. The host will also be able to provide feedback so we can learn what worked and what didn't. **[Click here](https://form.questionscout.com/6926c9ab87a828a5c11a79fc)** to apply and get started: if you’re selected, we’ll reach out for a quick screening call.

IT Service Management Second Meetup Toronto

Welcome to our Second Toronto Meetup!! Let's Meet, know each other, share our passion about IT Service management and Governance, and have a bite or two! The topic will be about Continual Service Improvement, and we will have some nice surprises as well as a Tombola for prizes from PeopleCert (a teaser is 1 PeopleCert Plus membership giving you access to 150+ Library books, plus mock exams, plus Take 2 option, but there is more!) If you have any comments, or want to let us know about an Allergy you have, please send me a mail on mohamed.fayek@qualiti7.com or comment here in the group It will be an in person meetup with an option of joining remotely.

The Right to Emigrate & The Duty to Stay

Despite the consensus that the right to emigrate is a fundamental right, it is sometimes argued that this right may be overridden by a countervailing duty to stay. Concerned with the impact of the so-called “brain drain”, many liberal political philosophers suggest that the emigration of large numbers of highly qualified people can severely harm their states of origin, and that, consequently, highly qualified professionals have, at least under certain conditions, a duty to stay. In this talk, I argue against the duty to stay. I first present what I take to be the strongest argument in support of a duty to stay: the argument that potential migrants have a duty to stay as part of the general duty of individuals to create and support just institutions. Then, I argue that this argument raises a normative paradox. It seems that the worse the conditions in one’s country of origin are, the stronger one’s duty would be to stay and support the creation of just institutions. And yet, an exit route from bad conditions in one’s state of origin was precisely what was taken to justify the right to emigrate. It seems that the more reasons we would have to recognize someone’s right to migrate, the more reasons we would also have to argue that they have a duty to not migrate. To resolve this paradox, I propose a reconceptualization of the duty to create and support just institutions. I suggest that the paradox arises because of the implicit adoption of a sedentarist and state-centric interpretation of the duty to create and support just institutions. I argue, firstly, that the duty to support just institutions can be considered to justify not only staying in one’s country, but also leaving that country. Secondly, I suggest that the duty to support just institutions is not necessarily limited to the support of state-level institutions. Last, I hold that the duty to create and support just institutions is sometimes compatible with breaking ties with one’s state of origin, and that each person is the best judge of whether this applies in their own case. Anna Milioni https://www.lecre.umontreal.ca/en/chercheur-e/anna-milioni/ Post-doctoral Fellow, Centre for Research in Ethics Université de Montréal **About the Speaker:** Anna Milioni pursued her PhD at King’s College London, under the supervision of Dr Sarah Fine and Prof. Andrea Sangiovanni. During her PhD, she was also a visiting fellow at the University of Geneva (supervised by Prof. Matteo Gianni) and at Cornell University. Before her PhD, Anna completed a Research Master in Philosophy at the KU Leuven, as well as a Master in Philosophy of Law and a Bachelor in Law at the University of Athens. Her research is on the political philosophy of migration, with a focus on the intersections between mobility and migration. She is also interested in democratic theory, feminist philosophy, and philosophy of law. Her work has been published in *Ergo*, *Philosophy*, *Moral Philosophy and Politics*, *Nations and Nationalism*, *Res Publica* and *Ricoeur Studies*. Anna is also interested in public philosophy and is co-editor of the public philosophy magazine *[The Pamphlet](https://www.the-pamphlet.com/)*. Recently, Anna Milioni was awarded the *Res Publica Postgraduate Essay Prize* for her paper “Relating to each other as free and as equals: beyond the egalitarian justification of democracy”, published in *Res Publica*, as well as the *UK Kant Society Essay Prize 2024* and the *North American Kant Society Wilfrid Sellars Junior Scholar Prize* for her paper “Nomads, territory, and the Kantian state”, published in *Kantian Review*. **\* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \*** This is a talk with audience Q&A presented by the University of Toronto's Centre for Ethics that is free to attend and open to the public. The talk will also be streamed online with live chat [here](https://youtube.com/live/f8bQI9E17OE). About the Centre for Ethics (http://ethics.utoronto.ca): The Centre for Ethics is an interdisciplinary centre aimed at advancing research and teaching in the field of ethics, broadly defined. The Centre seeks to bring together the theoretical and practical knowledge of diverse scholars, students, public servants and social leaders in order to increase understanding of the ethical dimensions of individual, social, and political life. In pursuit of its interdisciplinary mission, the Centre fosters lines of inquiry such as (1) foundations of ethics, which encompasses the history of ethics and core concepts in the philosophical study of ethics; (2) ethics in action, which relates theory to practice in key domains of social life, including bioethics, business ethics, and ethics in the public sphere; and (3) ethics in translation, which draws upon the rich multiculturalism of the City of Toronto and addresses the ethics of multicultural societies, ethical discourse across religious and cultural boundaries, and the ethics of international society. The Ethics of A.I. Lab at the Centre For Ethics recently appeared on a list of 10 organizations leading the way in ethical A.I.: https://ocean.sagepub.com/blog/10-organizations-leading-the-way-in-ethical-ai

📣4/26‼️FOR ENGLISH SPEAKERS : TORONTO Japanese English Language Exchange

#### **This event page is for English speakers only.** **こちらのイベントページは英語話者の方向けです。** **日本人の方は、別のイベントページからお申し込みください！** *** We host a Japanese & English language exchange meeting every Sunday at 9:30 AM. Participants practice in pairs or small groups, with 50 minutes of Japanese practice and 50 minutes of English practice. The study materials used in our sessions are created by professional language teachers. ### **Before Signing Up, Please Read the Following** * **Please make sure to check the comments section of the event page, as all event details and materials will be shared there around Saturday.** * This meeting is intended for people who are genuinely interested in language learning. Participants joining for other purposes may be asked to leave. * We prioritize creating a safe and comfortable environment for all attendees. * Disruptive behavior, solicitation, or sales activities are not allowed. Anyone who does not follow the instructions of the organizer or staff may be removed from the group. * **Participation fee : Refunds and carryovers are not available.** ### **Participation Fee & Donation** Your participation fee will be used by Emiko Tanaka, a Yosakoi Ambassador, to promote Yosakoi Naruko Dance from Kochi, Japan, to the world. For more details, please visit our website: [Yosakoi Ambassador Project](https://yosakoiambassador.com/) We look forward to seeing you at the event!

Spring has Arrived Leisure Nature and Neighbourhood Walk! (Dinner Party after)

Hello everyone, **\*\*Kindly Read Carefully\*\*** Please join me and my other groups for a relaxing and fun Sunday afternoon leisure nature walk through the Don Valley Trail along the Don River followed by an enjoyable dinner at a local pub near our meeting location. **Meeting Location with free Parking:** We will meet conveniently out front the **Tim Hortons directly across the street from the Davisville Subway (Yonge Line)** This will give us an opportunity to introduce ourselves as everyone arrives; then make our way on our small adventure through quieter and more natural parts of the city we don't usually get to see. More details below: Sincerely, Steve Flemming (Organizer/Host) **Event Details:** **Spring has Arrived Leisure Nature and Neighbourhood Walk! (with Dinner Party after)** -A great day planned as we explore parts of the city we don't see every day (great nature trails and old beautiful neighbourhoods) -Play a couple ice breaker games near the beginning of the walk as well to help us get to know one another -During the walk we will stop and rest at different spots, bathroom breaks, take some lovely scenic photos, group photos and share some laughs together -Followed by food and beverages at a nearby Irish Pub \*This event is a great way to naturally make connections, get some fresh air and (re) connect with some wonderful people **Bonus after our Leisure Nature Walk: (Optional)** \*Stick around after the walk for a fun Saturday social gathering at a local Irish Pub for beverages and food right after the walk \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **Event Fee:** 10 dollars (cash only) when you arrive (HST is included) or e transfer in advance to Steveflemming11@gmail.com \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **Time and Location: Where to meet us?** We will meet at out front of the **Tim Horton (1910 Yonge Street)** \*Arrive early if you like (however we will meet out front at 4:00 p.m. (we will wait for everyone to arrive until roughly 4:30 p.m.) **Drivers & Free Parking:** Plenty of parking on Yonge and residential too :) Free parking on Duplex, one street west of Yonge :) \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- ***Thanks for reading everyone, remember to RSVP and see you real soon!*** :) \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-

Mandarin-English Exchange

Hello Everybody! 【College Park food court is closed again, so we change the location to the food court in Brookfield Place（181 Bay St., Toronto, ON）, near the Union Station.】 I am helping organize a mandarin-english language exchange downtown. If you want to improve your Mandarin/English, feel free to come by downtown and meet others to practise your language. There will be native Mandarin and English speakers to help you! Or you can share your language skills with others! Every Saturday 3:00pm-5:00pm Brookfield Place Food Court（181 Bay St., Toronto, ON） [ Please find a table with "meetup" label (like the Featured photo).] [ Usually in front of the Longo's supermarket] —————————————— 大家好： 【College Park的food court又给封了，所以我们把活动地点换到了 Brookfield Place的food court （181 Bay St., Toronto, ON），靠近Union Station。】 我正在组织一场中英文交流活动。如果你想提高你的普通话或者英语，那就快来参加吧！你可以在这里认识很多母语为普通话或者英语的新朋友！他们都非常乐于帮你提高你的中英文表达能力！也欢迎你同我们一起分享你的语言技巧! 谢谢! 每周六 3:00pm-5:00pm Brookfield Place Food Court（181 Bay St., Toronto, ON） 【请找到一张桌子，桌上有张纸，写着“Meetup”。】 【位置通常会在longo's超市前面】 ———————————————— 大家好： 【College Park的food court又給封了，所以我們把活動地點換到了Brookfield Place的food court （181 Bay St., Toronto, ON），靠近Union Station。】 我正在組織一場中英文交流活動。如果你想提高你的國語或者英語，那就快來參加吧！你可以在這裡認識很多母語為國語或者英語的新朋友！他們都非常樂於幫你提高你的中英文表達能力！也歡迎你同我們一起分享你的語言技巧！ 謝謝! 每週六 3:00pm-5:00pm Brookfield Place Food Court（181 Bay St., Toronto, ON） 【請找到一張桌子，桌上有張紙，寫著“Meetup”】 【位置通常會在longo's超市前面】

Avengers’ Saturday Cafe for the Homeless

Note: You may be removed from the attendance list if you've participated in the previous week's event. This allows for more people to experience this Meetup. Avengers put your costumes on and let’s go and save the world!
Well we can’t save the world (yet), but we aim to try to play a small part in the lives of those experiencing homelessness by making their day a bit better!
Description: Before the event the organizer will post a list in the comment section of the attendees and what they are responsible to bring (food/drink, kitchen supplies, cleaning supplies). We normally ask each attending member to bring approximately $15-20 worth of ingredients/supplies to our event. We will use the items to prepare and serve food/drink at The Meeting Place.
Timeline: We will meet on location at 11:00 am, with lunch served between 12:30-1:00 pm.
Membership Dues: Membership dues are $2.00 for the calendar year. Membership dues go towards paying for food/supplies incurred by no-shows. Membership dues are due at the first meetup of the year that you attend.
No Shows/Late Un-RSVP: We’re relying on members who RSVP to bring key ingredients for recipes! Please try your best to show-up or alternatively change your RSVP early so another member may fill the empty spot.
\*\*\* If you are on the waitlist, keep checking as you may be moved into attendance to replace someone. We will try to message you to confirm your attendance in advance.
Donations will be assigned before the event.

HAT Get-Together

Join us the 4th Friday of every month at 6 pm at Cherie Bistro for another Toronto Humanist & Atheist get-together! Catch up with friends and welcome new people.

GTA - May 3 - Walk in High Park - dogs welcome

[In-person] Curiosity Café – Ethics of the Family

Our families, or lack thereof, are one of the first things we become aware of. For better or worse, as children, most of us rely on family to meet our needs and help us learn how to exist in the world. Their presence or absence shapes our behaviours and affects how others treat us. We may be judged by what our parents do for work, how our children behave, whether we have strong or weak family values and ties, or our ability to fulfill familial obligations. ‘Family’ shapes how we come to learn about the world, how we relate to one another and to ourselves, and the goals we set. Through our lived experience, the stories we’re told, and the cultural values many of us have inherited, ‘family’ has become a relational category whose existence we assume is natural; that is, family units have always existed and always will. But could a world without families exist? Statistically, families are the epicentre for cases of violence and abuse, and perpetuating economic inequality. Given this, would we be *better off* in a world without family as we know it? Join co-moderators Fallon Taylor-Kanary and Sophia Whicher at our next Curiosity Café, where we’ll explore the following questions: * Who do you consider to be family? Why? * How do you feel when you think about family? * What function does family play in our lives? * Why are families sites of so much violence? * How is contemporary infrastructure (architecture, policies, institutions, etc) designed around families? * How would our relations be different if our material and economic conditions weren’t shaped or mediated by the family? * Would a world without families *necessarily* be a world with less love and care? **Space is limited!** **Please obtain a “Pay-What-You-Can” ticket from Curiosity Café at [this link (click here)](https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/curiosity-cafe-ethics-of-the-family-tickets-1987289282741) to attend this event. You need a ticket to be admitted.** See the above link for more info about tickets and other options including a limited number of free tickets. Come and hang out with us, grab food, and read through our handout from 6-6:30pm. Our structured discussion will run from 6:30-8:30pm with a 10 minute break in the middle. Hope to see you there! ***__________________________________________________________________*** This event is brought to you by [Being and Becoming](https://beingnbecoming.org/), a Toronto based non-profit. We aim to create community around exploring everyday concepts and experiences so that we may live more intentional, thoughtful, and meaningful lives. We use philosophy as a tool with which we can come to a richer understanding of the world around us. By offering activities, spaces, and other opportunities for conversation and co-exploration, we hope to enable the meeting and fusion of individuals and their ideas. Everyone is welcome, regardless of background: indeed, we believe the journey is best undertaken alongside explorers from a variety of disciplines, cultures, backgrounds, and experiences. Find out more about Being and Becoming [here](https://beingnbecoming.org/). About the Curiosity Café Series: For those of you who haven’t had the opportunity to join us at our Curiosity Cafés and are wondering what they’re all about: every two weeks, we invite members of our community to come out to the Madison Avenue Pub to engage in a collaborative exploration of our chosen topic. Through these events, we aim to build our community of people who like to think deeply about life’s big questions, and provide each other with some philosophical tools to dig deeper into whatever it is we are most curious about.

Drumming Circle & Uplifting Discussion 🪘✨🌍

**NO MUSICAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED** **About Drum & Soul** Drum & Soul is a participatory community space that combines drumming, singing, reflection and conversation in one shared experience. Through rhythms from different cultures, collective music making and meaningful discussion around a focused theme, we practise qualities that strengthen both the individual and the community. This is more than a drumming circle. It is a space where people can grow in expression, presence, listening, and contribution, while learning how these same qualities can be carried into everyday life and relationships. - **Why come** Come if you want to grow your expressive capacity, feel more at ease participating with others, and be part of a growing space that celebrates the human in us. Everyone is welcome, regardless of age, background or musical experience. If you feel shy in groups, that is completely natural. Many people arrive unsure and leave feeling surprisingly at home. - **How it works** We begin with a short breathing and centring exercise, followed by simple rhythm demonstration and call and response drumming. We then move into smaller group discussion around a shared theme. From there we shift into collective jamming and improvisation, and end with a potluck meal and informal connection. - **Typical meeting flow** 1. 🫱🏽‍🫲🏻 Arrival & social time – 15 min 2. 🙋🏻‍♀️ Welcome, check in and centring – 15 min 3. 🪘 Call & Respond **Drumming & demo** – 20 min 4. 💬 Facilitated **Discussion** on the Theme (groups of five-or so) – 20 min 5. 🕺🏽 Open **Jamming** with multiple instruments – 30 min 6. 🦋 Potluck **dinner** & social time afterwards – 60 min *This outline is flexible and may shift to suit the group and the space.* - **Logistics & what to bring** We meet in a large and beautiful space. Drums are available on a first come first served basis. We also provide plenty of small percussion instruments so every hand can play. You are welcome to bring your own drum or instrument. We end the evening with a shared **potluck meal**, an extension of the circle where conversation and connection continue. Since the event is free, we warmly ask everyone to bring a small item to share if they are able. Simple finger foods and easy to serve savoury items are especially helpful, such as fruit, veggies and dip, wraps, sandwiches, hummus and pita, samosas, spring rolls, crackers and cheese, or other meal friendly bites. Sweet items are welcome too, but meal friendly contributions are especially appreciated. - **Cost & contributions** This is a free event. If you are unable to bring food, you are welcome to make an optional contribution toward refreshments and materials by e-transfer to **hooshmandnyc@gmail.com** - **Helpful notes** No prep needed. Doors open at 3:45 p.m. Please arrive by then so we can start at 4:00 p.m. sharp and keep the flow. Location and any last minute updates are posted on Meetup and in our WhatsApp group. We recommend joining the WhatsApp group (ask us for the link at the venue) for quick notices. - **Life Between Gatherings** Drum & Soul does not begin and end with the monthly session. For those who want to continue beyond the gatherings and go deeper, we also have: • **Advanced sessions** for those who want to go further in drumming technique and explore the discussion themes more deeply in a smaller group • **Home or café meetups** for simple in-person connection, where a few participants can continue the conversation more personally and naturally • **Ongoing contact** so the spirit of the gathering can carry into everyday life through our own reflection, friendship and mutual encouragement Over time, these smaller spaces help strengthen connection, shared learning, and community life between sessions. Ask us about these features for more detail. - **Why this matters** Our world is like a sick body, and is aching for a lasting remedy. We believe our special mission here is to nurture one another, define our roles in service to our fellow humans, and become living temples of unity. A meaningful growth unfolds through both self‑discovery and collective effort, and one cannot truly flourish without the other. Come open and prepared to learn, to offer your gifts, and to be strengthened by the power of community. *This ad is also posted in other groups* 📷 Follow us on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/artsoultoronto/) 🎥 [A glimpse from one of our sessions](https://youtu.be/ejfeV1PF-0k)

Unmute Yourself online workshop. For men who want better lives!

This 4-week online workshop is for men who want more for their lives, including more connection with others and more self-awareness, as they discover who they want to be. The ManKind Project is a global brotherhood of nonprofit communities; inclusive, non-political and non-religious. Details and registration at https://www.mankindproject.ca/ and go to Online Workshops. * Timing: Four Tuesday nights, 8-10pm ET on Zoom, May 5 - 26 * Audience: Men ready to open up, speak up, and show up in ways you may not have before * Fee: CAN$95 until April 5 and $120 after; fee is flexible if support is needed, see below * Questions/Fee Support: unmute@mankindproject.ca Testimonials: * This was a great workshop that helped me gain a more profound understanding of myself as a man. Through relatively simple exercises and a supportive environment, I was able to gain some awesome insight into myself and my relationships. Huge help, and a great experience. - Graeme S * It was a great experience considering I have never done anything like this, ever! * Great way to initiate openness and express feelings. - Frank B. * You only get what you put into it. Allow yourself to be vulnerable and dig deep. Surprise yourself and you will not be disappointed. * This workshop was amazing and gave me the self-confidence to dive wholeheartedly into some of the things that I am struggling with as a young man. The camaraderie and support shared by everyone in the group is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before. This workshop was incredible and has changed my outlook on life. I highly recommend this workshop to anyone looking for guidance and clarity on how they’re showing up in the world for strengthening relationships and friendships with those they will close to their hearts.