In the run up to a new decade, IICRD staff, Associates and Board put our minds together to reimagine what we could contribute to children and our world– while still staying true to the values and relationships built up over more than two decades.
“We had a lot of milestone moments in 2019,” says IICRD’s Vanessa Currie. “Within IICRD, our founders transitioned to new roles and we welcomed many new Directors to our Board.
“At the same time,” Currie adds, “the child rights landscape significantly changed with young people standing up to shift systems–especially to curb climate change. We also marked the 30th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. All of these changes provided an opportunity for us to pause and prioritize how we collectively step forward into the new decade.”
After a year-long process of thoughtful reflection and planning, IICRD launches its 2020-2023 Strategic Directions. Our renewed vision, approach and guiding principles are highlighted with a focus on leading with children to transform our world. We are also teaming up with multi-sectoral partners to channel our skills, energy and resources to deliver four core Directions over the next three years. These efforts will build on our affiliation with Royal Roads University, backed by our renewed five-year memorandum of understanding to co-deliver applied research, professional education and community-engaged learning initiatives.
Aligning with these renewed steps, IICRD created a new logo, with the help of graphic designer Pablo Munoz. In the IICRD logo a young person and adult are walking together, with the young person taking the lead. They walk together, to highlight the importance of intergenerational collaboration across an atmospheric landscape that highlights our work locally, nationally, and internationally.
The weaving lines emphasize the interconnected and interdisciplinary nature of our work in relationship with young people, families, communities, and across disciplines and sectors. The golden hue of the sky symbolizes the warmth and strength inherent in our relationships with one another, while the blue and green of the land symbolize the importance of our relationship with the natural world.
“I’m excited to see how all of these changes unfold in the coming years,” notes Kate Butler, IICRD’s new Chair of the Board. “In collaboration with others, IICRD can play an important role to transform child rights and to step boldly into leading with children and youth to create a better future for us all.”
