Role of the GCAA
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Today, the German-Canadian Association of Alberta is working hard for
multiculturalism, a most important aspect of Alberta's pluralistic society,
as well as for the future of our German-speaking population, both young
and old. For many years now, the Association has increasingly supported
and staged cultural programs and presentations in order to promote young
artists and talent and to involve them in the process of multicultural
development. The annual Operetta Evening as well as the Art Exhibition
are events organized specifically for this purpose. The "Miss Oktoberfest
Pageant" offers talented youth from all ethnocultural groups and
all parts of the province an opportunity to experience German-Canadian
culture and also to win valuable monetary prizes. Our weekly German
Pension Counselling Service helps qualifying Albertans with the preparation
of applications for German pension benefits. This service as well as
the annual Seniors' Appreciation Day are important gestures of thanks
for the older members of our province who have contributed so significantly
to its growth.Watch over the media, interchange with the general population
and other ethnocultural groups as well as the promotion of heritage
language education are taken care of through the efforts of three Standing
Committees. The presentation of the German Language Achievement Award
represents another practical contribution to heritage language education.
Education is also the main goal of the Association's Cultural-Historical
Research Project ("German Culture in the Canadian Mosaic"),
which seeks to research the history, contributions, lifestyle and culture
of our German-speaking population from 1882 to the present for the beneift
of present and future generations. Through such research work, it is
our goal to set straight the facts of German-Canadian history and thereby
help to clear up prejudices and misconceptions.The German Days -- a
three-day cultural festival, reinstituted by the Association in 1986
-- is staged annually with the goal of broadening public awareness of
the history, culture and the enormous contributions of German-speaking
Canadians to the development of the province. The German-Canadian Association
of Alberta has also represented the German-speaking population for 26
years at the Edmonton Heritage Festival in an attempt to further such
ethnocultural awareness.