Reconciliation demands courage, humility, and a long view. Join us for a fireside chat with a distinguished leader in Indigenous politics and rights, whose work at the United Nations has shaped global conversations about Indigenous Peoples' human rights obligations under international law. Exploring Canada's role and responsibility in this global space, this conversation asks what reconciliation truly requires of leaders, in Canada and worldwide. Pull up a chair and join an open, respectful dialogue rooted in lived expertise and shared global responsibility.
The Peter Lougheed School of Leadership and the Peter Lougheed School of Politics and Democracy are proud to co-host this fireside chat featuring visiting guest Dr. Sheryl Lightfoot, Professor, University of Toronto, and Dr. Nicole Lugosi-Schimpf, Associate Professor, University of Alberta.
About Dr. Sheryl Lightfoot
Dr. Sheryl Lightfoot, (Anishinaabe, Lake Superior Band) is a globally recognized expert in Indigenous rights and global politics. She is a Professor in Political Science and the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto. She currently serves as the Vice Chair, North American Member, and former Chair of the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP). Dr. Lightfoot’s research addresses Indigenous-state relations, the implementation of Indigenous rights frameworks, and the evolving role of Indigenous self-determination in reshaping global politics. She is a leading authority on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), examining its transformative potential in policy and practice. She is the author of Global Indigenous Politics: A Subtle Revolution (2016), and co-editor of Indigenous Peoples and Borders (2024) and The Handbook of Indigenous Public Policy (2024).
About Dr. Nicole (Nykkie) Lugosi-Schimpf
Dr. Nicole Lugosi-Schimpf, Métis (Otipemisiwak) and Eastern European, is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Native Studies at the University of Alberta. Nicole’s work crosses the disciplines of Indigenous Studies and Political Science, and her research examines structural racism and polarization in Canada and Central Eastern Europe with a focus on International Indigeneity, Indigenous representation, reclamation, and nehiyawewin (Cree) language revitalization. Nicole uses discourse analysis, critical frame analysis, auto-ethnography, and arts-based research methods in her work. She has published in journals such as: Critical Studies in Education, Millennium Journal of International Studies, and Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy.
Schedule of Events
11:45 AM | Pizza & Sandwiches
12:00 PM | Welcome, Opening Song & Prayer
12:20 PM | Introduction of Speakers
12:25 PM | Fireside Chat
1:25 PM | Closing Song
1:30 PM | Light refreshments and mingling
1:50 PM | Event concludes
Students with classes are welcome to arrive by 12:30pm. Lunch will be available.
Thank you to all those who have registered for this event! We have now reached full room capacity.
If you wish to be added to a waitlist for any seats that may open up, please email plsl@ualberta.ca.