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Invitation: The Quilt of Belonging project was begun in the fall of 1998 by artist Esther Bryan. In 1995 she had gone on a life-changing journey to Slovakia with her parents to find the family and home her father had left behind 43 years earlier. The dream of making this artwork was born from Esther's experiences as she recognized that everyone has a story to tell and that the experiences and values of our past inform who we are Today. Each culture has a unique beauty that enhances our national identity. Each person can experience a sense of belonging and find an equal place in a global family. Thus, our mission statement reads:
This monumental artwork, Canada's most comprehensive textile art project, is the work of volunteers from Victoria to Newfoundland to the Arctic Circle. From across Canada, participants were invited to contribute their talents and ideas, reflected through the prism of their cultural backgrounds. The astonishing range of materials, from sealskin to African mud-cloth, from embroidered silk to gossamer wings of butterflies connects the threads of our past to the limitless possibilities of the future. View Block-by-Block. Since 1999, the project has been headquartered in the former Township office in the tiny Eastern Ontario village of Williamstown. Quilt of Belonging is incorporated as a non-profit organization and is a registered charity. In the early stages the project was largely funded by public donations. Gradually, as the project gained momentum, organizations, corporations and grant agencies have added their support. See Sponsors. The first blocks arrived in the fall of 1999 and on May 18th 2000, a special reception featuring the first set of completed pieces was hosted by the Canadian Ethnocultural Council in the Hall of Honour on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. Deputy Prime Minister Herb Grey was the keynote speaker.
The inaugural exhibition of the completed Quilt of Belonging and the launch of the Quilt of Belonging book (Bookstore) took place April 1st 2005 at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau (Ottawa). Almost 1,000 special guests celebrated the occasion at the opening gala event. Take a look at Photo Gallery.
Click on the following links to learn more about us:
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Quilt of Belonging is a collaborative work of art that:
recognizes Canada's diversity,
celebrates our common humanity and
promotes harmony and compassion among people
On June 27th 2003, a section of the Quilt was the special feature at the first Canadian Multiculturalism Day reception. Held on
Parliament Hill, it was hosted by Sheila Copps, Minister of Canadian Heritage and by Jean Augustine, Secretary of State for Multiculturalism and the Status of Women.
Designed to travel in order that as many
People as possible may experience its
message of inclusion and richness in
diversity, the Quilt is currently on a
five-year Canadian journey. This voyage
includes a recently completed multi-venue
exhibition across the Arctic, touted as
the first tour of its kind in Inuit history.
For tour information, click on 
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