The TDSB is celebrating Tamil Heritage Month in January 2019 with the theme of “Remembrance. Resilience. Recognition.”

In October 2016, the House of Commons voted unanimously to recognize every January as Tamil Heritage Month. This month was chosen as it coincides with one of the most important celebrations for Canadians of Tamil heritage, the Thai Pongal Harvest Festival. Millions of Tamil people around the world, irrespective of their religion, celebrate Thai Pongal, and offer thanks for an abundant harvest. TDSB proudly marked Tamil Heritage Month for the first time in 2016.

As Toronto has the largest Tamil populations outside of the South Asian subcontinent, this committee aims to ensure that the objectives of TDSB’s January’s Tamil Heritage month are reflected in the curriculum and learning objectives for students. To explore these themes, the planning committee will be inviting students to learn about the rich culture of the Tamil heritage and how their own respective ancestry can be used to shape their future through essays, original artwork and public speaking contests. The poster for the month was designed by committee member and Wexford CI student, Ganga, and has been shared with schools across the system.