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VISION

LINGAP is an acronym for Learning for INterdependence and Global Awareness of the Philippines and Canada. LINGAP is also a Filipino word for compassion. In the traditions of the Philippines, to be compassionate means to show empathy for the concerns and difficulties of all those around us. Compassion calls on everyone to be aware of both personal and social responsibility in building a more peaceful, caring, and just world.  Compassion brings forth acts of solidarity as human beings join hands in their dignified efforts to attain a humane quality of life and social well-being. LINGAP’s mission is contribute to the realization of a just and caring society through solidarity between Canadians and Filipinos.

GOALS

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  1. To promote a holistic understanding of Philippine society and affairs among Canadians and, vice versa, of Canadian societies and affairs among Filipinos in the Philippines
     

  2. To encourage authentic expressions of interdependence between Filipinos in the Philippines and the citizens and residents of Canada
     

  3. To maintain and deepen social, cultural, political, and economic relationships based on empathy, compassion, solidarity, peace, and justice among Filipinos in the Philippines and the peoples of Canada, especially Canadian communities and individuals of Filipino ancestry
     

  4. To conduct research on issues and problems relevant to improving social, cultural, political, and economic ties between the Philippines and Canadian societies
     

  5. To publicize achievements and positive role models of Philippine-Canadian relationships in the global community

A BRIEF HISTORY

In February, 2020, a group of Edmontonians, including several Filipino-Canadians and other Canadian citizens from diverse ethnic backgrounds and vocations,  gathered to revive the NGO known as LINGAP Institute that was formed in the 90s. LINGAP stands for “Learning for Interdependence and Global Awareness of the Philippines”.  Founding members included Josie Pallard (Filipino-Canadian Saranay Association), Noreen Berkes ( Changing Together) , Toh Swee-Hin & Virginia Cawagas (University of Alberta), Zoltan Berkes  (Concordia Univeristy), Caridad Bernadino (Edmonton Immigrants  Services Association) and Jea Cawagas (inaugural  Director, Saranay Rondalla Orchestra;  Artist House Studio). LINGAP Institute is now renamed as  Association of LINGAP-Canada, or LINGAP-Canada for short.


LINGAP was formed to highlight the need for Filipinos in Edmonton to also be concerned about the Philippines as a society and nation as well as relationships  between Philippine and Canadian societies.  As reflected in our acronym, LINGAP, which is the Filipino word for “compassion”,  LINGAP seeks to encourage all peoples in Canada, not just Filipino Canadians, to exercise  personal and social responsibility in building a more peaceful, caring, and just world and to promote solidarity for each other’s well-being and challenges. So with this vision and mission, LINGAP became well known in the 90s for our educational and social activities.


While respecting  and supporting  the contributions of  other Filipino associations and groups to multiculturalism, we also emphasized the importance of  education in raising awareness of the Philippines and developing positive , compassionate  and interdependent relationships between Canadian and Philippine society.  Hence in terms of membership, LINGAP attracted not only Filipino-Canadians but also  citizens, immigrants and residents of Canada from diverse  heritage and countries (e.g. university students from Africa, Arab  and other Asian nations).

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