b'SPORTING COMPETITIONSwho first embarked on the dream of holding these events were concerned about the next generation and the need to expose them to Indigenous history and traditions. This is what drove them to establish their Indigenous Games and its safe to say that today their dream has been realized. The future is looking bright for Indigenous Games on the continent. More impor-tantly, its looking bright for the thou-sands of young people who participate New to the scene are the Atlantic Indigenous Games, which were held for the first time in 2019 in them.was to further the athletic development of young people in Indigenous commu-nities. They would also represent an excellent step towards meeting the goals contained in the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Report.Webelievedthatthroughsuchan event we could improve the lives of our Indigenous young people, says Lynne Anne Hogan of the PEI Aboriginal Sport Circle. Many of our participants had barely travelled out of their own commu-nities, and we felt the experience of the Games would have a positive impact on their lives.The Organizing Committee decided to start small, and the first Games were held in 2019 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, with more than 300 participating athletes from the four Atlantic provinces. All were 18 years of age or younger, and they competed in track and field, badminton and beach volleyball. They also experienced phys-ical testing, education and cultural events that taught them about their Indigenous heritage.It was a resounding success both from a sporting and cultural standpoint, says Hogan, and the future looks equally bright. We will now regroup and after the NAIGE.S. Fox Limited is committed to building relationships withis held in Halifax in 2020, decide on our Indigenous Peoples and Communities based on the principlespath forward. Based on the successes inof integrity and trust to ensure full participation in the areas of2019, we are pretty confident AIG will continue growing in the future. business development, employment, and procurement.While competition is obviously an impor-tant aspect of any sporting event, it is clear the overriding objective of Indigenous Games is not one tied solely to sport. It also touches on cultural identity and thewww.esfox.com | 905-354-3700 | hr@esfox.comphysical and spiritual development of young people. The community leaders Aboriginal BUSINESS REPORT29'