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EVENTS
We offer programs for the general public as well as educational programs and diversity
training for organizations and professionals in many spheres. If you want a
speaker or a program customized for you, please contact us.
UPCOMING EVENTS
World Religions Series - Innis College
(Sept 18 - Nov 27) - [Open] - Encounter will present on religious literacy for library staff and its relevance to workplace culture and serving the public. We will explore how understanding religious diversity, including key Jewish holidays can foster inclusion, support equitable scheduling practices, and strengthen relationships with colleagues and community members.
Religious Literacy in Education - Thames Valley District School Board
(Sept 22) - [Closed] - We will be speaking with senior leaders at the TVDSB (superintendents, managers and system principals) about how religious literacy can inform the classroom, the workplace, and foster better community relations. The schoolboard has schools with quite varied demographics and we will explore how to create a better environment and more cohesion between staff, students and the broader community.
The Western Lens - Redeemer University
(Sept 24) - [Closed] - We will visit a university world religions class to discuss how the very understanding of "religion" in the west has been shaped so profoundly by Biblical religion that it inhibits the ability to understand other religions clearly. The talk also uses religious objects to explore "lived religion."
Religious Holidays: Judaism - Oakville Public Library
(Oct 7) - [Closed] - Encounter will present on religious literacy for library staff and its relevance to workplace culture and serving the public. We will explore how understanding religious diversity, including key Jewish holidays can foster inclusion, support equitable scheduling practices, and strengthen relationships with colleagues and community members.
American Exceptionalism: On Religion and Politics
(Oct 8) - [Open] - The USA has often been considered an "exceptional" country by religion scholars as it has maintained very high religiosity unlike any other Western developed country. In this talk, we will explore why the United States has been such an outlier and how this ties to the unique relationship between religion and politics in the world's oldest democracy. This talk will focus on the long term forces in America that will help you understand both its history and cu
Religious Holidays - Ultieg Engineering
(Oct 13) - [Closed] - Religious holidays are an enjoyable and relatable way to foster openness on religious identities in the workplace. In this talk, we will explore some key holidays in the last months of the year such as Diwali, the Jewish High Holidays, Christmas, and more.
Demystifying Islam - Siskinds Law Firm
(Oct 20) - [Closed] - A recent poll showed many Canadians have a negative impression of Islam. In this talk, we aim to shed some light on a tradition that is often stereotyped and misunderstood. This session will feature a conversation between Brian and a friend of Encounter, Sarah Mushtaq, to give some insight into the Muslim experience in Canada.
Visiting Houses of Worship - University of Toronto
(Oct 24) - [Closed] - We will be taking graduate students studying religion to three houses of worship to meet leaders, observe ritual and share a meal, providing lived exposure to these communities these students study.
Santa Muerte & the Day of the Dead - Road Scholar
[Oct 26] - (Open and Free) In this free talk, we will explore two aspects of Mexican religiosity, namely devotion to the figure of Santa Muerte (Holy Death) and the annual celebration of Dia De Los Muertos (the Day of the Dead). Santa Muerte is one of the newest and fastest growing religions in the Americas while the Day of the Dead is a fascinating example of the unique approach to death in Mexican culture. We hope you can join us.
Religious Holidays - Bernardi Human Resources Law
(Oct 28) - [Closed] - We will explore key holidays in the fall and early winter months. Learning about key dates on colleagues' calendars and yearly schedules makes us more aware of the richness of our colleagues' lives and it gives us a chance to recognize important moments in their families and communities.
Understanding the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict - Lakeside Church, Guelph
(Nov 8th) - [Open] - In this talk, we aim to shed some light on these issues by stepping away from the noise of social media in order to better understand the historical context of this conflict. We explain the stories of this land and these peoples and explain how key events in the past have led us to this place of conflict. This talk aims for balance by sharing some facts as well as explaining at different points both the pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian perspectives to help
Discover India 2027
(March 17-30) - [Sold Out!] - Our Discover India 2027 program is sold out—thank you for the incredible response. We’re sharing a peek at the itinerary and trip details, and we invite you to join the waitlist if you’d like to be first to know about openings and/or a possible 2028 trip. It’s never too early to express interest.
Discovery Program 2027
July 11 to 17, 2027 [Registration Open] Toronto - Discovery Week takes you on a journey both intellectually and experientially where you can taste, smell, and see the world’s religions. You will: Enjoy a Sikh langar meal and watch the community put their scriptures to bed Feel a mosque at Friday prayer and hear the sermon Explore fantastic Hindu temples Observe a Neopagan ritual Meet a Rasta elder Attend the Jewish Shabbat service ….and much, much more. Your registration fee
PAST EVENTS
We were delighted to have had the opportunity to offer these programs recently. If you are interested in hearing about what Encounter World Religions can bring to your organization, school, or group please reach out to us via encounter@worldreligions.ca
Shinto - Japan's Indigenous Religion - Road Scholar
Participants joined religion scholar Brian Carwana to explore Shintoism, Japan’s indigenous religion, and the intricacies of Shinto, a unique belief system with no founder, sacred texts or formal doctrines. We discovered the profound connection between Shinto and Japanese identity through its nature-based principles and historical significance.
Closing Gaps: Understanding Belief Systems Beyond Widely Practiced Religions (Part I) - Organ Donation and Transplantation Alliance
This webinar explored how Organ Donor professionals and hospital staff can provide more meaningful support for families whose beliefs fall outside commonly represented religious frameworks. Participants were invited to move beyond the comfort of familiarity and toward a practice rooted in curiosity, humility, and affirming care — ensuring that every family, regardless of belief system, receives the meaning, intentional support they deserve.
Discovery Program 2026
Toronto - Discovery Week took us on a journey both intellectually and experientially where we could taste, smell, and see the world’s religions. Participants: Enjoyed a Sikh langar meal and watched the community put their scriptures to bed Felt a mosque at Friday prayer and heard the sermon Explored fantastic Hindu temples Observed a Neopagan ritual Met a Rasta elde Attended the Jewish Shabbat service ….and much, much more. The registration fee covered all classes, meals, tra
The Papacy - History, Power & Influence - Road Scholar
The papacy is one of humanity’s oldest and most influential institutions. Over centuries, popes have brokered peace, launched wars, encouraged colonial expansion and at times sought to restrain its excesses, shaping ideas about morality, sexuality and political authority across the Western world. We explored the history of the papacy and examine several of the most influential figures to occupy the seat of St. Peter.
The Fourth 'R' in Education: Why Religious Literacy is Imperative for Our Polarized World
Brian participated on a panel considering a new book on religious literacy by Leo Van Arragon titled "Reflections on Religious Literacy: Paradox, Promise and Politics in a Secular Age." Van Arragon completed his PhD at the University of Ottawa on this topic and his work is a deep consideration of the role of religious literacy in our education systems.
Religious Literacy and the Welcoming Workplace- Municipality of Chatham-Kent
We explored why religious literacy is so important for creating inclusive workplaces, and how inclusion fosters greater teamwork, higher productivity, and enhanced employee well-being with positive implications for staff retention. We enjoy offering this workshop to city employees and also to partner organizations among the businesses in Chatham-Kent.
Week of World Religions- Road Scholar
In this online program, participants learned about 5 religions in 5 days through classes and interviews with expert practitioners. These programs are very popular, and the feedback from attendees is been excellent.
Sacred Texts - Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Durham
We explored sacred texts from some of the world's major religions. We considered how their ideas shaped human history, how their narratives and poetry influenced hearts and moral understandings, and also how these texts became sacred objects and even, occassionally, achieved personhood. Here are books that shape our world.
Sounds, Spaces and Celebrations – The Feel of the World’s Religions
This brand new series titled Sounds, Spaces and Celebrations –The Feel of the World’s Religions explored how we experience world religions through our senses—soundscapes, sacred spaces, key holidays, and sacred texts. Each of the 4 talks examined multiple religious traditions rather than focusing on a single faith. This was a great opportunity to have something to look forward to in the doldrums of winter.
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