THE 2021 MASTERS INDIGENOUS GAMES MARKS ONE-YEAR OUT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF OTTAWA AND OTTAWA TOURISM 

WHO:

• Christina Ruddy – Indigenous Sport & Wellness Ontario (ISWO) Board of Directors, Member of the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation
• Jim Watson – Mayor of Ottawa
• Michael Crockatt – President and CEO of Ottawa Tourism
• Samantha Metcalfe and Cailyn Degrandpre – Inuit Throat Singers
• Josee Bourgeois – Renown professionally trained mainstream and Pow Pow dancer (specializing in Fancy Shawl), artist and model
• Aalla and Damian Metcalfe – Traditional Inuit Games and culture, educators and performers

WHAT:
The 2021 Masters Indigenous Games Organizing Committee, in partnership with the City of Ottawa and Ottawa Tourism, will host an event to mark one-year out to the Games, scheduled to take place from August 5-8, 2021 in the Nation’s Capital. 
    
The launch event, which will be live-streamed via the free CBC Gem streaming service and cbcsports.ca, will feature a snapshot of what attendees can expect next year, including traditional Inuit throat singing, Pow Wow style fitness instruction, and a traditional Inuit games demonstration. Mayor Jim Watson and CEO of Ottawa Tourism, Michael Crockatt, will also be in attendance to provide remarks.

The 2021 MIG will be open to Indigenous adults, aged 20 and over, from around the world, to compete in 10 sport categories. The Games will also feature a three-day Cultural Village at Lansdowne Park, which will be free and open to the public. 

WHERE:     
Horticulture Building (Lansdowne Park)
525 Princess Patricia Way
Ottawa (Algonquin Territory), Ontario K1S 5J3
        
WHEN:
Thursday, August 27, 2020
 2:00 pm – 2:30 pm

NOTE: Members of the media are welcome and invited to attend, but are asked to follow all local public health guidelines in relation to COVID-19, including maintaining physical distancing, wearing a face mask or covering inside the venue, and sanitizing hands with an alcohol-based sanitizer, upon entering the venue. If you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19, or if you think you may have been exposed, please stay home and contact a testing centre for assistance or visit https://covid-19.ontario.ca/self-assessment/ for more information.

Contact Information:
Abidah Shirazi
Director of Marketing and Communications
abidahshirazi@gmail.com
416-825-3348

About the Masters Indigenous Games
The Masters Indigenous Games were founded by Indigenous Sport & Wellness Ontario (ISWO) to meet the growing need for competitive sport for the aging population. The Games encourage mature individuals to be active, with the awareness that competitive sport can continue throughout life, contributing to increased health and wellness. The inaugural MIG took place in Toronto, Ontario from July 12-15, 2018, providing an opportunity for Indigenous adults from around the world to engage in sport competition with their peers. 

About Indigenous Sport & Wellness Ontario (ISWO)
ISWO is the designated Provincial/Territorial Aboriginal Sport Body (P/TASB) for the province of Ontario, funded through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport and Sport Canada. ISWO serves all Indigenous Peoples and communities across Ontario, including First Nations, Inuit and Métis, living on and off-reserve, in rural and urban settings, encompassing more than 350,000 Indigenous Peoples in the province.

ISWO promotes and creates opportunities for participation in sport and cultural activities that promote wellness and positive lifestyles for Indigenous Peoples across Ontario. 

For more information, please visit iswo.ca.