Dr. Ambedkar Symposium on Emancipation (ASE 2026): “Overcoming Caste Barriers for Social and Economic Equality”

Presented by Chetna Association of Canada

Supported by the Government of Canada; Province of British Columbia; Department of History and Centre for India and South Asia Research at UBC; Institute for the Humanities, David Lam Centre, and Department of Political Science at SFU; Kwantlen Polytechnic University; South Asian Studies Institute at the University of the Fraser Valley; Hari Sharma Foundation; Ambedkar International Mission of Calgary,; Homekey Mortgages Inc.; and other community organizations.

The symposium brings together international scholars, activists, and policymakers to enhance awareness of caste-based discrimination in Canada and beyond. This two-day event will also serve as a hub for an ongoing research project at UBC, supported by SSHRC. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in an online survey and sign up for in-person interviews to help document the experience of caste in Canada.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS & KEY THEMES

The ASE 2026 Symposium is guided by the ideas and legacy of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the father of India’s Constitution.