“R30”, a celebration of 30 years of research at the St. Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre, was held this past weekend (April 20/21).
The event began with a reception at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, where over 200 attendees of the following day’s conference “Back to the Future: 30 Years of Health Research by Alumni of the Albrechtsen Research Centre” would pick up their ID badges and meet with past colleagues. This was followed by a tour of the Museum, and more reminiscing that went well into the evening!
Saturday’s conference was jam-packed with 27 presentations (10 minutes each) from alumnus of the Research Centre; many of whom travelled to Winnipeg from one of 13 countries represented!
The conference was followed by the R30 Gala Dinner and Dance, held in the spectacular new Winnipeg Convention Centre City View Ballroom. Congratulatory messages were received via video from:
- The Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada
- The Honourable Jim Carr, Minister of Natural Resources, Government of Canada
- The Honourable Brian Pallister, Premier of Manitoba
- The Honourable Dan Vandal, Member of Parliament for St. Boniface, Government of Canada
- The Honourable Terry Duguid, Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South, Government of Canada
- The Honourable Doug Eyolfson, Member of Parliament for Charleswood-St. James Assiniboia-Headlingly, Government of Canada
- His Worship Brian Bowman, Mayor of Winnipeg
The Honourable Kelvin Goertzen, Minister of Health, Seniors and Active Living, Province of Manitoba added his greetings in person. Mayor Bowman was also in attendance.
The evening was emcee’d by Winnipeg comedian Big Daddy Tazz, and featured spectacular aerialists/acrobats “Momentum”, videos highlighting achievements through the years, as well as moving recollections by Dr. Arnold Naimark and Dr. Henry Friesen. Over 700 people attended!
The award-winning Danny Kramer Dance Band kept people on the dance floor until the end of the evening.