Tag: IDEA

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Yellen to Attend G-20 Sessions as U.S. Retreats on Boycott Idea

Yellen to Attend G-20 Sessions as U.S. Retreats on Boycott Idea

(Bloomberg) — The U.S. backed further away from any suggestion that its officials would boycott Group of 20 meetings if their Russian counterparts attend, as the Treasury Department said Secretary Janet Yellen will participate in some sessions this week.

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Yellen will avoid some meetings of the G-20’s finance ministers in Washington, but will attend others focused on the economic fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. That includes the opening session, which will be attended by Ukraine’s finance minister, a senior Treasury official said. Speaking on a call with reporters Monday, the official said Yellen doesn’t want Russia’s participation to stop work the U.S. and its allies must do in the context of the G-20 meetings.

Another official familiar with plans for the meetings said Yellen would not take part in sessions dedicated to international financial architecture and sustainable finance, meetings she would otherwise have attended.

The G-20 meetings in Washington are expected to be a hybrid of in-person and virtual attendees. The official said Russia’s finance minister might attend virtually.

Earlier this month Yellen had said U.S. officials wouldn’t take part in some G-20 meetings this year in which Russia is allowed to take part.

“I’ve made clear to my colleagues in Indonesia that we will not be participating in a number of meetings if the Russians are there,” Yellen told lawmakers during a congressional hearing April 6. Indonesia holds the rotating presidency of the group and is a key organizer for G-20 events this year.

The Treasury clarified while Yellen was still testifying that she was referring only to G-20 finance ministers’ gatherings scheduled for this week in Washington in conjunction with the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.

President Joe Biden on March 24 called on G-20 countries to expel Russia from the group. There hasn’t been an indication that such a plan has gained traction.

For their part, Yellen and her deputy secretary, Wally Adeyemo, will each participate in multiple events this week as part of, or on the sidelines of IMF-World Bank meetings.

Yellen plans to prioritize efforts to punish Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, dealing with the economic fallout from that war and with other issues including climate change.

She plans to meet Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and will hold a press conference on Thursday.

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IDEA Advisory Group working on grants program, anti-hate events

IDEA Advisory Group working on grants program, anti-hate events

A group working to make Muskoka more inclusive has outlined its first actions.

The district formed the IDEA Advisory Group (IAG) in 2020 to promote Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Anti-Racism (IDEA) in the community.

Mark Nakamura, Chair of the IAG and longtime seasonal resident, says they have two projects currently in the works. The first is a grants program for local organizations and businesses to help them develop policies and programs that foster IDEA.

“That could include the examination of the way they function in the community, and in their organizations,” says Nakamura. “Are their employment practices equitable? Are their services accessible and equitable for those groups that are marginalized in our community? That kind of initiative we would like to stimulate, because we realize that to make those things happen requires commitment [and] resources.”

According to Nakamura, terms of reference will require some work, and they’re hoping to implement the program in 2023.

The other project, set for fall or winter of 2022, is an event or series of events designed to combat hate.

Nakamura says they have not yet decided exactly what the format will be, but that it will focus on education. Topics will likely include the importance of responding to hate, how victims are affected, support mechanisms in the community, and the message that hate is not acceptable in Muskoka.

“[We need to] ensure that people know that expressions of hate and intolerance are not acceptable in Muskoka,” says Nakamura. “We have to recognize that Muskoka is changing, it’s becoming much more diverse. This is going to present challenges to our community, and the need to make it more inclusive and more equitable.”

The IAG’s strategic action plan was approved by District Council last month, with a focus on promoting those values in the community, in local businesses and organizations, and in the group itself.

“It’s a long-term process. It involves change, and it’s not something that will happen overnight,” says Nakamura. “We’re hoping to plant some seeds that will grow and make Muskoka a truly equitable, inclusive, and welcoming community, as we go into the next decade.”