Imagine. Interact. Inspire | Ottawa 2049: What's Your Idea?

The 3iSummit opened with a formal invitation to fun. Professor Brian Little addressed the crowd from the staircase overlooking the foyer of the Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre.

“Some times in our foolishness we are inadvertently wise,” Little told the crowd. “Let’s be foolish today!”

Little’s remarks were applauded loudly.

Then summit goers were lead through a round of “community speed-dating.” Participants were invited to share 30-second introductions with those standing nearest them. Afterwards, Clare Brennan was among those who shared their experience with the crowd. Brennan was most struck by his brief conversation with a grade 12 student whom he was pleased to see at the summit.

“When I was in grade 12 what I was doing was walking around with my buddies talking about why none of us could talk to Joan Foley,” Brennan said.

In the theatre itself, former Ottawa mayor Jacquelin Holzman was among those introducing summit speakers in the theatre itself. Like many, she was eager to share her own vision of Ottawa’s future.

“I want Ottawa to be a second home town for all Canadians,” Holzman said.

Soon, architect Douglas Cardinal was on the stage. Cardinal described how he first came to Ottawa to fulfill Pierre Trudeau’s vision of Canada through his work designing the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau.

“He wanted to have a place where all cultures could be celebrated,”Cardinal said. “So we would learn as a nation to embrace one another’s cultures.”

Cardinal also shared his own dream that Canada “become a nation where our first nations have an equal place in Canadian society.”

Cardinal was followed by youth activist Aliai Lual who described her own experience of “starting from scratch” and having a “second chance” after immigrating to Canada from war-torn Sudan.

“It is through my interaction with people that I have been able to see what is possible in life,” Lual told the crowd.

Later Pinchas Zuckerman, music director with the National Arts Centre orchestra, demonstrated how he uses technology to teach students remotely at the Manhattan School of Music in New York. Zuckerman is adamant that technology and the ability to share information is key to a better future.

“It’s so important. We need to give people information, regardless of the field,” Zuckerman said.

Although Zuckerman was careful to stress that his own use of technology was no substitute for one-on-one instruction, at least in the field of music.

“This is not a substitute. This is an enhancement. If anyone tells you different, they’re wrong. Don’t argue with them. Just tell them ‘you’re wrong,’” Zuckerman said.

Blind and deaf Ottawa resident Penny LeClair was also amongst the presenters.. She prompted Twitter user robertdekker to write “Penny LeClair: Ottawa world leader in accessibility for ALL citizens.”

Olympic kayaker Angus Mortimer led the crowd through a brief warm-up that he describes as “all it takes” for an athlete to prepare for an Olympic level performance. Mortimer went on to say that he has been lucky enough to paddle rivers throughout the world but said he has paddled “no body of water that is nicer than the Rideau River.”

Mortimer said his dream for the next generation is that they have a river to paddle on.

That’s just a taste of the many inspiring speakers at the 3iSummit. For a taste of day two click here. You can continue the conversation online by joining the 3iSummit social-networking site Let us know how Ottawa came to be your home and what your dream for our city is.

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Another funky radio ad for the 3i Summit.  check it out!

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