Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 Hosts Greater Vancouver Board of Trade Event – Connecting Through Sport: Journey to Invictus
Last week, the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025, presented by ATCO and Boeing, participated in another one-year to go countdown event, this time in partnership with the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade (GVBOT). The event featured a panel discussion with Johnna Sparrow of the Musqueam Indian Band, who is the Aboriginal relations advisor with Aquilini Development, the Ses Siyam (Ray Natraoro) of Squamish Nation, and Sxwíxwtn (Wilson Williams), Spokesperson, Squamish Nation. The event was moderated by Bridgitte Anderson, President & CEO, GVBOT.
A warm and intimate affair at the Edgewater Lounge at BC Place, the event opened with a reception and opportunity to network, followed by an Opening Welcome from Wilson Williams and remarks from our CEO, Scott Moore. The ensuing panel discussion focused on how the unrivalled power of sport brings people together with stories on how the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 is working with the Four Host First Nations. From the bid process to how the brand visual identity came to be, the conversation also shared messages on how businesses can move from reconciliation to reconciliaction.
The Vancouver Whistler Games will be held on the traditional territories of the Lilwat7úl (Líl̓wat), xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. Games organizers are actively working with each Nation to address Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action and respect Indigenous protocols in all aspects of the Games. In a first, one artist from each nation was selected to collaborate on developing a visual identity for the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 that represents each of the nations and reflects the power of the Salish people. This is just one example of moving from Reconciliation to Reconciliaction.
The final artwork created by Levi Nelson (Lilwat7úl)(Lil’wat Nation), Mack Paul (xʷməθkʷəy̓əm) (Musqueam Nation), Ray Natraoro (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh)(Squamish Nation), and Olivia George (səlilwətaɬ)(Tsleil-Waututh Nation), represents the first-time individual artists from each of the Four Host First Nations have come together to create a single piece of art for a major sporting event. They were each chosen by a selection committee of Indigenous leaders based on their diverse artistic mediums, including carving and weaving. The final designs reflect the cultural traditions of the Salish people of the Pacific Northwest, incorporating symbolic elements such as oval shapes, crescents, and trigons.
The Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 has made it a priority to respond to Canada’s Truth & Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action, specifically Call to Action 91, which states: “We call upon the officials and host countries of international sporting events such as the Olympics, Pan Am, and Commonwealth games to ensure that Indigenous peoples’ territorial protocols are respected, and local Indigenous communities are engaged in all aspects of planning and participating in such events.”
The organizing committee for the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 are committed to ensuring that the Four Host First Nations languages, traditions, protocols and cultures are meaningfully acknowledged, respected and represented in the planning, staging and hosting of the Games. To this end, there is representation from a number of the Four Host First Nations on our Board of Directors, including: yəχʷyaχʷələq Chief Wayne Sparrow, xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam); Sxwíxwtn Wilson Williams, Spokesperson and General Councillor, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish); and Chief Jen Thomas, səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh).
(Photo courtesy of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade. From left to right: Scott Moore, CEO, Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025, Johnna Sparrow of the Musqueam Indian Band, Aboriginal relations advisor with Aquilini Development, Bridgitte Anderson, President & CEO, GVBOT, Wilson Williams (Sxwíxwtn), Spokesperson, Squamish Nation, the Ses Siyam (Ray Natraoro) of Squamish Nation.)
