KAMLOOPS – Three officials from Chile’s Corporacion Nacional de Desarrollo Indiena (CONADI), also called the National Agency for Indigenous Development, will visit Kamloops this Saturday, March 27th through April 2nd to explore possible collaboration with and/or advice from Kamloops-area First Nations communities and UCC regarding economic development, tourism, and sustainable development initiatives.

The officials, Aroldo Cayun Anticura, Director of CONADI, Jose Eduardo Curilen, Director of Development, and Camilo Quilaman, Director of International Relations are interested in collaboration and discussion of the following:

1. Economic development: CONADI wishes to discuss skill development and entrepreneurial ideas (industrial parks, residential areas, various commercial activities) which could be potentially adapted to their indigenous communities.
2. Tourism: UCC is already planning an Indigenous Tourism Entrepreneur course for Chileans, to start in July. CONADI would review the plans and discuss the possibility of extending the training to other groups in Chile. Eco-tourism and adventure tourism are other ideas.
3. Sustainable development: Kamloops has Canada’s first natural thermal heating system in a new residential and recreational neighbourhood. CONADI wishes to investigate this system to see if it may be appropriate to apply in Chilean indigenous communities with thermal potential.

UCC, together with its friends of the Shuswap Nations, consider this visit an honour. In helping CONADI’s focus in gaining knowledge about UCC’s and First Nations’ interests and capabilities, as well as in developing a trusting relationship, it is expected that thereafter the partners would engage in a process of joint planning for some collaborative work.

The group will be available for media interviews and photographs at the welcome dinner to be held at Sun Rivers Monday, March 29th at 6:00 pm, and the next day, Tuesday, March 30th at 3:45 pm at the Gathering Place at UCC.