College to partner with Pride House during upcoming world cup tournament.
George Brown’s 51 Dockside Dr., is set to become the official home of Pride House Toronto
The college’s waterfront campus will serve as an official hub for 2SLGBTQI+ fans, allies and soccer supporters from around the world during the upcoming FIFA tournament.
The partnership brings together two organizations with a shared commitment to inclusion, and for Ryan Sargent, director of business services and procurement at George Brown, the fit made sense from the start.
“Our values as an institution really align with the work that Pride House Toronto is doing. The key for Pride House Toronto is making sure that they have safe, inclusive, welcoming space for folks to attend and network and socialize and watch the game. And that’s really what George Brown does all the time,” said Sargent.
The waterfront campus a sits at a unique crossroads this summer. Pride Toronto takes place just north of campus at the end of June, while FIFA games are happening to the west, putting George Brown right at the centre of two of the city’s biggest events.
“We really are that kind of intersection for those two major events happening,” said Sargent.
Pride House Toronto is part of Pride House International, an organization that hosts hospitality houses at major sporting events around the world, including previous world cup events and the Olympics. Sargent said that context matters, especially when Toronto is preparing to welcome fans from every corner of the globe.
“It’s important to recognize the stigma and some of the difficulties that exist within the sporting world,” said Sargent. “When we’re hosting such a worldwide event, we’re going to be welcoming people from all over the world. Toronto is very fortunate to have an incredibly diverse set of teams, which means their fans will also be coming.”
Beyond the match screenings, visitors can expect a full programming lineup. While details have not been fully released, Sargent said the schedule is robust.
“There’s going to be everything from a film screening to panels to drag performances, and then that will also obviously take place on top of the actual FIFA game.”.
The campus will be activated for the six games taking place in Toronto but will also serve as a viewing space for dozens of other matches happening around the world.
“You’ll see our campus open and alive between noon and sometimes 1am to accommodate some of those games that might be taking place in different time zones.”
George Brown students will have a direct role in making the event happen. The college connected Pride House Toronto with its student volunteer network and career services early in the planning process, creating both volunteer and paid employment opportunities for students over the summer.
“Not only is it creating meaningful connections and opportunities on campus through volunteer work, it’s also providing paid employment opportunities for students,” said Sargent. “That’s a nice example of how we’re really bringing together so many different worlds and communities to help create this event.”
Students interested in getting involved can check the George Brown student volunteer network or visit the Pride House Toronto website directly, as opportunities are still open.
When the World Cup Final wraps on July 19 and the banners come down, Sargent said the goal is for something lasting to remain.
“When Pride House Toronto is over and we take down all the FIFA banners across Toronto, George Brown will still be here. My real hope for George Brown is that we learn from this, and we take these learnings and carry them forward with us to make sure that whether or not we’re hosting an international event like World Cup, we’re still focused on creating really nice opportunities, meaningful connections and an inclusive space here at George Brown.”
Pride House Toronto runs June 11 through July 19. The venue is all ages, free to enter.
