The Manitoba Rural Adaptation Council (MRAC) hosted 18 Rural Leadership North Dakota program participants for a breakfast meeting on Friday, May 1 at the University of Manitoba campus in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
“MRAC is pleased to have hosted an event such as this to help foster better international relationships through discussion of common issues in agriculture and rural development, and to identify and learn how we deal with similar issues in a common manner, or with differing approaches, with the same goals and objectives in mind,” said Ted Eastley, MRAC executive director.
The North Dakotans spent three days, April 29 to May 1, in Manitoba for the Canadian seminar portion of their interactive study and travel program. The students, ranging in age from 20 to 60, are from all over the state, including Bismarck, Fargo and Grand Forks, and come from various backgrounds such as agriculture, engineering and finance.
During their stay in Manitoba the RLND participants also visited the communities of Ste. Agathe and Gimli; learned more about the Manitoba pork industry; toured the Canadian International Grains Institute; and received a taste of Winnipeg culture at the Winnipeg Art Gallery, Exchange District and Forks Market.
The objectives of the Canadian seminar were:
• To learn about the viewpoints of Manitobans on issues that are important to North Dakotans, such as agriculture, trade, water, energy and community development
• To learn about the governments of Manitoba and Canada
• To learn about international trade from the Canadian side of trade
• To experience the culture of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
The mission of Rural Leadership North Dakota is to prepare and develop effective leaders to strengthen rural communities. For more information on the Rural Leadership North Dakota program visit www.ag.ndsu.edu/rlnd/.
