MURA 11th Annual General Meeting
Wednesday, June 17, 2026
Faculty Club Billiard Room
Members are invited to attend the 2026 AGM to hear about the developments that have taken place in MURA over the last year, vote on special issues and welcome the new members of the MURA Board and Executive. The AGM will also give you a chance to have input into the future activities of MURA.
Program:
Registration: 2:30 p.m.
Meeting: 3-4 p.m.
Speaker: TBA followed by reception
Please use this link to register by Monday, May 25, 2026
Speaker - Dicki Chhoyang
Title: Why Tibet Matters!
Dicki Chhoyang was born in Mussoorie, India, in 1966. She immigrated to Canada with her family at the age of four and grew up in Montreal. With community service as a core value, her volunteer and professional journey began with participation in A Song for Tibet — the first Canadian documentary on Tibet, produced by the National Film Board of Canada — and the resettlement of 21 Tibetan refugees in Connecticut (USA). She subsequently studied and worked in the People's Republic of China and Tibet for over nine years, conducting graduate field research and contributing to community development projects.
In 2011, she was elected to the 15th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, followed by her appointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs of the 14th Tibetan Kashag, a position she held until 2016. In this capacity, she was part of the first Executive Cabinet of the Central Tibetan Administration to assume full political leadership following His Holiness the Dalai Lama's devolution of political responsibility in 2011.
Dicki joined McGill University in 2016 and continues to serve as a consultant to the university. Her volunteer engagement includes hospice patient care and a book project documenting the history of the first Tibetans in Canada (Chyssem Project).
She holds an undergraduate degree from McGill University, an M.A. in Tibetan Studies from Indiana University, and an M.Sc. in Planning from the University of Guelph.
Virtual Presentation via Zoom
Kim Bartlett - My Dance with Parkinson’s
Wednesday, May 13, 2026, 2 - 3 p.m.
Join us for a heartfelt and inspiring virtual presentation that shares a personal experience of living with Parkinson’s disease—and how movement has become a powerful tool for coping, resilience, and everyday well-being.
Kim Bartlett was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2009. Thanks to dance classes and support from family and friends, she continued working full-time as Director of Admissions at McGill until 2019. Now “retired”, Kim continues to dance, socialize, study and enjoy her grandkids. She has enjoyed dance since the age of 5. Kim continues to enjoy as participant and president of the non-profit organization, Parkinson en mouvement.
Kim will speak candidly about the realities of Parkinson’s, the challenges faced along the way, and how intentional movement—such as exercise, dance, or mindful physical activity—can support both physical and emotional health. This presentation aims to inform, encourage, and spark meaningful conversation.
Use this link to register and receive a Zoom link to join the talk.
MURA Walking Tours of the Latin Quarter Neighbourhood
June 12 & 19, 2026, 10:30 a.m.
The Quartier Latin, at the eastern edge of downtown next to the Village, was built as an upscale francophone residential district along Saint-Denis Street – yet it has always been right next to vulnerable populations and social service institutions. Its name, borrowed from the Quartier Latin in Paris, dates from the early 20th century when it was home to Université de Montréal, which later moved to the mountain campus. After a 30-year hiatus, higher education returned in the 1970s with UQAM and the Cégep du Vieux-Montréal. Today the Quartier Latin forms the eastern end of the Quartier des Spectacles and is known for its bars, restaurants and cafés, as well as for arts and culture: notably the Grande Bibliothèque, the Cinémathèque québécoise and the Théâtre Saint-Denis.
Attendees will meet at Place Pasteur (Saint-Denis Street between Sainte-Catherine and De Maisonneuve), just south of the Saint-Denis exit to Berri Metro, in front of the UQAM Admin Building.
A reservation will be made at Chez Gatsé (Tibetan), 317 Ontario E, for lunch after the tour: chezgatserestaurant.ca
Items of Interest
MURA Cycling Group
Looking for companionship, regular exercise, and fresh air over the next few months? Join the MURA Cycling Group. The group cycles on Tuesdays from May 26th into October (weather permitting). We cycle a different route every week and vary the location, covering different parts of the Island of Montreal, the South Shore/Estrie, lower Laurentians, and west along the Beauharnois and Soulange Canals. Rides vary from 25 – 35 km per day, on designated bike paths, and include time to socialize during lunch (bring your own) or afterwards. The group has a range of ages using either regular or e-bikes. Come as frequently as suits your schedule.
Use this link for more information.
Or contact Julia Scott Julia.scott [at] mcgill.ca .
Hope to see you on the bike paths!
