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Before ideas take shape, they begin as questions.
What if the world could be stitched anew? What if every tradition was a different shade of thread, every story a strand of colour, every conversation a loom drawing us closer together? In that space between curiosity and creation, the fifth edition of THREADS: Cultural Conversations extends an invitation to reimagine everything we think we know about each other, taking participants on a transformative journey through ideas, cultures, and stories.
On October 7 and 8, 2025, this free, two-day online conference will offer audiences from all over the world an unforgettable experience of reimagining. Speakers of all ages and walks of life will gather to interweave threads of stories about loss, resilience and hope. Hosted by the Saskatoon Open Door Society (SODS), THREADS has become a space where boundaries dissolve. Through the arts of conversation, music and storytelling, it unites people of different backgrounds to reimagine how we live, work, create and belong in a rapidly changing world.
“THREADS: Cultural Conversations isn’t just about learning, it’s about listening,” says Ali Abukar, the CEO of Saskatoon Open Door Society. “In a world where cultures and communities are more interconnected than ever, cross-cultural understanding isn’t optional, it’s essential. When we create space to share stories across cultures and backgrounds, we strengthen the bonds that unite us and build a more inclusive, compassionate world where everyone feels they belong.”
A Powerful Lineup of Global Voices
THREADS 2025 brings together over 30 speakers, along with poets, musicians, artists, historians and academics, from across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Americas. The lineup includes award-winning authors Yann Martel and Alice Kuipers; Jean Augustinepioneering educator and the first Black woman elected to the Canadian Parliament; Lyndon LinklaterAnishnabe/Nehiyaw Traditional Knowledge Keeper; and Elder Senator Nora Cummingsa dedicated advocate for Métis rights and Indigenous women in leadership.
Why Reimagine?
With the theme “Reimagine,” this year’s event challenges us to broaden our vision. How do we reimagine our relations to each other, to culture, and to the planet? What if we could redesign our systems to set equity at the centre? How do stories and experiences reshape the world we live in?
“THREADS strives to be a storytelling space where people from diverse backgrounds and experiences come together to share their stories, listen deeply, and learn from one another,” says Anahit Falihi, Director of Settlement and Community Support Services at SODS. “Each session offers an opportunity to open ourselves to new perspectives, reflect on or challenge our assumptions, expand our understanding, build meaningful relationships, and imagine new ways of living and learning together.”
Join the Community
Registration is now open at www.threads2025.ca, and it’s free! Sign up and attend for a chance to win one of many prizes, including works by our esteemed guest speakers.
Whether you are new to Threads or have been part of it since the beginning, one question will stay with you: If every culture were a thread, if we dared to reimagine it, what could we weave together?
