About the project
In 2017, to mark the 50th year of the reunification of Jerusalem, Lewis Mitz, President of the Jerusalem Foundation of Canada, initiated a project to install an Inukshuk sculpture in Jerusalem as a symbol of the strong ties between Canada and Israel. In 2018, the sculpture was installed in the public park at the entrance to Canada House, a location that has in recent years become a magnet for students, young adults and neighborhood residents.
The sculpture was designed by Jerusalem-based and internationally-renowned artist Israel Hadany, winner of a design competition held to choose an artist from Jerusalem. The sculpture is inspired by a Canadian Inukshuk that symbolizes brotherhood, solidarity and mankind’s responsibility toward one another.
The Inukshuk – meaning “to act in the capacity of a human” – is an Inuit (native Canadian) structure made of stones that represents friendship, family, and hospitality. The Inukshuk represents all people, regardless of religion or race, while also representing Canada’s cultural diversity and the rich Inuit heritage. As such, the Inukshuk is uniquely suited to inspire the city of Jerusalem, which, like Canada, believes in a thriving future, full of opportunities for all of its residents, regardless of their backgrounds.
