Through strong values of unrelenting determination and strength, the Tamil community has prospered within the Canadian society. From health care to the arts, Tamil professionals and businesses have successfully thrived in nearly every sector. Through their aspiration to provide for their families and build a reputable community, Canadian Tamils continue to excel in their fields and forge new paths.

The implementation of this initiative will aid in the advancement and growth of the community as it aims to meet the following objectives:



Preserving the Language and Heritage for Future Generations

Tamil is one of the few oldest surviving languages along with Hebrew, Greek and others. Tamil people have a heritage, which is rich and ancient. Throughout the centuries, Tamils have safeguarded their language and heritage from all forms of dangers, oppression and influence. However, within the Tamil Canadian community, a growing disparity exists between first and second generation Tamils, which threatens the continuity of the language and heritage.

The first wave of Tamils immigrated to Canada nearly 30 years ago. The Tamil community rapidly advanced to establish businesses, and produce exemplary professionals. However, long-term solutions have yet to be created to preserve Tamil language and culture. Highschool students are given the opportunity to enroll in Tamil language credit courses, as well as join music and dance institutions to take Carnatic music and Bharatha Natyam exams. However, students at the post-secondary level do not have an opportunity to learn about their heritage.

A university is an institution that functions independently to continuously grow and sustain its foundation. Thus the presence of a well-structured, financially supported Tamil language institution within a university will increase the sustainability of our language for future generations. Furthermore, it will promote the growth of our knowledge as future community leaders and academics are given the opportunity to pursue careers or research pertaining to Tamil culture, history, music, arts and literature.



Increase Understanding of Tamils

The Tamil community significantly contributes to the cultural mosaic and economic strength of Canada. However, the Tamil community is misrepresented by poorly informed media, politicians, and academics alike.

Misrepresentation occurs when the mainstream population does not have access to accurate and relevant information.  Though there is growing international interest concerning issues in South Asia and their communities, accredited resources pertaining to these issues have not increased proportionally. The mainstream understanding of the Tamil community and its culture would greatly increase if the study of Tamil language and culture were institutionalized through a University.

A research institution focused on Tamil studies would be able to document the growth and contributions of the Tamil community while providing resources on our history and culture. The general public would also be more willing to learn about the Tamil community if they could access information from an independent and credible source, as opposed to individual testimonials.

A mainstream institution will also increase the knowledge of the Tamil community through research in the following areas: anthropology, geography, history and sociology. Through knowledge of the Tamil language, University students and scholars will have greater capability of researching and documenting the historical information pertaining to these subjects, which is primarily available in Tamil.

Thus, through provision of education and accessible information, the mainstream community is able to increase their understanding of the Tamil community.