Egerton Ryerson’s statue has been toppled in Toronto during a protest after the recent discovery of a mass grave of indigenous children at a school. Egerton Ryerson is regarded as one of the architects of Canada’s controversial residential school system. Mohamed Lachemi, the university’s president, said the statue would not be restored or replaced following the toppling.
His statue had already been vandalised earlier in the week.
The 17th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) convened in Khankendi, Azerbaijan, with the participation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and other regional leaders. Hosted by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, the summit brought together heads of state and government from Iran, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
In his speech, President Erdoğan criticized Israel’s regional actions, stating, “We can neither abandon the Palestinian cause nor remain silent as the Netanyahu administration turns our region into a bloodbath.” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian defended recent Iranian military actions under the UN Charter’s right to self-defense. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said, “Currently, Azerbaijan is building new cities and villages on the lands that Armenia turned into ruins, the Great Return program is being implemented.”
Established in 1985 as a continuation of the earlier RCD platform, the ECO aims to boost regional cooperation among its 10 member states. The summit, held every two years, facilitates joint initiatives across sectors such as trade, transport, energy, and health.
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