Municipal Affairs Minister Mark Furey is encouraging Nova Scotians to show their appreciation for their communities and the people behind them during Municipal Awareness Week Oct. 20 to 26.

“I invite all Nova Scotians to celebrate all that our communities have to offer,” said Mr. Furey.

“Municipal Awareness Week is a chance to showcase the uniqueness of our communities and celebrate the special places and people that make our province great.”

Municipal Awareness Week promotes the importance of municipal government in people’s daily lives, and encourages participation in council meetings, public hearings and committees. It also celebrates the dedicated mayors, wardens, councillors and staff who are essential to the effective governance of municipalities.

As part of Municipal Awareness Week, Mr. Furey is challenging all Nova Scotians to share photos of their favourite places in their communities on social media using the hashtag #municipalawareness. The challenge has been extended to all 54 municipalities.

“During this coming week, I encourage all municipalities to get involved in the celebration by offering tours of municipal facilities, conducting presentations at local schools, or offering other fun activities for residents,” said David Corkum, president of the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities.

For information on activities visit http://unsm.ca/municipal-awareness-week.html .

To join the photo challenge, Nova Scotians can post photos on Twitter by tweeting @dma_ns and using the hashtag #municipalawareness, and/or post to Facebook at www.facebook.com/nsmunicipalaffairs. Follow the challenge on Twitter or by liking the Department of Municipal Affairs Facebook page.

Source: Release