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Astronaut Chris Hadfield coming to Cranbrook

Hadfield will be keynote speaker at Kimberley symposium on shifting global trends.
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Photograph official portrait of Canadian Astronaut Chris Hadfield in EMU suit.

Canadian astronaut Col. Chris Hadfield will be touching down in Cranbrook in October to speak to youth and the public at Western Financial Place.

Hadfield, famous for his time served in the International Space Station and his engagement with fans though social media, will also be the keynote speaker at Columbia Basin Symposium SHIFT! Thriving in Change in Kimberley over the same time period.

“Change is inevitable, here in the Columbia Basin and around the globe,” said Johnny Strilaeff, Columbia Basin Trust President and Chief Executive Officer. “Do we worry about these changes or do we find ways to become stronger because of them? The goal of this Symposium is to inspire the latter. I hope a wide range of people from around the region will join us to discover opportunities to thrive in the face of these new realities.”

Hadfield became an astronaut in 1992 and went on to become the first Canadian to walk in space, operate the Canadarm in orbit and command the International Space Station.

During his post on the ISS, Hadfield was active on social media with photos and videos of life on the station and shots of the Earth while in orbit. He also brought his guitar up into space with him and covered David Bowie’s Space Oddity, which went viral.

The Shift symposium will focus on how to harness opportunities from three global trends: shifting demographics in communities, rapidly changing technology and changing climate.

Hadfield will be speaking in Cranbrook on Friday, Oct. 13. Stay tuned for more information at a later date.



Trevor Crawley

About the Author: Trevor Crawley

Trevor Crawley has been a reporter with the Cranbrook Townsman and Black Press in various roles since 2011.
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