In an arts integrated interdisciplinary study set to investigate ways to improve social accountability (SA) in medical education, our research team has established a renewed understanding of compas...

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) aims to “devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products” while developing means to monitor sustainable development impacts for tourism in support of regional economy and climate change mitigation initiatives. The conceptual framework for sustainable transitions in tourism emphasizes engagement with Indigenous perspectives and paradigms, circular economy, and ethical consumption. In fact, Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) have been identified by the UN as inherently relevant to various aspects and principles of SDGs. Building on a literature review, this chapter reveals the potential benefits of Indigenous tourism in Northern Ontario and articulates the opportunities of integrating Canadians—particularly immigrants, making up the largest share of its population—who are not familiar with Indigenous culture and wisdom about nature, through cultural participation, to reflect on sustainability and climate change issues. In this regard, the case of Ojibwe, one of the largest Indigenous tribes populated around the Great Lake, and its Anishinaabek culture is explored.

This research examines how Socially Accountable Health Professional Education (SAHPE) fosters transformative learning and professional identity formation, focusing on the multi-site Stories and Art of Local Transformation in Health Education project. SAHPE aligns education, research, and service with the needs of underserved communities. Using arts integrated methods and the parallaxic praxis framework, the project engaged students and faculty in creative workshops and reflective dialogue about social accountability. Case study findings from James Cook University show that a socially accountable curriculum—enhanced by diverse recruitment, rural placements, and faculty role modelling—supports equity-oriented values and advocacy skills. The arts enabled participants to express complex experiences, deepening compassion, and critical reflection. Explicit arts integrated SAHPE approaches may prepare future health professionals to address health disparities and promote universal health care.