For the first time ever, the annual meeting of the Emily Dickinson International Society will be held in Canada. About 60 Emily Dickinson scholars from Europe and the U.S. will be attending the meeting in Regina, Saskatchewan, from July 31 to August 2, 2009.

The convenor of the meeting is University of Regina English professor Dr. Cindy MacKenzie, who specializes in the poems and letters of Dickinson. Earlier this month, she was the only Canadian among five scholars who made presentations at the Emily Dickinson Museum in Amherst, Massachusetts. MacKenzie - who earned her BA and MA from the U of R and her PhD from the University of Colorado - has written several articles and three books, and made presentations at conferences in the U.S., Europe and Japan. She is currently working on a book that emphasizes the relationship between Dickinson's letters and her poems. MacKenzie has been a member of the Dickinson Society for 25 years, and has served as a board member for five years.

"Holding this prestigious event in Canada for the first time will raise an international awareness of the University of Regina, as well as bring more attention to this pre-eminent poet," MacKenzie said.

Several events related to this international annual meeting will be open to the public. On Friday July 24 the MacKenzie Art Gallery will provide a tour of its summer exhibit For Emily and have a series of Dickinson-inspired poetry performances in the Gallery's Sculpture Garden. On Friday July 31 a banquet will be held at the Hotel Saskatchewan with Dr. Nick Ruddick of the University of Regina. On Saturday August 1 at 8:00 p.m. the play The Belle of Amherst, about the life of Emily Dickinson, will be performed by renowned American actor Barbara Dana at the Schumiatcher Theatre at the MacKenzie Art Gallery.

For more information please contact MacKenzie at her office at (306)-585-4671 or by email at cindy.mackenzie@uregina.ca.