So the flavour of the evening was hopeful with a touch of sugar by Maude Barlow herself finishing with.. “what else should we do with our time if we aren’t going to spend it saving the world”
There was certainly a lot to say about the millions of dollars spent on security and how a comparable amount would run the entire United Nations for one full year. Not to mention the United Nations being the evident appropriate body to lead the discussions that are going on behind the barricades of the G20 summit. The UN, of course, representing the 192 nation states (not only 20) is clearly much more transparent, representative and capable of high level negotiations and this G20 boys club is simply an expensive “drinking binge” that weights heavy on the back of tax payers.
Economic solutions such as a 100 million dollar cap for any corporate environmental mistake or the idea that it makes economic sense to send waste to the third world are the kind of sad realities that build and brake our global economic state. We all wonder if that will lead the discussions at the G20 summit, knowing very well it is the leading power of conversation here at the Canadian Council G20 summit for civil society.
Lets always continue to advocate for a Civil Society Summit; opening up the G20 doors to the 6.9 billion people around the world, the 300 million species in all their multitudes and celebrate earth democracy; at least representationally through the UN.
So, Canada is not in the World Cup but guess who is …..
Twenty Youth Leaders are traveling to Cape Town, South Africa on a cross cultural exchange trip during the 2010 FIFA World Cup for a global citizenship initiative as part of UNA-C’s Sport-in-a-Box. United Nations Association in Canada partners with United Nations Association in South Africa for this youth exchange and leadership development program.
Personally, I have never been a huge fan of sports. To be very honest, I was out dog sledding when Canada won the glorious Hockey Game during this years winter Olympics. This is not to say I am not active, but certainly less active in the competitive organized sport scene. On the other hand, my colleague Sarah played a sport in Uganda, where she grew up, called Net Ball. Oh Boy did she ever hate it! She always wanted to play soccer, but girls were allowed to catch and throw only, but not kick. Girls just didn’t play soccer in South Africa! She dreamed of playing soccer until the day that dream came true here in Canada. It happened when she was enrolling her two girls in soccer, and there was another table for adult soccer neighbouring the registration desk. Now one thing that Sarah can attest to is her determination to always take an opportunity when it arises. When a door opens, she will put her foot in that door; whether it closes on her foot or opens even wider, she will not remove it without advancing. She embraces every opportunity when it is revealed, as she did with her 5 year dream of a soccer career came true. Now to reflect a bit and apply that concept to sports, any chance that one gets on the field to score a goal or pass to a great player, one must take that opportunity! It certainly is a good lesson learned from sports, and if consistently applied to life, it would deliver dazzling results. What else can we learn from Sport?
Sarah Kambites, UNAC’s Director of Education and Community Initiatives, opened my mind today describing how sports is a universal language and how it can be a transformative force to bring about sustainable development for all citizens of our common globe.
She speaks of sport as a vehicle to drive everyday values forward. If the following values were applied from the field to every day life, wouldn’t our communities be brighter, our world be better.
- Playing by the rules
- Supporting one another; providing and trusting in a reliable support system
- Refusal to Quit/Persistence
- Discipline
- Negotiations
- Fair Play
- Winning and Losing with Dignity
- Confidence in our ability
- Field and equipment stewardship
- Interactive Responsibility
- and a good hand shake at the end of the game
In sports, words are redundant, there is a universal paucity of words. In a sea of silent athletes, action is bountiful and it floods us with happiness. Sports teach us to stop talking and to start acting!
Lets take the values of sports and think out the box to identify what we can do locally, to stay informed, transfer knowledge and monitor any progress. Sarah and the UNAC, through Sport-in-a-box is trying to cultivate a generation who are aware, critical thinkers, concerned, not apathetic, and skilled with a vehicle that is not only understood and attractive but promotes a healthy lifestyle.
Six of the twenty Youth will be hosted by His Excellency Dr. Abraham Nkomo at the High Commission on June 18th, 2010.
So, I just got back from the National Art Gallery in Ottawa. Belinda Stronach partnered with ONE (the organization founded by Bono from U2) to bring the United Nations MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS #4, 5; Child Health and Maternal Health issues to the surface in Ottawa. We saw about 17 minutes of Christy Turlington’s new documentary called “no women, no cry“. So what do I have to say about it right….. well I can say a lot of good things such as; the intimacy that was expressed certainly wasn’t Hollywood, it was special. And Christy herself is just gracious in every sense of the word. She is a mother and a woman. She is welcoming and grounded. It was a pleasure meeting her and certanly discussing her future plans and how we can colaborate.
Now, maybe it’s because I have watch an insane amount of documentaries, but the most inspiring part of the evening was meeting a poitician- go figure ! Dr. Keith Martin, MP for Esquimalt is awesome! Not that I know where Esquimalt is but to be honest, I found more inspiration in the one conversation with this man than I found since I have been in Ottawa. And to be even more honest, he made me realize and remember how wonderful politics can be. It’s really a fantastic avenue for change if you have the energy and will power to stay true to yourself. To face the mud, wrestle in it and be able to go home- shower and head right back in the next day…. clean and ready to fight for what you believe is right for the people you love. Even Belinda had mentioned that politics was a tough environment, and I too can attest to that. So, what got me this excited again is Dr. Martin’s all-party conservation caucus. Check it !
Tonight, I am going to meet Belinda Stronach & Christy Turlington at the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa for the ONE & The Belinda Stronach Foundation’s reception entitled:
Canada on the global stage: Saving Mothers’ and childrens lives
We will watch, and therefore I will blog about Christy Turlington’s new documentary “No Women, No Cry” stay tuned
