Hear from those who will inherit the Earth, such as it is
By Bruce Mason, Gabriola Sounder
Monday, March 24 2008
In his acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize last October Al Gore quoted the great Norwegian playwright, Henrik Ibsen, who wrote, “One of these days, the younger generation will come knocking at my door.”
The former US Vice President - who has become the planet’s leading messenger of the urgent need to forge new relationships and directions of, by and for the world - also said: “The future is knocking at our door right now. Make no mistake, the next generation will ask us one of two questions. Either “What were you thinking; why didn’t you act?
“Or: How did you find the moral courage to rise and successfully resolve a crisis that so many said was impossible to solve?”
At The Roxy on Friday, March 28th, at 7:30 pm, a group of University of Victoria students - members of Engineers Without Borders - will make a presentation and invite the audience to participate in an interactive dialogue.
But they are coming here with more answers than questions. EWB is a volunteer organization and registered charity that believes in sustainable human development through access to simple technology.
The group will share the documentary “Black Gold,” an informative, eye-opening film about coffee and the fight for fair trade. We see evidence of major change here on the island, where many of us no longer drink coffee which isn’t fair trade, an outstanding example of how the world is being transformed from close to home.
Each year the UVic EWB chapter sends one or two volunteers overseas to work on projects, primarily in Africa. This year it’s Zambia and you will hear from Mark Brown, a third-year Geography student who has been selected, and is excited by the opportunity.
“I want to explore how I can promote positive change in development from a grass-roots, hands on approach, through an organization of like-minded individuals. It just seems more effective and enjoyable than struggling to sway the bureaucracy of governments and world-powers-that-be with a united single voice,” he said.
Also from Nicole Fornelli, who was in northern Ghana in the summer of 2007, where she volunteered with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and will share a first-hand account.
I asked other students why they became involved and Pam Schmitt, the incoming president said: “I share some common values with the organization. I think that giving people a sustainable solution and access to technology to help them improve their own lives is an amazing thing to do.”
This is one group that is succeeding in making a difference on the ground, teaching people to catch fish, as it were, rather than just giving them a few to consume, short term.
Emily Gibson, the current president, reported that she had been active for three years and stayed involved because it is unique in its approach, which she values and respects.
“We are very critical, reflective and passionate,” she said. “I think those three things are pivotal for the effectiveness and vitality of an organization. We always assess our weaknesses and strengths and capitalize on opportunities which lead to improving our programs in Canada and overseas.”
Carly Rudolph likes to educate herself on the life-threatening issues that humanity now faces on a global scale, as well as to help inform others, particularly younger people.
“High School Outreach is a big part of what EWB does in Canada,” she explained. “We go into classrooms with presentations about things like water purification and poverty to increase the awareness level of students about development issues.”
Kelly Berthelot - who probably got a deal on renting the Roxy - also supports the approach of working both overseas and within local Canadian communities, which for this one night at least, includes Gabriola.
“The organization provides opportunities for member education, and workshops on topics from Tied Aid, to Public Speaking, that really enhance our knowledge capital and many ways to participate, even for those who are not going overseas,” Kelly explained.
And from Pippa Adams, something that must resonate with as many people as humanly possible: “I’m involved because poverty, and global inequality is something that we all need to strive to eradicate. EWB is compassionate and continuously critical of its role in the world and I feel that this is the type of approach that is going to help us get to where we need to be to make a difference.”
Holly Goulding added: My interest and involvement comes from a desire to be part of positive human development. The passion and energy of EWB’ers for creating social change has kept me motivated and engaged over the past six years, through involvements at Dalhousie and UVic, an overseas placement in Mali, and now as a member of the national Board of Directors.”
In his inspired acceptance speech, Al Gore also quoted a proverb from Africa where much of EWB’s work is conducted: “If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.
“We need to go far, quickly and must abandon the conceit that individual, isolated, private actions are the answer. They can and do help. But they will not take us far enough without collective action.”
We are blessed on Gabriola with chances to make changes far away. The Himalaya Festival comes to mind. Also the excellent work of Amnesty International here on Gabriola.
And as the need grows, so do these opportunities, such as a recent Gabriola fund-raiser for Kenyans, including the 1.5 million who live in an area the size of nearby Protection.
Add the UVic chapter of Engineers Without Borders to the list, at The Roxy at 7 pm, Friday, March 28th. Admission is by donation and includes samples of Fair Trade chocolate along with a world class documentary and a hopeful and helpful dialogue. They will come knocking and deserve an audience that will listen to what they have to say.
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