January 2006 E-news

TakingITGlobal Forums

You don’t want to miss the TakingITGlobal open forum near you… The forums are part of their cross-Canada Mapping of Youth-Led Initiatives project. The project is creating a visual map of actions that youth are taking, and it’s a way for you to find ideas, connections and also to know that you’re not working on stuff alone.

So keep these dates open and meet up with TakingITGlobal! If you have ideas, bring ‘em, and if you’re looking for ideas, you’re going to the right place.

The open forums will be in:

• Vancouver: January 5, 2006
• Edmonton: January 9, 2006
• Saskatoon: January 12, 2006
• Winnipeg: January 16, 2006
• Toronto: January 19, 2006
• Ottawa: January 23, 2006
• Montreal: January 26, 2006
• Quebec: January 30, 2006
• Saint John: February 2, 2006
• Halifax: February 6, 2006

For more info on the project, go to http://projects.takingitglobal.org/mapping or
email mapping@takingitglobal.org.

Champions for One-Tonne Challenge

Do you wonder how climate change and air pollution affects you and our environment? Do you want to do something about it? Then the Champions for One-Tonne Challenge program is for you and your classmates!

Talk to your teacher about having a top Canadian national team athlete visit your school to deliver a dynamic multi-media presentation on the One-Tonne Challenge. Learn about important issues related to air quality, your health and climate change as told through the personal stories of our sport heroes. Hear what youth and athletes have in common when it comes to these issues, and learn how you can contribute to the climate change solution.

Why not enter the Champions for One-Tonne Challenge Youth Contest and show the rest of Canada what you would do to reduce climate change? To find out more, visit: www.cleanairchampions.ca/onetonnechallenge. Your teacher can register by e-mailing info@cleanairchampions.ca or by calling Henk at 819 827 5451. Don’t delay as spaces are limited. The program is available in Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Calgary, Vancouver and Victoria.

Young Leaders in Rural Canada Awards (YLRCA)

The Rural Secretariat is seeking nominations of young rural Canadians (18 - 29 years old) who have demonstrated outstanding achievements and contributions to rural, remote and/or northern Canada, in 2004 or 2005, for the third Young Leaders in Rural Canada Awards (YLRCA). A commemorative Award will be presented in each of the following categories: INNOVATION, LEADERSHIP and PARTNERSHIP.

The winners of the second Awards were announced during the Award presentation held November 21, 2005 in Ottawa. An article featuring the winners is posted on the rural Web site: www.rural.gc.ca/dialogue/youth/article2_e.phtml

To start the process up, click on these links to find what you’ll need:

Call for Nominations
www.rural.gc.ca/dialogue/youth/callfornom3_e.phtml

Nomination Form
www.rural.gc.ca/dialogue/youth/nomform3_e.phtml

News Release and Backgrounder
www.agr.gc.ca/cb/index_e.php?
s1=n&s2=2005&page=n51123c

Deadline: To be considered, submissions must be received/post-marked no later than Monday, January 30, 2006.

Please do not hesitate to contact Ms. Sylvie Chartrand (her contact info is on the last page of the Call for Nominations) should you have any questions about the Awards.

World Urban Forum in Vancouver in June

Here’s your chance to get involved in sustainability and development in your own backyard… the World Urban Forum in Vancouver, June 2006. The purpose of the forum is to get youth started up in discussions about local sustainability and to influence lawmakers and developers to change their perspective. The World Urban Forum will bring together government, developers, non-government organizations, teachers, students and many others to push forward new ways of thinking – ways that take into account both what humans AND the earth needs.

The website at www.eya.ca/wuf/index.html is a great source of info. They have some very cool articles on different types of cities that we want to live in – check out the sections on Resilient Cities, Secure Cities, Capable Cities and Livable Cities. And make sure you go to the youth section with tools and resources (even computer tech questions if you’re getting stuck!).

But before the forum, there are World Urban Cafes (WUCs) and JAM sessions to get you started on thinking about the issues and ideas that’ll come up in Vancouver. The site at www.eya.ca/wuf/index.html has info on WUCs around the world (the ones in Colombia are especially cool) and how to get into them.