A PUBLICATION OF THE ALBERTA COUNCIL FOR GLOBAL COOPERATION
V O L U M E
SPRING 2015
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Educator Profile: Shannon Boyle As a teacher of Social Studies Grade 7 and 9, and English Grade 9 at St. Michael School in Calgary, Shannon Boyle strives to provide meaningful, experiential learning opportunities for her students, helping them to create connections between the curriculum and the world around them. Shannon is the leader of St. Michael Water Warriors, which is affiliated with the Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology (CAWST) Youth Wavemakers program. Youth Wavemakers is a unique water education program that informs, engages, encourages action, and celebrates the impact that youth are having on local and global water and sanitation issues. Through this program, the students have been engaged in a number of projects, from creating weekly educational
announcements, to completing a retrofit of urinals and water fountains in their school in order to conserve water. The Water Warriors have been so successful with their action projects, they were invited to create a water awareness public service announcement video for the City of Calgary. “If teachers want to construct a more equitable, more meaningful and livelier environmental experience for their students, they must concern themselves with environmental and social issues beyond the classroom walls,” states Shannon. To do this, Shannon will guide her students on a Water Walk on May 8th, which will engage students to apply their environmental knowledge and skills to real world issues, and to interact with, develop compassion for, and take action in the places where students learn, create, and play. Shannon was a participant in ACGC’s 2014 Global Citizenship
ACGC is proud to host the Global Citizenship Summer Institute (GCSI) again this summer in partnership with the Centre for Global Citizenship Education & Research (CGCER). This week-long institute is a unique opportunity for educators from across Alberta to convene on the beautiful University of Alberta campus to learn more about global citizenship and how to effectively integrate it into their classrooms and school environments. This year the Institute will take place from August 10 – 14, 2015 at the University of Alberta.
Summer Institute (GCSI), where she had an opportunity to share her own experience with other educators, and enhance her own teaching practice through learning new ways to engage her students about their school community, global concepts and issues around world. She feels strongly that “experiencing new opportunities and collaborating with like-minded teachers will create a caring and progressive professional community, which enhances all students' success.” To register for GCSI 2015, visit www.acgc.ca.
Facilitated by the Co-Founders of the Centre for Global Citizenship Education & Research (CGCER), Dr. Lynette Shultz and Dr. Ali Abdi, this institute enables participants to develop an informed and active role as global citizen educators whose work will benefit their students and our society. For the institute objectives, cost, and registration information, please visit the ACGC website. To watch videos from last year’s institute, please visit ACGC’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/ACGCNow
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Upcoming Youth and Educator Opportunities The following opportunities are available from ACGC Members Mahatma Gandhi Summer Institute: Building Peaceful Communities This institute, from July 6-16, is hosted in Edmonton by the University of Alberta Departments of Secondary Education and Elementary Education in partnership with the Mahatma Gandhi Canadian Foundation for World Peace. You do not have to be currently registered in a graduate program to attend. For more information contact epinnega@ualberta.ca or visit www.gandhifoundation.ca/ Sombrilla Yurac Yacu Youth to Youth Tour to Peru An opportunity, from July 26-August 12, for young adults to learn about sustainable development, to build relationships with Peruvian youth, and to carry out a service project. There is one spot left for paying youth (Cost $3120); 2 bursary spots are also available to qualifying youth. Please contact Sombrilla at sombrillahome@gmail.com. The bursary application is due May 13th. Global Youth Expedition Expedition for high school and college students to Malawi from August 10-22. Minimum $3500 donation or fundraising total for students. Applications are due by June 26th. Contact Deborah@canadianhumanitarian.com or visit www.canadianhumanitarian.com Global Citizenship: Partners in Education for Afghan Women and Girls Save the date for a full-day symposium open to the public focusing on women’s education in Afghanistan in Banff on October 3, 2015. There is a strong line up of speakers and entertainment. Visit www.cw4wafghan.ca/event/ banff-2015-cw4wafghan-annual-symposium. Alberta Teachers Association: International Cooperation There are many wonderful international and partnership opportunities available to Alberta teachers with the ATA. Learn more by visiting the ATA International Cooperation webpage and watching the ATA International Cooperation video on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/albertateachers Seminar on the United Nations and International Affairs SUNIA is a week-long summer program for high school students at the Goldeye Centre in the Rocky Mountains near Nordegg, Alberta. Two weeks available: August 16-21, and August 23-28. Scholarships available from ACGC member UNAC Edmonton Branch, with a deadline of May 15th. Visit: www.sunia.ca
Stay in Touch! Stay up-to-date with other events and opportunities from ACGC, ACGC members, and the International Development sector by following us on social media! ACGC provides daily updates and information which can be found on the following platforms:
@ACGCNow
facebook.com/ACGCNow
youtube.com/ACGCNow
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Global Literature Circle Join ACGC and its members in learning about the world through literature! ACGC is inviting three classes in Edmonton and three in Calgary to participate in a “Global Literature Circle” in the Fall of 2015! ACGC will provide your class with a set of novels. Upon completion, we will bring a guest speaker to your classroom who can speak to the issues raised in the novel. The following novels are offered: Edmonton: “I am a Taxi” by Deborah Ellis. A story of 12-year-old Diego who lives with his mother and little sister in San Sebastian Women’s Prison in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Calgary: “Parvana’s Journey” by Deborah Ellis. A story of young Parvana who sets out on a perilous journey to find her family, while war rages across Afghanistan. This novel will be followed up with a special speaker from Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan. Contact Leah Ettarh at projects@acgc.ca if you are interested in participating in this program! Please note, these novels are best suited for Grades 5-8. For a detailed description of these novels and the author, visit http://deborahellis.com/books/#fiction
Introducing the Change Your World team! A big 'Thank You' goes to all youth and their supporters for applying for the Change Your World: Alberta Youth Leadership Tour to South Africa this summer, with ACGC and Keiskamma Canada! We received applications from Pincher Creek to Peace River, High Prairie to High River, Lethbridge to Leduc, and everywhere in between! We are proud to have these amazing youth working on social justice issues around Alberta!
Abdul Sheikh, M.E. LaZerte High School, Edmonton Deanne Savard, Peace Regional Outreach, Peace River Sean Sander, Catholic Central High School, Lethbridge Yehwalashet Aytenfisu, École JH Picard, Edmonton Reana Szabo-Mansfield, Wainwright High School
Follow us on social media this summer and fall as the stuACGC and the Keiskamma Canada Foundation are pleased dents share their experience through photos, videos, and to announce this year’s team: blogs!
Did you know? 2015 is a very important and strategic year for Canada and the world.
The new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that will replace the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) will challenge the world to do better on urgent global issues. World leaders will forge a universal, legally-binding climate deal that must be strong enough to avert global environmental catastrophe. On its 20th birthday, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action on Women’s Rights will be reviewed and governments will be called upon to recommit to its full implementation. Canadians will go to the polls in a crucial federal election. Visit the ACGC website to read the report, ‘Canadian Perspectives on International Development’ released in April 2015!
Join ACGC in advocating that Canada can and must provide stronger leadership toward a more sustainable & peaceful world. Follow the #DoBetter2015 campaign, and visit www.wecandobetter2015.ca to learn more and take action!
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Featured Resource: Flood of Change: Documentary Flood of Change shares the story of three youth in Nepal and their movement to take action around water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) issues. The story is told by Nepalese youth who filmed 70% of the final footage and found the words and images to share this story. The documentary is a simplified version of the chain of events that led to the creation of Paschim Paaila, a youth network created by the Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO) to take action on a diarrhea outbreak that happened in the Western Region of Nepal in 2009. The outbreak affected over 5,000 individuals and caused more than 464 deaths in 18 districts. In July 2012, the Centre of Affordable Water, and Sanitation Technology (CAWST), supported members of ENPHO and Paschim Paaila to film Flood of Change, with the support of CAWST’s Education Program Developer and a videographer.
www.acgc.ca/teach ACGC can be contacted at: Edmonton, Alberta T6E 2B3 Phone: 780-988-0200 | Fax: 780-988-0211 admin@acgc.ca Follow ACGCNow on:
May 2015 Action International Ministries ˑ Ainembabazi Children’s Project ˑ Alberta Teachers’ Association ˑ Altamas for Peace and Development Association ˑ Bridges of Hope International Network of Development Agencies ˑ Calgary Board of Education Global Learning Program ˑ Canada World Youth ˑ Canadian Association for Participatory Development ˑ Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace ˑ Canadian Department of Peace Initiative ˑ Canadian Humanitarian Organization for international Reliefˑ Canadian Moravian Mission Society ˑ Canadian Peacemakers International ˑ Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistanˑ Caro-Canadians Reaching Out to the World's Children Foundation ˑ CAUSE Canada ˑ CEIBA Association ˑ Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology ˑ Centre for Global Citizenship Education and Research ˑ Change for Children Association ˑ Crossroads International ˑ Cuso International ˑ energy4everyone Foundation ˑ Engineers Without Borders- Canada ˑ Ghost River Rediscovery ˑ Global Education Program, University of Alberta International ˑ Human Development Foundation ˑ International Centre for Development Learning ˑ John Humphrey Centre for Peace
Access the film and an accompanying educator’s guide with three lesson plans on CAWST’s website: www.cawst.org/wavemakers/ floodofchange
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ACGC Teach is undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada provided through Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada (DFATD).
and Human Rights ˑ Keiskamma Canada Foundation ˑ Light Up the World ˑ Maharashtra Seva Samiti Organization ˑ Mahatma Gandhi Canadian Foundation for World Peace ˑ Marda Loop Justice Film Festival ˑ Mennonite Central Committee Alberta ˑ Micah Centre—King University College ˑ Minkha Knitters Cooperative ˑ Mission of Mercy ˑ Nafasi Opportunity Society ˑ One Child's Village ˑ One! International Poverty Relief ˑ Operation Eyesight Canada ˑ Optometry Giving Sight ˑ Oxfam Canada ˑ Rainbow for the Future ˑ Rainbow of Hope for Children ˑ ReadAfrica ˑ Rotary Club of Edmonton ˑ Sahakarini Inter-World Education & Development Association ˑ Samaritan's Purse Canada ˑ Sinkunia Community Development Organization ˑ Somali-Canadian Education & Rural Development Organization ˑ Sombrilla International Development Society ˑ STOP TB Canada ˑ Tools for Schools Africa Foundation ˑ Trebi Kuma Ollennu Foundation for Community Development ˑ True Vision Ghana ˑ United Nations Association in Canada ˑ Women's Empowerment International Foundation ˑ World Fit for Children -Alberta