Youth4Water

Youth4Water at Amnesty International's Human Water Rights: Let's Make It Our Business

2009-03-19T07:33:00.000-07:00

By: Christine Moon

February 28, 2009

Youth4Water had a busy day today at the Human Water Rights event hosted by Amnesty International Canada and co-presented by the Water and Sanitation Rotarian Action Group (WASRAG), O.I.S.E., and Students Against Climate Change. The event was held from 9:30-4:00 at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education and was a huge success. In the morning, we had the priviledge of hearing not only Dr. Ron Denham of WASRAG, but also from the queen of water activism: Maude Barlowe, Chair of the Council of Canadians, and the UN Senior Advisor on Water. Youth4Water was very excited to meet Ms. Barlowe and even take our picture with her! Both Dr. Denham and Ms. Barlowe spoke of issues of water in terms of businesses, access, sanitation, technology, women, and education. Though they shed some light on the issues at hand, giving us a bleak picture indeed, their messages were those of hope - we can make a difference, we can create change, and we will.

In the afternoon, Youth4Water had the priviledge of holding a workshop for those attending. We broke out into smaller groups and thought about some scenarios, putting ourselves directly in the shoes of those affected by the growing issues of water in the world - issues including gender roles and discrimination, the Alberta tar sands, our Native American communities, and bottled water. We ended by presenting our scenarios and our solutions, and got some good dialogue going. All in all, today was a great day, a great way to end February and a fantastic jumping-off point into March.

Some footage and pictures of Youth4Water and Maude Barlowe today will be posted soon!
March for Youth4Water is very busy month. We are working hard on our mural project, an art project showing some of the issues of water locally, nationally, and internationally. We are pleased to announce that this mural, not only a piece to start discussion on issues of water, will be displayed in the Royal Ontario Museum later this year.

We are also launching our t-shirt awareness campaign - where YOU can design a t-shirt focusing on an issue of water in your community or your world, for a chance to win a cool prize, and your design on the t-shirt!

Youth4Water will also be hosting and attending a forum for youth March 21, 2009 - the day before World Water Day - in partership with the CTC Source Protection Committe (TRCA), so if you're interested, keep checking out the blog or email us at youthforwater@gmail.com!

March is also the time Youth4Water gets to go to Ottawa! We'll be visiting Parliament and speaking with some of our nation's leaders. We will also be running workshops with youth in middle school in Ottawa schools!

To learn more about Youth4Water and our upcoming events, keep checking the blog, or write to us at youthforwater@gmail.com! Our website is currently in development, but will be up shortly at http://www.unac.org/

See you soon!
Christine Moon

Y4W speaks at Marshall McLuhan Catholic Secondary School

2009-03-19T07:23:00.000-07:00

By: Emily Macrae

On February 12 Jae and I (Emily) represented Youth4Water at Marshall McLuhan Catholic Secondary School, speaking to 1000 students as part of two assemblies on the theme of the water crisis. The assemblies were organized by the school’s Eco Team in conjunction with the Religion Department. As part of their religion classes, all students had watched the documentary Flow and the Eco Team sold metal water bottles to reinforce the message of water conservation.

Joe Cressy from the Polaris Institute spoke dynamically about bottled water and engaged students in the issue by asking students to stand up to indicate how often they drink bottled water and what their favourite kind of bottled water is. He also conducted a water taste test on stage and revealed many surprising facts about the bottled water industry.

Jae and I spoke about the importance of water in all aspects of life, the myth of water abundance in Canada, the need for a National Water Strategy and ways for youth to protect and conserve water in their own lives. It was scary speaking to so many people, however pictures of Jae’s “anguish” when he found out that Canada was the second worst water waster in the world brought some humour into the presentation.

Overall, despite initial jitters and last minute changes to our powerpoint, I feel that our presentation at Marshal McLuhan went well. This has been Youth4Water’s largest youth outreach (at one time) so far and it was fantastic to connect with a school, and to see the commitment that McLuhan has made to raising awareness about environmental issues and taking action.

Yes We Did

2009-03-19T06:36:00.000-07:00

By: Shiré Brandi

We often wonder what the face of change resembles. Change is refreshing and energizing. Change, even though it may not seem like it at first, is our soul’s redemption. The beginning of our epiphanies descended, gifts of personal revelation and inspiration, the moment that Tuesday, January 20th 2009 was born and opened its eyes. It was only a day before that Pia Johnson, Jae Hong Kim and I, alongside twenty-two other eager youth and dedicated staff from TCHC embarked on what seemed like a journey that a privileged few could only witness: the long awaited birth of a new day. The type of day that you could not wait to narrate to your children, and their children and remind them that the human spirit can rise above all challenges, oppression and pain. The cold winter air, with its sharpness that felt like lemon’s clarity, did not scold us or frighten us enough to cease celebrating as we queued on Washington D.C.’s 6th Street.

It was only a couple of hours before sunrise when amidst the loud flashing lights of the U.S. National Guard and the fierce roar of the elated masses, we stormed the entrance of the open gate into the National Mall. We need to witness this new day we thought, so that it may be recognized as a turning point. The Inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America was more than a historical moment for the TCHC youth and staff in attendance. As agents of change who strive to strengthen the capacities, skills and resiliency of our communities in Toronto. Barack Obama’s Inauguration was a moment of relief and a testimony to the beginning of the manifestation of humanity’s long awaited promise towards equity, nourishing healthy communities, reason and unity. The sweat and tears of social advocates and torchbearers were finally materializing into a concrete shift in social thought and behaviour.

Despite facing profiling by police in our communities, or discrimination in finding employment because of the stigma of violence and poverty attached to our communities, heritage or orientations, yes we can as youth take it into our hands to mold healthy communities. As people of color, and specifically for young black youth who are stigmatized by negatives images of black masculinity and exploited black femininity, our aspirations of being free of restrictions and granted equal privileges were being realized through the Obama family. As young people of color, who constantly battle against the social obstacles to success and self-esteem, the residuals of a history thick with conditioned oppression, Obama’s inauguration was a moment of hope for our own futures. We could be Barack Obama. We could be Michelle Obama. We have the potential to change the world and now is the time to continue the legacy. Our history, our heritage, our communities are not a hinderance, they are our strength.

Standing in the unforgiving cold of the National Mall, surrounded by some of the monuments constructed by slaves, and where notable civil rights leaders exclaimed that the mountain top was near, where segregation was being debated, and dreams were announced - on inauguration day, millions of people from every ethnic and socioeconomic background were rejoicing at the sign of progress in society. Young or old, rich or poor, American or not, people collected themselves to say yes to the Obamas for being connected with the will and needs of everyday people. Young people, who feel that many times we have been lied to with the sting of broken promises and the inheritance of a world verging on social, economic and environmental chaos were mesmerized by Obama’s ability to authentically mobilize and engage us. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dreams were not forgotten. Our society was not set in its unattractive ways because behind the scenes the world was not really stagnant. The beauty of change is that it cannot be halted, and today we are all witnesses to the fact that Barack Obama is the President of the United States of America.

Everyone who understood the struggle of gaining equal recognition as contributors of our society was proud to see a black man and woman who have achieved a high place of authority due to the contents of their character. Young people of color finally were able to internalize a portrayal of everything humanity strives to be and that the Obamas gracefully demonstrated - responsibility, intelligence, humility, accomplishment, resiliency, forgiveness, innovation, authenticity and wise judgment. Above all, we were grateful for the priceless opportunity to experience a moment of relief. Obama's inauguration was a moment of relief and revitalization in my life. It gave me that short moment of peace of mind as a black youth to continue confronting stigma and setting my destination towards the horizon. I was refreshed and excited at the prospects of seeing a crack in the glass ceiling. My generation will be the generation that will break that glass ceiling of systemic discrimination and disenfranchisement of voices. The inauguration was a promise to humanity that more positive change is coming.

Barack Obama, a symbol of not only hope’s audacity, but of the resilient soul of social advocacy and community building, began his inaugural address by stating, “I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors.” We immediately understood him and we were hooked. Obama was speaking to us, to the young people. Obama before our hungry eyes was an affirmation of our potential to heal the new wounds of addressing environmental sustainability, sparking peace, ensuring health and rights to life and alleviation of poverty. Yes he did succeed. Yes, it is true we are all the product of the sacrifices of our predecessors. And yes, we can induce positive change here at home with our peers, in Toronto communities, in Canada and maybe even globally.

The need to acknowledge the human right to water and access to safe, clean drinking water for sanitation and consumption purposes is paramount. It is time to stop ignoring what we do to our Great Lakes and bodies of water or where our water comes from and goes to or whether everyone has access to safe drinking water. We cannot fix our water management, infrastructure or consumption behaviour only after a catastrophe or finding lead or hormones in our tap water. We cannot wait for more water sources to be contaminated because our human need for water directly influences our human dignity and survival. If you are reading this post, promise yourself that you will take action because we care too much about the future of our water to ignore it. Like so many of my Youth4Water colleagues reiterate everyday, it is time we restore confidence back in our water. It starts with you and me.

Y4W goes to Havergal College

2009-01-15T09:48:00.000-08:00

Y4W members Christine and Emily are students at Havergal College. In December '08 they took the Y4W "youth perceptions survey" to their school. The survey asks Toronto youth about their thoughts on water issues and Toronto's local water supply. Findings will be released this March.

During their event they screened the Y4W documentary: Water is a matter of survival.

SCI-FRI Night at the Ontario Science Centre

2009-01-15T09:37:00.000-08:00

In late September ’08 Y4W hosted a Sci-Fri night at the Ontario Science Centre (OSC). Sessions are held on the last Friday of every month. Youth between the ages of 14-19 are invited to hang out in the lounge and engage in global issues. For more information visit:
http://www.ontariosciencecentre.ca/scifri/default.asp

Youth4Water Participates in World Toilet Day Event

2008-11-20T06:26:00.000-08:00

On Saturday November 15, several members of Y4W participated in a bus and walking tour of the Toronto beaches that was organized by Riversides and Lost Rivers in order to commemorate World Toilet Day (November 19). Over the course of the tour, Helen Mills from Lost Rivers, Emily Alfred from Riversides and Wayne Reeves, editor of HTO, provided a fascinating commentary about the transformation of this area of Toronto’s waterfront.

Ashbridge’s Bay was the starting point for our tour and it proved an excellent example of the kind of changes that have occurred as the city has grown. At one point, Ashbridge’s Bay included the largest fresh water marsh in North America. It covered 1300 acres and extended from Eastern Avenue to Kew Gardens Park, reaching as far up as Queen Street at some points. Over time however, the bay was filled in first with garbage and later with sand and today, the area is almost entirely built up and houses the Ashbridge’s Bay Sewage Treatment Park.

After driving around Ashbridge’s Bay, we travelled around The Beaches to learn about how, as the city expanded, rivers and creeks were buried to make way for construction. Essentially, creeks that used to feed into Lake Ontario have been confined to concrete pipes and reduced to storm sewers.

Finishing up the bus portion of the tour, we disembarked at WC Harris Filtration Plant and explored the Art Deco complex before making our way along the beach to St Aidan’s Church where a presentation and discussion period had been organized. Andrew Hellebust, an engineer who specializes in constructing wetlands spoke about alternative ways to treat and fulfill our need for nonpotable water and explained the work that his company does in creating wetlands which filter water to be used in flushing toilets, operating washing machines and watering plants. Next, Jae and Shire made a presentation about Youth4Water and youth engagement. They did a fantastic job and were well received - everyone was encouraged to see that youth are informed about and engaged in issues surrounding water! Finally, Wayne Reeves spoke about HTO, the book he recently edited that brings together a collection of essays and explores Toronto’s relationship with water as it was in the past, as it is in the present and as it may be in the future.

For me, the day was a great opportunity to learn more about water in Toronto and see what water other initiatives are active in the city. Many thanks to everyone who was involved in the event!

Emily

-Emily Macrae is one of seven new members to Youth4Water. Welcome Emily and thanks for the contribution!

Youth4Water's work recognized

2008-10-28T07:41:00.000-07:00

October 25, 2008.
On Friday October 24th, Youth4Water got the chance to present at Toronto Community Housing Corporation’s first ever public Annual General Meeting.

Tenants as well as other observers from around Toronto were invited to the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, where Youth4Water got the chance to present its group’s mandate and also get informally recognized for our work.

Pia and I presented a short but detailed history, objectives and goals of Youth4Water alongside other panel guest presenters such as S.O.S. (Save Our Structures), the Lawrence Heights Community Gardens initiative and Reclaiming Our Space.

We also got the opportunity to speak about what youth engagement meant for our group and explain the impact we wanted to create in our communities concerning the plight for access to safe drinking water. We got the opportunity to connect with a few youth as well as other presenters who provided us with helpful suggestions, potential further contacts for the future and support for our movement.

The night’s challenge lay in conveying our message with the time limit pressed on us, but thanks to our supports and the rehearsals we attended, the night progressed extremely smoothly. To end, Youth4Water would like to share with you an insightful and powerful speech we quoted from during our presentation at the Annual General Meeting.

Below is a link to Severn Suzuki’s inspirationally fresh and wisely spoken speech that still resonates today! At the time, Severn Suzuki, who is David Suzuki’s daughter and who delivered the speech at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio Centro, Brazil, was only 9 years old!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZsDliXzyAY

- Shire Brandi

Welcome Walkerton!

2008-10-28T07:39:00.000-07:00

October 24, 2008

We went to Walkerton on a mission to reach out to youth beyond Toronto. I say mission accomplished. It was a long journey but fun and productive at the same time. Thanks to Lauren’s great driving skills and Melanie’s top notch navigational skills we got there at the right time; I wasn’t much of a help hahaha (embarrassed laugh).

On the way there all three of us saw something beautiful, even scenic. On the flat lands of the rural country side just a few hours away from Toronto we saw countless numbers of windmills. As far as the eyes can see and never too boring to look at again and again, the windmills blended in so well to its surrounding environment never compromising the beautiful scenery. The journey to Walkerton seemed so right.

When we got there we were embraced by Bruce, our main contact in Walkerton. He led us to our seats in the local high school gym filled with people from Walkerton and neighboring communities all there in support for the environment. Debi & Brandon, the mom and son that created the climate change event did an outstanding and successful job and deserve much applause for their great work. What can I say about Bruce, he was with us since day one and without his support and dedication I believe the collaboration with Walkerton wouldn’t have gone through. Bruce as well deserves much applause for his great work. I would also like to acknowledge the mayor of Brockton, Charlie Bagnato for offering his continual support after all it was Bruce and Charlie that our group met first when we first went to Walkerton.

The youth that came after the event looked like a group of youth not to be reckoned with. What a story these young people have - one that can captivate any audience. I believe Canada still has much to learn from Walkerton especially from its youth. To all the participants that came to the meeting after, if you are reading this thank you for coming and taking an interest we look forward to working if you very soon.

I had a lot of fun and it was totally worth it

- Jae Kim

Youth4Water is coming to you!

2008-09-30T07:53:00.000-07:00

September 30, 2008.

Hello, to the poor soul who may be reading this (joking).

Today our group participated in an outreach at the Scri Fri event at the Ontario Science Center. I would like to extend applause to Youth4Water’s Shire and Amzad for taking on this initiative - I know they did a great job.

And I look forward to the Her story outreach that is to come very soon. Recently I found out one of the Professor’s from my program helped start the TDSB eco-school program. As you may already know the high school that we started collaboration with is an Eco-school member. I am looking forward to the meeting with the Kipling teachers to bring Youth4Water to their school.

I read in the newspaper recently that Barack Obama wants to invest more money into cleaning up the Great Lakes, I hope if he becomes the next president that he keeps his promise.

Bye for now

- Jae Kim

Youth4Water coming to York U!

2008-09-14T08:39:00.000-07:00

September 13, 2008.

I have officially started university and I am very eagerly looking forward to how Youth4Water is going to bring our initiative to the school. Me, Shire and Amzad choose to take on this task since all three of us attend York University.

If somehow we can start a youth movement in school, what a sight it would be to watch and participate. Youth4Water and all our supporters are hoping for the best because we have a very busy year ahead of us, full of opportunities where with will, hard work and a pinch of good luck we can make productive momentum for the times ahead.

- Jae Kim

Looking Ahead

2008-09-14T08:36:00.000-07:00

September 11, 2008.

On Saturday the 6th of September Y4W went on an over night retreat to camp Geneva, in Orilla, Ontario.

Camp Geneva is a leadership camp. During our stay we participated in leadership and team building activities, but we also got to learn more about ourselves and others in Y4W.

We got to plan the future of Y4W and how we figure how our group is going to grow and continue to be successful.

Personally I feel that going on our overnight excursion was like a break through. As a group we got to discuss things that we really never did before, such as, the pros and cons in our group. I consider this past weekend, the weekend of a true break through and a weekend of true team building!

- Leann Hughes

Youth4Water Retreat Photos!

2008-09-14T08:22:00.000-07:00

Youth4Water has just returned from a weekend retreat to the YMCA's Geneva Park.

Here are some photos!

Travis, Amzad and Chrstine having fun while practicing their public speaking skills.

Youth4Water measuring up the ropes course.

Youth4Water and Colette Carman from Geneva Park.

Jae and Travis working hard during the strategic planning session.

Jae gives the low ropes course a try.

The Youth4Water guys during Geneva Park's drama workshop.

Travis Dixon gets a helping hand from his fellow Youth4Water members on the low ropes course at Geneva Park.

Upcoming Youth4Water Events!!

2008-09-14T08:19:00.000-07:00

September 9, 2008.

Youth4Water returned from our intense 2-day retreat at YMCA's Geneva
Park on Sunday afternoon.

After some laughs, a few tears, bonding, and a lot of hard work, we've finally come through a stronger and more passionate, committed group, ready to tackle the 2008-2009 school year.
Interested in joining? Come out to one of our two information sessions
on Saturday October 18 at 1:00 pm or Tuesday October 20 at 6:00 p.m.!
RSVP us at our NEW email address, youthforwater@gmail.com.

Also visit us at some of our upcoming events!

We'll be at:

Havergal College Wednesday September 17th at 2:40pm
showing our film and presenting our campaign;

Sci Fri at the Ontario Science Centre Friday September
26th at 7pm;

HER Story hosted by TCHC at 931 Yonge Street Saturday
September 27th at 9:30 am

Keep in touch and don't forget to email us at youthforwater@gmail.com

- Christine Moon
if you have any questions or concerns.

The Start of a New School Year

2008-09-02T06:54:00.000-07:00

September 2, 2008.

September has arrived, and Youth 4 Water members are going back to class! But never fear, we haven't forgotten about water! We have a lot of new ideas that we're excited about putting into action; the group is getting together next week for a retreat to make these plans concrete, as well as learn a few new skills.

If you're interested in joining, stay tuned to our blog, as we'll have updates for you soon!

Feel free to also keep in touch with us via email at youth4water@hotmail.com, or post a comment to this blog entry!

See you soon!

Water is a Matter of Survival and more

2008-08-18T07:10:00.000-07:00

August 15, 2008.

This past Monday, on the eve of International Youth Day, Youth4Water held its first public event.

The evening consisted of a variety of workshops hosted by Youth4Water members and guests, including one by Sarah Kambites from the United Nations Association in Canada (UNA-C) on the topic of Sanitation, and another hosted by Adrian O'Driscoll of the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), who spoke about water and water usage.

Other special guests included Bruce Davidson of Concerned Citizens of Walkerton, and Aqeel Saeid from the United Nations Association in Canada Toronto Regional Branch (UNACTO).

We were so excited by the conversations generated between the youth who attended and all of our special guests. Youth4Water also got a chance to show our film, "Water is a Matter of Survival." My favourite part of the evening was the launch of our new campaign, “Youth4Water National Water Strategy Campaign”. Our new campaign consists of a youth statement that we will take to Parliament on World Water Day 2009. It was such an inspiring night, and I am so excited to show Parliament, along with the rest of Canada, the conviction and power of youth.

- Christine Moon, Age 16

Youth4Water's National Water Strategy Campaign is coming to you!!!

2008-08-18T07:06:00.000-07:00

August 15, 2008.

Monday night was a special night for Youth4Water because we finally got the opportunity to hold the Canadian premiere of our film, Water is a Matter of Survival.

Monday night was also a special night because we got to launch our campaign calling out for a desperately needed national water strategy. As one of Youth4Water’s next steps, the campaign for a national water strategy is a petition that Youth4Water will personally deliver to our federal government on World Water Day on March 22 2009. The signatures for the petition will be collected on paper rain clouds and water droplets that will be eventually attached to a gigantic canvas letter addressed to the Prime Minister.

The goal of our campaign is to accumulate over 500 signatures, but we are striving for much more. In fact, we are prepared to bring our campaign to you so please look out for us at events and communities near you!

The evening of our film premiere and campaign launch was marked by special workshops from the United Nations Association in Canada, the Toronto Regional Conservation Authority and Youth4Water. The highlight of the night was the film screening followed by a highly engaging debriefing between the audience and Youth4Water. Despite the lower turnout than expected, the night progressed very smoothly and audience members asked important questions which drew out personal experiences by those who understood the real life impact of living without access to safe, sanitary water.

Special thanks to Bruce Davidson from Concerned Citizens of Walkerton, the Director of Education and Community Initiatives of UNA-Canada Sara Kambites and Adrian O'Driscoll from the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority who facilitated an informative workshop. Also, thanks to Aqeel the President of UNACTO and Scadding Court Community Centre who provided the venue.

We appreciate all of your contributions in helping us get through and set up the night.

You're Invited to Celebrate International Youth Day with Youth4Water - Have fun and learn about our most valuable resource - WATER!!

2008-08-11T08:34:00.000-07:00

August 11, 2008.

Youth4Water, is speaking out about water and sanitation with the Toronto premiere of their documentary film “Water is a Matter of Survival” and the launch of the “Youth4Water - National Water Strategy Campaign" tonight.

What? Film premier, free barbecue dinner, drip-drop
water workshops, games and prizes.

Where? Scadding Court Community Centre, 707
Dundas Street West

When? August 11 2008, 5:30—9:00 p.m.

Who? Toronto Youth (ages 13+)

Please RSVP Lauren Alcorn at:
(416) 666-4770 Lauren.alcorn@unac.org

Youth4Water featured in Toronto Sun!

2008-08-11T08:30:00.000-07:00

August 11, 2008.

Read about Youth4Water's National Water Strategy Campaign in the Toronto Sun.

http://www.torontosun.com/News/Canada/2008/08/11/6410316-sun.html

Final thoughts on Spain

2008-07-17T06:54:00.000-07:00

July 14, 2008

Who would of thought that seven youth from Toronto Community Housing Corporation(TCHC) and The Institute at Havergal College would come together through the United Nations Association in Canada and form Youth 4 Water(Y4W).

Y4W is a youth advisory group that raises the awareness around water issues in Toronto and all of Canada. Bam! Eight months later Y4W is invited to Zaragoza, Spain to present at the Water and Sustainability Exposition - Expo Zaragoza 2008.

For 12 days (June 13 to June 24 2008) I traveled half way around the world to Spain to enlighten myself, tighten my relationship with the other members, create new experiences and absorb the Spanish culture.

Spain is everything and more than what I expected. It has a rich history, memorable Spanish artists like Picasso and Gaudi, mouth watering seafood and fruits, small cobble stoned streets, tiny cars, obsessive and wild soccer fans and of course great shopping!

Expo Zaragoza 2008 gave me the opportunity to learn more about water issues affecting the 100 countries that were present. I had the chance to meet representatives from around the world and ask direct questions about their country’s water situation. As for our presentation and screening of our video in the El Faro Pavilion, we received a big applause from the crowd and compliments and praise from the director of the Expo.

During our time in Barcelona I felt like the energizer bunny, I just kept going and going. Of course I had to see and feel everything, whether it meant waking up every morning at 10:30 for breakfast and walking for miles. Thanks to siesta (mid-day break) I was able to regain my energy for our nightly escapades and dinner. Thanks to our Spanish classes with our teacher Cecilia, I was able to test out the language with the locals. Which was helpful when asking for the washroom or ordering a cafe con leche.

This whole experience wouldn't have been possible without the funding and support provided by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), The United Nation Association in Canada, Toronto Community Housing Corporation, The Institute of Havergal College, tenant councils across Toronto, the Rathburn Area Youth Project, and other support groups.

I would like to thank our intelligent and witty project officer of UNA-Canada (Lauren Alcorn) who has worked an extensive amount of hours to organize and plan our whole trip from day one. Also, she impressed me with her crazy navigational and map skills to some how get us across Spain, and her ability to keep us in line for our next tasks/adventures that we decided.
Thanks Lauren!

Khary Collins our Regional Officer has worked with our group from the beginning to plan and organize this trip and was unable to come.
With his support and direction in our meetings he has helped me to successfully prepare for this trip. Thanks so much Khary, I wish you came!

One of our supporters from TCHC, Julet Allen also joined us. She was like our mother hen who was very strict but always looked out for us. Since she was very stern, it was a pleasure of mine to annoy her and make her laugh, which worked most of the time =)
She's also a great shopping partner! "Zara, Mango, Vera Moda which one???"
Thank you for gracing us with your lovely presence.

Keddone Dias from LAMP who works with the Rathburn Area Youth Project, also joined us in Spain from the 13th to 20th. Thank you, Keddone for helping me collect funds from the RAY youth council. It was pleasure having you on the trip. Thanks Keddone and RAY

I would like to extend my thanks to Malinda who helped us develop and produce the video that documented our work around water in Toronto. It has been a long process to capture all our moments and join us on our trips and meetings, but it was worth it and the video was amazing. Thanks again.

Lastly I would like to thank, our most recent addition to the group Melanie Sharpe, who is our communications project officer. With just one meeting she has helped us prepare a mission statement, answer questions from the media, and has helped put this blog together. Thanks for your hard work, Welcome to the Team!

Leann, Shire, Jae, Travis, Ahmzad and Christine it is a pleasure working with such a fun, intelligent, and mature group of people. We all possess different personalities and characteristics and it was amazing to see how we compliment each other and work well together. I'm so happy that I had the chance to meet each and everyone you, and I look forward to getting to know you guys better and working with you on our next adventure.

One chapter of Y4W is done and a new one has opened up! Get ready for a new and improved Y4W this summer and the rest of 2009.

- Pia Johnson

Come and meet Youth4Water!!

2008-07-14T06:56:00.000-07:00

On July 13, 2008 Youth4Water will be participating in Regent Park's annual Sunday in the Park festivites here in Toronto.

We will have a booth set up with lots of information on Canadian and International water and sanitation issues. We will also be running a water taste test. Can you tell the difference between tap water and bottled water?

Hope to see everyone there!

- Youth4Water

Spain Synopsis

2008-07-14T06:50:00.001-07:00

July 8, 2008.

As all great things must come to an end, so did our adventurous trip to Spain for the International Zaragoza Water Expo.

This experience as a whole was an eye opener as well as life changing for me. I don’t have much traveling experience previously but through this trip I have learned a lot regarding the differences in cultures and attitude of people in Canada and Spain. Going back to the beginning of our trip it was really great to start off landing in Madrid, although we did have to wait in the airport due to luggage delays. But never the less we were ready to take on whatever Spain had in store for us.

That same night we traveled to Zaragoza and every one had a sigh of relief. As soon as the sun hit the surface of our windows and our tired faces, it was time to get down to our real purpose of over sea traveling. After a hard day of adapting everyone got into the presentation gear and worked very hard that night rehearsing and taking a closer look at every little detail to make our presentation flawless as possible.

And before we knew it the big day had arrived and everyone was full of energy and confidence. As we had hoped, our presentation went very well and the applause from the audience reconfirmed it. At the end of that day one of our missions was complete and with the dawn of the next day we were back at the expo networking with all the different countries that were showcasing their presentations as well. As the clock winded down and days passed by our Zaragoza a trip also came to an end.

Never the less the water expo and all the experiences with it were amazing. If I am ever given the chance to attend another water expo, I will do it without a second thought. Although our tenure in Zaragoza expired, with it a new journey began for us in Barcelona where we spent a couple of our last days before heading home.

Barcelona is a very different city from Zaragoza. First and foremost the density of the population in Barcelona was jaw dropping. But our team enjoyed Barcelona just as much as Zaragoza as we traveled around the city and visited various famous breathtaking sites. One particular thing that cannot go unmentioned is the amazing night life - people never seemed to sleep. Just like Zaragoza our time winded down in Barcelona as well and it was time for us to say “adios” to Spain and “hola” to Toronto again.

- Amzad Khan

Moving forward

2008-07-04T09:37:00.000-07:00

July 4, 2008.

Hello everyone,

It's been about a week and a half since we arrived, safe and sound, at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport.

Upon reflection, we learned so much in Spain, both at the Expo and in Barcelona.

We explored issues, thoughts, ideas, and emotions surrounding water. We learned about Spanish language, culture, politics, and lifestyles. And in my opinion, most significantly, we learned about ourselves and our group dynamics.

Now we are back with new ideas and perspectives in our brains, passion in our hearts, and inspiration and hope in our souls. Thank you to everyone who made this growth possible, and please keep in touch as we move on in this next chapter in the story of Youth4Water.

- Christine Moon

More pictures from Zaragoza

2008-07-02T08:17:00.000-07:00

Youth4Water (from left to right) Pia Johnson, Jae Kim, Shire Brandi, Leann Hughes, Christine Moon, Travis Dixon, Amzad Khan

Reflections and returning home

2008-07-02T08:07:00.000-07:00

June 24, 2008.

Wow, it feels like the trip just started and already I am packing my suit case to go back home. I cannot believe I have spent 11 days in Spain; the trip is definitely one of the highlights of my life.

Thank you again to all of our supporters and staff for sending Youth4Water to Spain. Thank you God.

What has the trip meant to me? What has is meant to the group? And how did it change me? These are questions I am asking myself right now. The answer is I really don’t know.

But I can say for sure that the trip meant a lot to my group members and me because it elevated us to a new level by brining us closer to each other. We also learned a lot of new information and material that can really help us out. We can also bring this information back to our communities in Canada. For example, we learned about the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and it turns out their website has tons of useful scientific information. We also learned about the Japan Agency for Marine – Earth Science and Technology (JAMTEC) their website also has very credible and useful information.

I realized in Spain how important our trips, workshops and activities have been. It all makes sense when looking back at it now. It was only after that I realized this and I think it will be after when I realize the real reasons of what the trip has meant to me. I am not talking about educating ourselves and what not about water, I mean what the trip has really meant to me, the group, our journey and to our lives. I don’t really like to talk about inner deep touchy emotional things, but by being truthful to myself I have to tell the truth.

Even though I am sad I am excited to be going back home. To tell you the truth I really miss home, there is no place like home. Being in Spain I also realize how unique and different Toronto is compared to other European cities. I know I am being very general considering Spain is the only European country or as a matter of fact the only country that I have been outside of Canada.

To tell you the truth I think Toronto is more unique than Barcelona, maybe I’m saying this because I am a Torontonian and a proud Korean Canadian. There is a song that I know that I think represents Toronto very well, excuse me if the lyrics are not correct but the song goes something like this:

We got the whole wide world in our hands, we got the whole wide WORLD in our hands, we got my brothers and my sisters in our hands, we got me and we got you in our hands, we got the whole world in our hands.

- Jae Kim

Thoughts on the future

2008-06-24T06:23:00.000-07:00

June 21, 2008.

Today is my birthday and nothing could be better than spending this time with my other family Youth4Water. My group threw a surprise birthday party on top of the… (I forget the name of the famous hill where Goudi created his famous garden) and I was totally caught off guard.

This is the first birthday I have experienced outside of Canada and it is one of the highlights of my life. I think I realized something important from the trip, something called the path to adventure where the character undergoes a profound or life changing adventure where in the end the character learns and realizes a deeper understanding to life.

I think Youth 4 Water's profound adventure started the moment we finished the presentation. I don’t know what kind of changes we will embark on but I can feel the change that is to come.

I can feel that what is to come and what we must undergo will take a lot of energy and time. It will leave us exhausted and drained and our group’s character will be truly tested.

But I know the end reward will be far more gratifying than money or power. Imagine walking in the street and seeing everyday activities and realizing that you are the reason why this is so, and it is so because of a positive contribution that you have made.

I think that is more rewarding than any money or prize. Not everyone is given the opportunity to do this. It is reserved only to a few people who are truly worthy through sacrifice and outmost dedication.

I don’t know what the future will bring, and I am very curious to see how this project will turn out. Everything has happened so far because of the wonderful support staff; Lauren, Khary, Julet, Jason, Amy, Kate, Sarah, TCHC, UNA Canada and CIDA who funds our group. I wonder, I wonder, I wonder.

hmmmmmm..........

Too much thinking, now is the time for action.

- Jae Kim

Zaragoza Photos!

2008-06-23T07:06:00.000-07:00

Youth4Water (from left to right) Travis Dixon, Leann Hughes, Christine Moon, Shire Brandi, Pia Johnson, Jae Kim and Amzad Khan in Zaragoza Spain.

Christine Moon, Shire Brandi, Travis Dixon and Jae Kim from Youth4Water in Zaragoza Spain.

Amzad Khan, Shire Brandi, Christine Moon and Travis Dixon from Youth4Water at Expo Zaragoza in Spain.

United Nations water display at Expo Zaragoza 2008.

Shopping and sightseeing

2008-06-23T07:01:00.000-07:00

June 21, 2008.

Today was great, I can really say today was a time to chill with my group members and learn about Spain.

Spain is full of so many ‘fashionistas’ and we got the chance to hit the streets and shop shop shop today. We went shopping because after working extra hard in Zaragoza we thought it was time to relax.

Some of our other group members went on a tour of Spain and they said that it was wonderful.

So to some up the day - everything went well, and I bet tomorrow will be even better!

- Leann Hughes

Experiencing the Expo

2008-06-19T11:39:00.000-07:00

June 18, 2008.

As every day in Spain so far, today has been amazing.

After spending yesterday touring the local sites of the city our team was back on gear and networking at the Expo. We met with other organizations to acquire new knowledge. We visited all the pavilions and exchanged ideas about presentations and showcases. As a group we decided to start our day early so we could see all of the countries here at the Expo and take in as many activities as possible.

After attending most of the presentations we were amazed at all the new information we have learned which will help us generate a much more clear global approach to water in Canada and other countries. The day was soon coming to an end and so was our expo journey in Zaragoza. Although this journey will end soon in Zaragoza, we will not be able to forget this once in a life time experience we were blessed with. Having the opportunity to travel to Spain and present at this prestigious event.

Now we will continue our journey in Spain by travelling to Barcelona tomorrow. Until tomorrow Youth4Water is signing out.

- Amzad Khan

Absorbing Spain

2008-06-19T11:35:00.000-07:00

June 17, 2008.

The Spanish sun did not seem very forgiving, but fortunately for us Tuesday brought along with it the sweetest gentle desert wind. The morning was chilly and like ants we assembled ourselves at the bus stop. The bus is our savior every morning. It rescues us from the outskirts of town and transports us into the real heart of Zaragoza.

Exploration. Excitement. Laughter. Learning - these are our goals for the day. The underground ancient water system museum, the palace of Al Jaferi, the food market and shops were all in the list of must sees. The roughness of the black cobblestone streets welcomed long walks down winding roadways drawn like renaissance grids.

We began the day walking by Roman ruins and entering the city’s core. Our mission was to find a pharmacy and bank. The pharmacy was rather easy and we stocked up on necessary goods. However, finding a bank that was open and willing to take traveler’s cheques was an adventure all in itself. Each bank would send us to the next bank and oddly enough, the locals could not give us directions to the nearby banks, often just around the corner.

From far we admired the colorfully tiled roofs of the Cathedrale de Pilar. Once we entered the cathedral, we were swept off our feet by the delicate murals on the domed ceilings and the golden plate of Pilar, which people lined up quietly to kiss as the pews glistened dark cherry red.

Our first taste of Spanish cuisine was outside across from the Cathedrale de Pilar and the Goya memoriam. We enjoyed our bocadillos, Spanish style; large paninis often eaten as a snack, and drank fragrant pineapple juice which has become a stable drink at all times for us.

The market has been one of the most exciting experiences we have had. The fruits were all ripe and ready to eat. The meats and fish smelled cleaner than we knew. Navigating through the stalls we picked up Montego cheese, flat peaches, baguettes and an assortment of delicious, naturally grown fruits. We visited bridges, shopped during siesta time at Zara and Mango and took pictures of everything in sight. We spent the whole day walking, not even realizing how tired we would be the next day. We just wanted to absorb, absorb and absorb everything around us.

The late afternoon came to an end at a café across from the memoriam to Caesar Augustus where we enjoyed coffee with softly whipped cream on top under the setting sun. As we sat under that sun and playing a game at the arched wall, we realized how grateful we were to be in each other’s company and to be in Spain to explore and let our voice be heard at the Water and Sustainability Expo Zaragoza. Tuesday, just like the first day of at the expo was a feast for the eyes.

- Shire Brandi

Presenting to the world

2008-06-19T11:33:00.001-07:00

June 16, 2008.

Hola Mi Amigos! Como Esta? Canada

Today is Monday, the day we present to the world! We have come along way from Canada to Spain and were very excited.

As you can imagine I´m feeling a roller coaster of emotions: happy, nervous, exited and anxious. This morning started off in a rush, with last minute practicing and site seeing around the expo Zaragoza 2008. After pulling our elves together, we finally have our translators’ ear pieces on and our slides ready to roll. Travis begins the presentation with an introduction of the group members, Shire talks about myths around Canadian water, Amzad speaks about the Walkerton Tragedy, Jae talks Alberta’s oil sands and Aborignal people, Christine speaks about Toronto’s water management system and finally Leann and I speak about Youth 4 Water and our outreach to communities.

Overall the day was a success and we got to meet the director of the Expo who very much enjoyed our presentation. Stay tuned to hear more about our adventures to Barcelona and the rest of our trip!
Ciao! Amigos

- Pia Johnson

Zaragoza success

2008-06-19T11:28:00.000-07:00

June 16, 2008.

Today was a really wonderful day. We were finally able to present here in Spain. Thank you to UNA-Canada, Toronto Community Housing Corporation, Havergal and CIDA for the outstanding contribution. I would also like to acknowledge our support leaders who have worked very hard to bring us here. Lauren, Khary, Kaddone and Julet - thank you soo very much for your invaluable support.

Spain is a very beautiful country. I can see that the people here take great pride in themselves and their Spanish heritage. I believe this comes from their great influence on world history.

The fact that I am here has not yet sunk in. Spain is a lot to take in and experience but so far it has been wonderful. I am glad that our group received so many praises for our presentation. The presentation took a lot of hard work and I am glad that we are now able to start another chapter in our journey.

I am very happy to have such a special and unique group of people around me. I can see that this trip has brought Youth4Water closer together on both a personal and professional level. Thank you God for bringing me here. Love you all. Peace.

- Jae Kim

Exceeding our expectations

2008-06-19T11:24:00.000-07:00

June 16, 2008.

Today was presentation day, and all I could really say was, finally. I remember how hard we worked to get to where we are.

Today was the day we saw the El Faro building for the first time, and to our surprise it was more than we expected it to be. On this day we presented our film for the first time and people had the chance to see who Youth4Water is and what we are doing. Then the time that we have been waiting for came - the presentation itself.
At first I was nervous, but then as I got a feel for it I thought that it was great. I would like to say that Youth4Water did a fantastic job.

-Leann Hughes

Making connections

2008-06-19T11:19:00.001-07:00

June 16, 2008.

We did our presentation and we did very well. We stayed up really late studying our slides which took a lot of hard work and patience. But everybody managed to pull it together and get it done. All of us knew when to say “next slide” which demonstrated discipline and charisma. Our coordinators stuck with us through every step and made sure that all of us were on time.
The Director of Education Without Borders was so excited about how good we did that he offered us the privilege of volunteering with one of his water projects which he is involved in, many of which are around the world. The project would be 3 to 4 months so I hope he does take us up on that and I hope we accept the opportunity to continue to travel and do our part on water.

- Travis Dixon

Team spirit

2008-06-19T11:14:00.000-07:00

June 16, 2008.

Today was the big day and everyone worked very hard last night to prepare for today's ¨BIG¨ presentation. After having a practice session in the morning, everyone was soon adjusting to the presentation flow. Although everyone was tired from our long trip, our team spirit was as high as possible. Everyone was feeding off of each other’s energy and presented with great confidence.

We were confident everyone would like our presentation, and we were right - the audience embraced us with a positive attitude and compliments. Today also marked our first day of networking as we are looking forward to meeting many more organizations, groups, and individuals as our ¨EXPO¨ experience progresses.

- Amzad Khan

Our Zaragoza mission

2008-06-19T11:07:00.000-07:00

June 16, 2008.

When we woke up today we realized that we had a message to convey, a mission to accomplish. Our hearts were beating from the thought of addressing an international audience but we also felt pride to be representing Toronto youth. In the midst of it all we knew our passion for the right to water had to shine through to the audience.

We came to Zaragoza to make a connection. We came to teach and to learn about the realities and best practices of other communities and youth. We came to let our voice be heard. The podium awaited us so we practiced and supported each other. We wanted to broadcast to the world that diverse, young Canadians want change in their communities and that we are knowledgeable about our water and its effects. At the end of the presentation, which finished faster than a blink of an eye, we learned that there are youth and others who care about our Aboriginal communities, our city’s water and our youth’s potential. It felt like our movement was blooming when we made plans to connect in the future.

Expo Zaragoza let us know that our message and goals only need one thing to turn into reality that we could feel with our hands, a resilient voice willing to stand up and speak with confidence.

- Shire Brandi

Arriving in Spain

2008-06-19T10:51:00.000-07:00

June 15, 2008.

Hola chicos!

We are finally all safe and sound in Spain. After a long adventure at the airport and a ride on `el metro` and a bus we finally arrived ´a los apartamentos´ at four this morning. After a struggle with the sleepy watchman we were finally ´home´.

Home consists of a brand new suite-style, two-bedroom apartment, with a kitchenette complete with laundry facilities and a living room. We have a lovely view of the construction and the desert behind it, with wind-powered generators, manufactured parks and more apartment buildings. So much for sustainable - green lawns in a desert!

Being here in Spain is surreal. Everything is the same but different. In the Madrid airport there was a McDonalds (they call it “McAuto” here). Same generic burgers and preserved apple slices, but much smaller! The Americanization is very clear. On the other hand, in the old part of Zaragoza which we explored today people walk on the same cobblestones as the Romans did in the time of Caesar Augustus!

It felt like we were in a movie when we drove from Madrid to Zaragoza. There was nothing but highway and desert until we met the occasional tiny road-side gas station community. Everything was beautiful, and when we got out of the bus for a quick stopover the air was crisp clear and chilly - perfect desert air. When we walked into the bus stop we saw old couples sitting and watching the TV together, and an old-fashioned convenience store, all attached to what seems to be the community centre. It was quaint and familiar yet foreign.

We slept for a greater part of the day, and then made our way to the city centre, where we had dinner and coffee at a nearby cafe next to a tall statue of Caesar Augustus. All in all, today was a great day for exploring and experiencing Spain and I can’t wait for more adventures to come!

- Christine Moon

2008-06-11T12:03:00.001-07:00