Today I was invited to speak at the monthly World Citizen's meeting about the work that UNAC Toronto Branch and IHTEC have been focusing on towards the Ontario Day of Peace. It was a time of testing the early research re how people celebrated International Day of Peace. There were five of us around the table. Although we are a small group the general feeling was that this was a worthwhile project. Discussion focused on the methodology of how we are going about the different stages of implementation, and the need for pan-political nature for inclusion of all. A folder containing the major documents that had been developed so far.
Julia
Sunday, April 25, 2010
War 1812 Anniversary in 2012-14 Niagara Falls
IHTEC attended Friday's Arts event in Hamilton, Ontario.
As part of the War 1812 Anniversary Celebrations in 2012-14, IHTEC is working with the Niagara Falls City Council Parks & Recreation Department, to help schools plan and plant an International School Peace Garden in all schools both sides of the USA / Canada border.
IHTEC is partnering with Niagara Falls Parks Commission, Niagara Falls Secondary Schools, Niagara Falls City Council Parks & Recreation Department, Schools in Bloom and others. There are 14? City Council's along the Niagara Peninsula. Also several School Boards of Education.
As part of the War 1812 Anniversary Celebrations in 2012-14, IHTEC is working with the Niagara Falls City Council Parks & Recreation Department, to help schools plan and plant an International School Peace Garden in all schools both sides of the USA / Canada border.
IHTEC is partnering with Niagara Falls Parks Commission, Niagara Falls Secondary Schools, Niagara Falls City Council Parks & Recreation Department, Schools in Bloom and others. There are 14? City Council's along the Niagara Peninsula. Also several School Boards of Education.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
UNAC The Ripple Effect (Water) launch at Queen's Park
Dear friends
Earth Day today. What did you do?
I had a very exciting invitation to attend the launch of the United Nations in Canada, "The Ripple Effect Ontario - Youth Statement on Conserving and Protecting Ontario Water." The had created beautiful display panels as a backdrop for the event. Some young people from the Youth4Water also were there.
A First Nations woman sang us their water songs with a drum and told us their sacred water story. Then a large group of youth read out their statement with their leader, Dagna. There were a number of speakers and important politicians in the room.
So here are a few things to remember that you can do.
1. Visit the UNAC Ripple Effect website:
http://www.unac.org/rippleeffect/index.htm
2. Check on my blog for the 'Water Dedication' that I wrote, for you to sign and put on your fridge. This has been seen by the water scientists. If you would like to contact any of the scientists and I will gladly ask them to connect with you.
http://ispg.blogspot.com/2009/04/water-dedication-for-earth-day.html
3. Re-visit the Murray River Slide Show for South Australia which is some of the results of my research with the University of South Australia. They are still having a drought, even though there has been some rain, it is not enough. It is on this link:
http://www.ihtec.org/index.php?id=137
Look for - Murray-Darling Basin Crisis Presentation
4. Also just under this is the link to the Freshwater Roundtable where all the academic papers, slide shows and program is.
*** Please follow this link for the *COMPLETE LIST* of the Expert RoundTable's Presentations and Documents ***
5. Here is the outcome statement from the Science for Peace / Canadian Pugwash, Global Issues Project, Expert Round Table on Water.
DECLARATION in English http://www.cafeweltgeist.org/ihtec/GIPWaterRT/freshwater-decEN.pdf
DECLARATION in French www.cafeweltgeist.org/ihtec/GIPWaterRT/freshwater-decFR.pdf
4. The IHTEC water curriculum is on the same page at this link. It is a 76 pg document.
www.cafeweltgeist.org/ihtec/GIPWaterRT/WaterEdition-76pg-26Nov08-medres.pdf
This has been designed by our German web designer, Eric Schneider, who is the online Youth Leader. He designed it as a postive newspaper for schools and communities to enable learning about water issues and their relationships with the 'web of life'. It contains many web links, and positive things to do for communities.
Please look after your water. Keep it in the water cycle where you are.
Cheers
Julia
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Ontario Day of Peace Proclamation - UNACTO / IHTEC
March 22, 2010 saw the launch of the "Ontario Day of Peace - for Peace & Sustainability Education" Proclamation at Queen's Park, Ontario, Canada by the United Nations Association in Canada - Toronto Region Branch and IHTEC.
150 people witnessed the reading by Julia Morton-Marr. Melinda Rooke, Chair, UNACTO Environment Committee and Georgina Bencsik with other members of UNACTO organized this event.
Below is the draft Ontario Peace Day Proclamation which is now in the process of being developed into a Private Members Bill.
.......
United Nations Association in Canada, Toronto Region Branch
PROCLAMATION FOR ONTARIO PEACE DAY
Whereas each 21st day of September is celebrated and observed world-wide as ‘International Day of Peace’ as established by the United Nations by A/Res/36/67, 30 November 1981, which has been widely accepted across Canada and the world; and
Whereas the United Nations Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non Violence for Children 2001 - 2010 Resolution A/55/47 adopted by the General Assembly on 29 November 2000 finishes at the end of this year, and
Whereas the United Nations Decade for Sustainable Development and Education 2004 -2014, General Assembly Resolution A/RES/59/237 , is currently at the mid-point of the Decade (UNDESD 2005-2009); and given that United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) held a 5 year International Congress which unanimously endorsed the ‘Bonn Declaration’; and given that the Declaration (subsequently unanimously endorsed by UNESCO) emphasizes the need for improved educational efforts worldwide regarding food security, health, biodiversity, climate change, lifestyle changes, risk reduction, healthy water, and sustainable economies and peace education; and
Whereas the 2009 United Nations Conference on Climate Change was held in Copenhagen, 7 - 19 December 2009, and noting the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to this Protocol was popularly known this time as COP15 which resulted in the Copenhagen Climate Accord; and
Whereas the United Nations 2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity as adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations Resolution A/RES/61/203, with a view to bringing greater international attention to bear on the issue of the continued loss of biodiversity and recalling the need to expedite the implementation of the Global Initiative on Communication, Education and Public Awareness of the Convention on Biological Diversity; and
Whereas deeply concerned that the world is rapidly approaching an unprecedented climate catastrophe and is also severely and increasingly threatened by deforestation, rapid species extinction, soil erosion, desertification, air and water pollution, scarcities of water, energy, and other valuable resources, and environmental threats, which are to be addressed by the “United Nations Earth Summit 2012 - Sustainable Development the Peace of the Future”, commonly know as Rio+20; and
Whereas long term existence of human civilization must be the main value in Peace and Sustainability Education and curriculum decision-making for the future, recognizing some progress is being achieved, but by proclaiming ‘Ontario Peace Day’ and ‘Canada Peace Day’ the Government of Ontario will include all citizens of Ontario and Canada in peace and sustainability education; and
Whereas, as a precedent for the world, the City of Toronto, Canada recognized 21 September, 2009 as “ International Day of Peace in Toronto” to “translate humanity's aspirations for world peace into a reality for future generations”; and also, the state of Hawaii, USA recognized 21 September, 2008 as “Hawaii Peace Day” in Resolution No. 08-57 “to promote peace programs, improve international relations and increase educational awareness of peace” and that everyone in Hawaii is “encouraged to observe and celebrate Peace Day”;
Accordingly, we, the undersigned, urge action by all Ministers & departments of education within Governments; Universities; Colleges; Schools and Local Communities, to:
a) Implement United Nations Day 21 September as Ontario Peace Day to promote and foster the implementation of peace and sustainability education.
b) Educate for long term peace and sustainability, using interdisciplinary methods to instill values of environmental stewardship.
c) Increase awareness of issues of deforestation and forest degradation, the increasing agricultural land use for housing, roads and other non-agricultural purposes; and other global issues such as climate change, water reduction, ozone depletion, and acidification of oceans.
Update: Oct 27.
150 people witnessed the reading by Julia Morton-Marr. Melinda Rooke, Chair, UNACTO Environment Committee and Georgina Bencsik with other members of UNACTO organized this event.
Below is the draft Ontario Peace Day Proclamation which is now in the process of being developed into a Private Members Bill.
.......
United Nations Association in Canada, Toronto Region Branch
PROCLAMATION FOR ONTARIO PEACE DAY
Whereas each 21st day of September is celebrated and observed world-wide as ‘International Day of Peace’ as established by the United Nations by A/Res/36/67, 30 November 1981, which has been widely accepted across Canada and the world; and
Whereas the United Nations Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non Violence for Children 2001 - 2010 Resolution A/55/47 adopted by the General Assembly on 29 November 2000 finishes at the end of this year, and
Whereas the United Nations Decade for Sustainable Development and Education 2004 -2014, General Assembly Resolution A/RES/59/237 , is currently at the mid-point of the Decade (UNDESD 2005-2009); and given that United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) held a 5 year International Congress which unanimously endorsed the ‘Bonn Declaration’; and given that the Declaration (subsequently unanimously endorsed by UNESCO) emphasizes the need for improved educational efforts worldwide regarding food security, health, biodiversity, climate change, lifestyle changes, risk reduction, healthy water, and sustainable economies and peace education; and
Whereas the 2009 United Nations Conference on Climate Change was held in Copenhagen, 7 - 19 December 2009, and noting the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to this Protocol was popularly known this time as COP15 which resulted in the Copenhagen Climate Accord; and
Whereas the United Nations 2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity as adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations Resolution A/RES/61/203, with a view to bringing greater international attention to bear on the issue of the continued loss of biodiversity and recalling the need to expedite the implementation of the Global Initiative on Communication, Education and Public Awareness of the Convention on Biological Diversity; and
Whereas deeply concerned that the world is rapidly approaching an unprecedented climate catastrophe and is also severely and increasingly threatened by deforestation, rapid species extinction, soil erosion, desertification, air and water pollution, scarcities of water, energy, and other valuable resources, and environmental threats, which are to be addressed by the “United Nations Earth Summit 2012 - Sustainable Development the Peace of the Future”, commonly know as Rio+20; and
Whereas long term existence of human civilization must be the main value in Peace and Sustainability Education and curriculum decision-making for the future, recognizing some progress is being achieved, but by proclaiming ‘Ontario Peace Day’ and ‘Canada Peace Day’ the Government of Ontario will include all citizens of Ontario and Canada in peace and sustainability education; and
Whereas, as a precedent for the world, the City of Toronto, Canada recognized 21 September, 2009 as “ International Day of Peace in Toronto” to “translate humanity's aspirations for world peace into a reality for future generations”; and also, the state of Hawaii, USA recognized 21 September, 2008 as “Hawaii Peace Day” in Resolution No. 08-57 “to promote peace programs, improve international relations and increase educational awareness of peace” and that everyone in Hawaii is “encouraged to observe and celebrate Peace Day”;
Accordingly, we, the undersigned, urge action by all Ministers & departments of education within Governments; Universities; Colleges; Schools and Local Communities, to:
a) Implement United Nations Day 21 September as Ontario Peace Day to promote and foster the implementation of peace and sustainability education.
b) Educate for long term peace and sustainability, using interdisciplinary methods to instill values of environmental stewardship.
c) Increase awareness of issues of deforestation and forest degradation, the increasing agricultural land use for housing, roads and other non-agricultural purposes; and other global issues such as climate change, water reduction, ozone depletion, and acidification of oceans.
Update: Oct 27.
Fresh Water Roundtable Reading List
Reading List: Global Issues Project
Expert Roundtable on Water
November, 8-9, 2008
Bakker, Karen. Eau Canada: The Future of Canada’s Water, University of British Columbia Press, 2006. ISBN 9780774813402
Barlow, Maude. Blue Covenant: The Global Water Crisis and the coming Battle for the Right of Water, McClelland and Stewart, 2007. ISBN 978-0-7710-1072-9
Brandes, Oliver M., Maas, Tony and Reynolds, Ellen. Thinking Beyond Pipes and Pumps: Top 10 ways communities can save water and money, Project on Ecological
Governance, University of Victoria. ISBN 13-978-1-55058-350-2
De Villiers, Marq. Water, Stoddart Publishing Co., 2000. ISBN 0-7737-6174-8
Glennon, Robert. Water Follies: Groundwater Pumping And The Fate Of America's Fresh Waters, Tucson: University of Arizona, Island Press, 2002. ISBN 978-1-559-63223-2
Homer-Dixon, Thomas. The Upside of Down: Catastrophe, Creativity and the Renewal of Civilization, Alfred A. Knopf Canada. ISBN 13-978-0-676-07722-6
Korten, David C. When Corporations Rule the World, West Hartford: Kumarian Press and San Fransisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 1995.
Montgomery, David R. Dirt: The Erosion of Civilization, Berckeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2007.
Morris, T.J, Boyd, D.R., Brandes, O.M., Bruce, J.P, Hudon, M., Lucas, B., Maas, T., Nowlan, L., Pentland, R., and Phare, M. Changing the Flow: A Blueprint for Federal Action on Freshwater, The Gordon Water Group of Concerned Scientists and Citizens, 2007. ISBN 978-0-9699660-3-6
The World Watch Institute. State of the World, W. W. Norton & Company, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 , 2009. ISBN 978-0-393-32934-0, 2005
United Nations. World Water Development Report II: Water a shared responsibility, UNESCO World Assessment Program, New York: UNESCO & Berghan Books, 2006
Wood, Chris. Dry Spring: The Coming water crisis of North America. Raincoast Books, 2008. ISBN 13-978-55192-814-2
November 4, 2008
Expert Roundtable on Water
November, 8-9, 2008
Bakker, Karen. Eau Canada: The Future of Canada’s Water, University of British Columbia Press, 2006. ISBN 9780774813402
Barlow, Maude. Blue Covenant: The Global Water Crisis and the coming Battle for the Right of Water, McClelland and Stewart, 2007. ISBN 978-0-7710-1072-9
Brandes, Oliver M., Maas, Tony and Reynolds, Ellen. Thinking Beyond Pipes and Pumps: Top 10 ways communities can save water and money, Project on Ecological
Governance, University of Victoria. ISBN 13-978-1-55058-350-2
De Villiers, Marq. Water, Stoddart Publishing Co., 2000. ISBN 0-7737-6174-8
Glennon, Robert. Water Follies: Groundwater Pumping And The Fate Of America's Fresh Waters, Tucson: University of Arizona, Island Press, 2002. ISBN 978-1-559-63223-2
Homer-Dixon, Thomas. The Upside of Down: Catastrophe, Creativity and the Renewal of Civilization, Alfred A. Knopf Canada. ISBN 13-978-0-676-07722-6
Korten, David C. When Corporations Rule the World, West Hartford: Kumarian Press and San Fransisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 1995.
Montgomery, David R. Dirt: The Erosion of Civilization, Berckeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2007.
Morris, T.J, Boyd, D.R., Brandes, O.M., Bruce, J.P, Hudon, M., Lucas, B., Maas, T., Nowlan, L., Pentland, R., and Phare, M. Changing the Flow: A Blueprint for Federal Action on Freshwater, The Gordon Water Group of Concerned Scientists and Citizens, 2007. ISBN 978-0-9699660-3-6
The World Watch Institute. State of the World, W. W. Norton & Company, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 , 2009. ISBN 978-0-393-32934-0, 2005
United Nations. World Water Development Report II: Water a shared responsibility, UNESCO World Assessment Program, New York: UNESCO & Berghan Books, 2006
Wood, Chris. Dry Spring: The Coming water crisis of North America. Raincoast Books, 2008. ISBN 13-978-55192-814-2
November 4, 2008
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