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This month we celebrate World Water Day with a focus on the environment and how to think green! The 4th annual World Water Forum was held last year in Mexico to raise issues of water awareness around the world and bring the U.N one step closer to reaching number 7 on the Millennium Goal countdown: Environmental Sustainability. Read this article written by YCI alumnus Arden Jobling.

The YCI Action Team on Environmental Sustainability is a newly created group of young people looking to involve youth in the global environmental revolution that is underway. Jonathan Williams is a member of this team and has written an article about the need for global sustainable development and the leadership role Canadian young people can take part in this movement. We each have a role to play as "A global movement is the sum of innumerable small events and changes." Read Jonathan's article

The environment and global warming have been front and center in the media recently and for good reason. There has been a sea of change in our understanding and awareness about global warming due to a number of recent events from the Stern report in Britain to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to the release of Al Gore's documentary "An Inconvenient Truth." And the upcoming Earth Day on April 22nd will give us another opportunity to consider our impact on the environment. Read more...

'The environment' is often used as a catch phrase when referring to development work, but through the dedicated work of YCI volunteers placed within the Debre Sina community in rural Ethiopia, the notion of environmental awareness is now becoming a reality. Read about the project from Michelle Sengara, YCI Program Assistant in Ethiopia.

This month's alumni update is to highlight Tracey Haug. Tracey was a volunteer with YCI in Vanuatu in 2001 and has since used her experience and passion for travel to help launch a travel resource website at www.backpACS.ca!

BackpACS.ca is an online forum where students and travelers alike will find travel resources, stories and adventures, as well as a space to discuss, discover, and explore new and potential travel opportunities. Click here to read an article Tracey has written about her experience with YCI and creating the website!

Julie Zalan has just finished up her time as a volunteer in Zanzibar, Tanzania where she spent 12 weeks volunteering. One of the activities Julie was able to be involved in during her time in Zanzibar was a community clean up in the town of Mwanakwerekwe. Julie helped organize the clean up with a new community club called Swa Swa. Click here to read Julie's account of her time working with Swa Swa on this project.

This month we would like to highlight two organizations that are doing amazing work around the world:

David Suzuki has been an active voice for the environment long before it was considered cool to do so. His foundation is based out of Vancouver, BC and has been "working to find ways for society to live in balance with the natural world that sustains us" since 1990. The foundation has four main program areas: oceans and sustainable fishing, climate change and clean energy, sustainability, and the nature challenge. Read on to find out more about the 10 steps to the "Nature Challenge", or how to become "carbon neutral". Visit the foundation's website

The Green Belt Movement International was created in Kenya in 1977 with the mission of empowering communities to protect the environment and promote good governance and human rights. Its founder is the very inspirational 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Professor Wangari Maathai. Dr. Maathai saw that there was an important connection between sustainability and development, and also found these issues linked to gender equality, human rights, governance and peace. What began as a grassroots tree planting program has grown to become a prominent NGO with worldwide esteem. Visit the website and read more...


This month we celebrate World Water Day with a focus on the environment and how to think green! The 4th annual World Water Forum was held last year in Mexico to raise issues of water awareness around the world and bring the U.N one step closer to reaching number 7 on the Millennium Goal countdown: Environmental Sustainability. Read this article written by YCI alumnus Arden Jobling. The YCI Action Team on Environmental Sustainability is a newly created group of young people looking to involve youth in the global environmental revolution that is underway. Jonathan Williams is a member of this team and has written an article about the need for global sustainable development and the leadership role Canadian young people can take part in this movement. We each have a role to play as "A global movement is the sum of innumerable small events and changes." Read Jonathan's article The environment and global warming have been front and center in the media recently and for good reason. There has been a sea of change in our understanding and awareness about global warming due to a number of recent events from the Stern report in Britain to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to the release of Al Gore's documentary "An Inconvenient Truth." And the upcoming Earth Day on April 22nd will give us another opportunity to consider our impact on the environment. Read more... 'The environment' is often used as a catch phrase when referring to development work, but through the dedicated work of YCI volunteers placed within the Debre Sina community in rural Ethiopia, the notion of environmental awareness is now becoming a reality. Read about the project from Michelle Sengara, YCI Program Assistant in Ethiopia. This month's alumni update is to highlight Tracey Haug. Tracey was a volunteer with YCI in Vanuatu in 2001 and has since used her experience and passion for travel to help launch a travel resource website at www.backpACS.ca! BackpACS.ca is an online forum where students and travelers alike will find travel resources, stories and adventures, as well as a space to discuss, discover, and explore new and potential travel opportunities. Click here to read an article Tracey has written about her experience with YCI and creating the website! Julie Zalan has just finished up her time as a volunteer in Zanzibar, Tanzania where she spent 12 weeks volunteering. One of the activities Julie was able to be involved in during her time in Zanzibar was a community clean up in the town of Mwanakwerekwe. Julie helped organize the clean up with a new community club called Swa Swa. Click here to read Julie's account of her time working with Swa Swa on this project. This month we would like to highlight two organizations that are doing amazing work around the world: David Suzuki has been an active voice for the environment long before it was considered cool to do so. His foundation is based out of Vancouver, BC and has been "working to find ways for society to live in balance with the natural world that sustains us" since 1990. The foundation has four main program areas: oceans and sustainable fishing, climate change and clean energy, sustainability, and the nature challenge. Read on to find out more about the 10 steps to the "Nature Challenge", or how to become "carbon neutral". Visit the foundation's website The Green Belt Movement International was created in Kenya in 1977 with the mission of empowering communities to protect the environment and promote good governance and human rights. Its founder is the very inspirational 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Professor Wangari Maathai. Dr. Maathai saw that there was an important connection between sustainability and development, and also found these issues linked to gender equality, human rights, governance and peace. What began as a grassroots tree planting program has grown to become a prominent NGO with worldwide esteem. Visit the website and read more...	March 22: World Water Day April 22: World Earth Day April 20-22: Global Youth Service Days April 22–28: Int'l Volunteer Week June 5: World Environment Day Aren't We Naughty "the store for couples at play" has donated 250,000 condoms to Youth Challenge International to distribute overseas! Read the press release You can now experience YCI projects through YouTube! YCI has recently launched its own YouTube channel and is on the hunt for more videos to post Check it out! The Globe and Mail has issued a special interactive web exclusive this month on Climate Change that is worth checking out... Go to website June may seem far away, but summer is just around the corner, and with it comes World Environment Day on June 5th! There are going to be lots of events for you to get involved in, so Check it out. The Volunteer Action Network's Youth Leadership and Capacity Building action team are hosting a creative competition and we are calling on you to participate! Read more. The Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation has made a call for applications for their Global Youth Fellowship. Read the application details... Want to donate to a worthwhile fundraiser? Check out this Canadian fundraising initiative that will benefit the community of Debre Sina in Ethiopia!
20 Maud Street, Suite 305, Toronto ON, M5V 2M5 - (416) 504 3370 - generalinfo@yci.org Registered Charity # 11906 9078 RR0001 - Supported by the Canadian International Development Agency Click here to forward this issue of YCI e-news to a friend!