Thursday, October 18th I was luck enough to hear Madame Adrienne Clarkson, Canada's past Governor General, speak at the University of Windsor. The talk sold out quickly a few weeks ago but I was there as "CJAM Radio Staff" so my ticket was free! That was pretty nice. The Freed Orman Centre, where the talk was held, was packed with chairs and anxious listeners of all ages and backgrounds.
Clarkson was a great speaker and spoke primarily about immigration in Canada. Having been an immigrant herself she was able to speak about the issue, and Canadian citizenship, with much knowledge. In this post I would like to highlight some quotes in particular that struck me and how they can be applied to foreign assistance. I'm sure the quotes aren't perfectly accurate, but they're pretty close. This is a blog about reflection, an important step before action.
"No matter how deprived and debilitating they may be [immigrants], they have something to offer. It is a two way street"
What do we offer to people in other countries?
If we don't have a sense of community within Canada how is it possible that we have a sense of community with people in other countries? We need something that will give Canadians a connection to people in the developing world. These need to be more than the depressing images we see on TV. They need to be stories of hope and positive action. They need to be relate-able and possible for the ordinary Canadian.
As an aside...One of the things I really like about being a part of Engineers Without Borders is the concept of Dorothy. Dorothy allows you to really personalize your involvement with development work and a way to think of who you are benefiting with all the actions you take.
"Dorothy is the mother pounding fufu in Cameroon. She is selling oranges on the street of Accra. She is tending to her kids in Tanzania.
Dorothy is no single person; she is the archetype for whom EWB does all our work. For anything we do, for anything we wish to achieve, we think of the impact and benefit it would have for Dorothy. She keeps us from getting hung up on what we want to do, and helps us think about what we want to achieve. She is the difference between digging a well and improving the health of a village; between building a school and fulfilling children’s right to education."
"The heart of darkness in men is never changing"We need Canadian youth to grow up with positive feelings towards all people. We need socially and globally aware youth.
"Speaking against it [homelessness in Canada] is not a political stance, it is a human stance"
We need to speak out against the injustices all around the world. This is not charity, it is social justice. We can, and will, do something. We do not need political alliance but we do need solidarity. Many people have voices but they will be louder as one.
"I looked at that guy and thought, 'that's me'"
We are connected as human beings. We are all the same. We all search happiness, food, water, shelter, love and fulfillment. Why does it matter where we are geographically? How do we relate to people we don't actually know? Why does TV ruin the potential for identity by focusing on solely negative experiences? How do we make this better?
"There is no one more human than another" (quoting Romeo Dallaire)
Why are some people so apathetic?
"Recognize unjust actions and me willing to move forward"
We should apply this to every aspect of life.
I guess one of the big things I'm pondering in this blog, and at many, many other times, is how do we get people to care? Facts don't seem to work. A personal connection is needed. We need to learn about people's lives. Not just the bad elements, not just the good elements, but all of it.
Often blogs are thought of to unite people and show different realities. My friend Kyle spent 3.5 months in Ghana in the summer of 06 and recorded his experiences in a blog, http://ghanaiankyle.blogspot.com. Though it is now inactive I encourage you to check it out to gain more of a personal connection. One post in particular is effective.
Expand your learning.
"Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens."
- Carl Jung
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