Deadline October 30th
Call for Student Teams to Build a Better Future for Kelowna and across the world!
Learn more about the Sustainable Development Challenge in coverage of Okanagan College's International Development day in the Kelowna Daily Courier local news! Central Okanagan student teams who have taken the challenge set an example of what passion and youth leadership can accomplish. Past projects have addressed plastic waste and brought clean drinking water to communities overseas in Kenya, Indonesia and India.
This year’s Sustainable Development Challenge adds extra incentive with substantial prize money for finalists' projects. Rotary Club of Kelowna, the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA), and Do Some Good have stepped up to offer opportunities to make multiple projects becoming a reality.
But yes, it takes a village. Junior Chamber International (JCI) and The Global Empowerment Coalition of the Central Okanagan (GECCO) have joined Global Citizen Events as organizing partners with support from Kelowna Community Resources (KCR), and Green Okanagan (GO).
On February 26, 2020, a celebration of the best youth-led sustainability will culminate in an evening ticketed event held at the Rotary Centre for the Arts with presentations, entertainment, audience voting, and naming of the winning teams. The evening Grand Finale will be preceded by the Now is the Time Sustainability Fair held in the atrium of the Rotary Centre. The Sustainability Fair will showcase local NGOs, community groups and businesses working toward sustainable development locally and globally.
To register a team or for more information on getting involved, sponsorship or taking part in the sustainability fair, visit sustainabledevelopmentchallenge.com or email Carmen Denby at whatsyournumber2019@gmail.com. Team registration deadline is October 30.
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SAVE the DATE for the 2020 edition!
Date: February 4th-13th, 2020
Times: Daily at 9:30 – 11:30 or 11:40 – 1:40
Location: 2041 Harvey Ave (West Doors)
TEACHER COMMENTS: “Best field trip!” ‘On target with BC curriculum’ ‘Gets better every year’’ ‘Fantastic! Very relevant and it hit home for many students’. The Global Schoolhouse ‘is a fantastic tie-in to our curriculum outcomes. Having students take part in the simulation makes it more meaningful and helps them to really understand. Students enjoy the field trip and come away with understanding and compassion”
Presented by Global Citizen Events Society with financial assistance from Canadian Heritage and community partners.
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Federal Election Debate Addresses Green Issues in South Okanagan
As part of the BC2030 campaign to raise awareness of the SDGs around the province, BCCIC participated in an All Candidates' meeting in Penticton on October 15th hosted by First Things First Okanagan, whose mission is to: "promote awareness of climate change and work to find solutions for a better future". The Debate included roundtable discussions about important environmental issues including climate, water, pollution and biodiversity protection. The event was well attended by some 150 people and had high levels of participation from local candidates. Rosalind Warner, Chair of the local Chapter GECCO, opened the event with a statement about the SDGs and their link with the environmental questions that resonate with this community of the South Okanagan.
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Volunteer Fair a Huge Success
GECCO was very pleased to partner with KCR Community Resources and Global Citizen Events on the 22nd Annual Volunteer Fair, held on Saturday, September 21, 2019. Over 70 local non-profit organizations participate each year, and this year the Sustainable Development Goals were front and centre, with the theme What's Your Number? The Fair focused on a different Goal and matching organization in their social media campaign leading up to the event. This was an absolutely amazing year, and a huge opportunity for BCCIC and GECCO to raise their impact with the community and to let people know how they can get involved and make a difference. The Fair also marked the launch of the Sustainable Development Challenge for 2020!
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A Conversation on Climate and Community
Okanagan College FIT (Fascinating Intellectual Topics) Workshop on A World of Change: Climate and Community was held on October 8th with 25 participants. During the workshop, participants heard from local climate leaders in an interactive panel-style discussion, participated in one-on-one and group roundtable discussions, heard success stories, and shared, reflected, and developed their own ideas. With a focus on conversations based on mutual understanding and respect, the Workshop asked the questions: How would we live differently in a changed world? What is the first step to be taken toward common goals? The Workshop also featured representatives from First Things First Okanagan, and the principal authors of “Building Climate Resilience in the Okanagan: A Homeowners’ Resource Guide”. Looking forward to 2020, the College is making plans for future Workshops. If you have or would like to plan and offer a workshop, or if you have an idea for a theme or topic that you think would be of interest to others in the community who wish to keep FIT (Fascinating Intellectual Topics), please reach out to geccochair@bccic.ca. For a preview of what will be offered in the Winter term, check out Okanagan.bc.ca/FIT. Planned topics include diversity and inclusion, experience of homelessness, modern history, and many more!
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Global Citizen Events works together on a regular basis with GECCO and other local organizations to host a series of events to entertain, educate and inspire action on he UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Special thanks to Heritage Canada, the City of Kelowna and to Global Affairs Canada for their funding contributions.
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