In an effort to recognize the difference Canadians are making around the world, the Town of Canmore proclaimed the week of Feb. 6-12 International Development Week (IDW).
IDW, as part of an Alberta Council for Global Cooperation (ACGC) initiative, provides an opportunity for Canadians to increase their awareness of international development, to learn more about life in developing countries and to find out how they can become actively involved in social causes.
Canmore is one of seven communities in Alberta to pass the proclamation, along with Calgary, Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Peace River, Camrose, and Jasper, and Heather McPherson, Executive Director for the ACGC is encouraged by the level of support across Alberta.
“It’s great,” McPherson said, “because it recognizes that communities all over the province are getting involved in international development, not just the big urban centers.”
McPherson went on to say that support has not been limited to the communities which made a proclamation, as some municipalities have policies precluding these types of declarations, and added that rural populations are among the most generous with their time and money.
As part of IDW 2011, the ACGC has designed a youth campaign entitled “I Am Making a Difference”, and Canmore resident Adam Linnard was one of eight Albertans chosen to participate in the program.
Linnard and his colleagues, along with eight Nicaraguan youths also chosen for their contributions to making positive change, were tasked with engaging in a video conference discussion to look at issues of importance to youth, barriers to addressing these issues, and the current state of youth leadership. Individually, they were then asked to create a piece of art based on their discussions.
Linnard is a Canmore native (one of the first babies born in the then brand new Canmore General Hospital), works for CAUSE Canada, a local relief and development agency, and is a strong supporter of all activities surrounding the IDW.
“The proclamation is recognition that the contributions people are making in Canada, and particularly in the Bow Valley, towards international development are important to this community and within this community,” he said.
“International Development Week itself is a time to discuss issues in international development with a broader audience than is sometimes otherwise accessible.”
Awareness is pivotal to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other groups committed to relieving suffering, promoting the interests of the poor and providing basic social services.
“The words ‘international development’ showing up in the newspaper is important for organizations like CAUSE and for the kind of work that we do,” Linnard said. “And then actually explaining a little bit about what international development involves is big because there are so many misconceptions about what that means.”
In Canmore, the word development has strong ties to housing and construction. In Alberta, oil or potash exploration and development can confuse the issue.
“So just to be able to say this is international development week, this is actually what international development is, and these are some of the ways people are contributing to it, that’s helpful. That makes a difference for us,” said Linnard.
Linnard recently returned from Sierra Leone, where he was researching a maternal child health proposal for CAUSE Canada. The art and artist profiles from “I Am Making a Difference” will be on display at Calgary City Hall from Feb. 7-13, and at Edmonton City Hall, Feb. 14-18. Video profiles of the artist can be found at acgc.ca.
