Global Citizenship in ConneX Conversation

Being a good global citizen isn’t easy to do, but it’s something we all need to work towards.

 

That was the message that Scott Bradley and Natalie Sands hammered home Thursday night at our fourth BYTE ConneX event. At Christmastime, it’s easy to forget the effects that our consumption has on others. But with Scott Bradley’s recent experience as the Yukon Youth Ambassador at the UN Climate Change Conference in Warsaw last month, and Natalie Sand’s volunteer work with Victoria-based nonprofit Mosqoy, audiences got to think about global citizenship in a new, inspiring way.

 

Scott Bradley never would have pictured himself as the Yukon Youth Ambassador at a major international climate change conference, but the opportunity took him to Warsaw in November along with political delegates, youth activists, and concerned citizens from around the world. Although the experience was sometimes overwhelming, it left him inspired to do more.

 

Scott got the sense that it’s particularly important to protect the Arctic from climate change.

 

“The Arctic was mentioned in most side events I went to,” Scott said.

 

Scott made connections with the Youth Arctic Coalition, who mentioned that they wanted a contact in the Western Arctic. Scott, who lives in Dawson City, was the closest to the Western Arctic represented at the conference.

 

“Talking to the Youth Arctic Coalition opened doors for me, and I hope it will open doors for other people in the territory,” he said during his speech Thursday.

 

Scott hopes to do more work with the Youth Arctic Coalition in the future, and believes we all need to do our part to help combat climate change.

 

Natalie Sand’s work has taken her far away from Canada’s north to the Peruvian Andes. She’s been volunteering for Victoria-based nonprofit Mosqoy, which helps the indigenous Quechua people in Peru enter the global marketplace and educate their citizens in a way that’s beneficial to small, isolated communities.

 

To demonstrate the importance of supporting traditional artists, Natalie held up two wallets. One, she said, she bought from a market in a tourist town in Peru.

 

“I can’t tell you who made it, where it came from, or what the symbols on it mean,” she said. “I can tell you that the dyes are synthetic. It was probably made in a factory.”

Then she held up a wallet weaved by the Quechua weavers that Mosqoy helps support.

 

“I can tell you which village this came from, who made it, what their children’s names are, and what their village is doing with the money.”

 

It’s this difference that needs to be on the minds of consumers around Christmastime, says Natalie. Creating greater connections between production and consumption will support the culture and tradition of weaving by the Quechua people and help us grow to be better global citizens.

 

Thanks to Natalie and Scott for their inspiring talks and to everyone who came out. Stay tuned for the next BYTE ConneX event!