CYD 2012 retreat
by Alana Westwood
After months of conference calls, individuals plugging away at strategies and programming on their laptops from couches, desks, coffee shops, and (I dare say) the occasional pub on their laptops, this year’s CYDers met one another in person for the first time.
All brains are invited to the storm.
The energy in the room was palpable as the CYD targeted issues and challenges that face young Canadians, and came up with creative action plans to represent them on the world stage. Isolated ourselves just outside of the city, members capitalized on the peace, quiet, and forested trails to brainstorm and hone cohesive vision for this year’s delegation.
We won’t spoil the surprise– but get ready! The CYD will tackle climate injustice at the UN negotiations with the enigmatic creativity we have come to be known for. This year, we are bringing the fun to Doha.
In the meantime, every member of the CYD is hard at work preparing for PowerShift 2012, a conference bringing together 1000 young Canadians for training in climate justice organizing. Every delegate is a regional coordinator, and most are presenting or facilitating. Some are organizing major sections of the conference while others are delivering hands-on training, some are sitting on panels while others are organizing large-scale caucuses.
The passion, the lateral thinking, the imagination at the retreat was unlike anything I’ve ever encountered. It leads me to one question.
If getting together ten dedicated young organizers creates ideas of the caliber I’ve seen over the last two days, what happens when you put a thousand of us in a room?
If you are in Ottawa tomorrow, come to PowerShift and find out.
Great info and interestingly written. Keep up the fantastic stuff!