How can we ensure that students at all levels have the best opportunities to participate in the global economy?

I just enjoyed a fantastic time with educators and policy makers at the International Society for Technology in Education Annual Conference and the Global Education Competitiveness Summit! The 13,000 educators at the conference brought a buzzing energy and spirit of change to the city, and of course, the connection all of us felt to Obama was strong!

During the earlier part of my week, I joined a group of government representatives and policy makers in a discussion about education reform. I learned that the United States is actually one of the most expensive education systems in the world, yet is lagging when it comes to student performance and achievement.



The above photo is of Dr. Andreas Schleicher from the OECD Indicators and Statistics Division, giving a presentation on the global picture of education and making the case for international benchmarking and transformation of assessment.

The break-out group that I was part of had a critical discussion about whether or not incremental change was effective and we actually coined a new term which is 'Increminimal' - where if the change is minimal and incremental, that is when we are in danger. The following barriers were identified by people in the room as challenges to creating change in the education system:



The most invigorating discussion I had was over a dinner table discussion involving Governor Tim Pawlenty along with other representatives from government, business and civil society. The theme of our conversation was 'How does change happen?'. When I posed the question to Governor Pawlenty, he smiled and said that we should remind ourselves of the wisdom shared by Margaret Mead, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." Coming from a Governor, I felt moved by his comments and it flowed into a conversation about the role of students in having a more active voice and presence in shaping and designing their own learning and education.

Here is my photo with Governor Tim Pawlenty:



On the second day of the Global Education Competitiveness Summit, I gave a morning keynote and was tasked to 'inspire' the group. I reflected on my own experiences in teenage years and the influential role that leadership opportunities played in my own development along with my belief in the power that young people have to contribute significantly to solving some of the world's most pressing challenges and issues. I also talked about the six different archetypes of young change makers that I have identified in my work over the years. (1) The Dreamer (2) The Megaphone (3) The Spark Plug (4) The Task Master (5) The Sherpa (6) The Storyteller ** Please check out my blog: http://jenergy.tigblog.org/post/722035 for further background on these six archetypes!



I concluded my presentation with recommendations on how our education system can develop 21st Century Skills among students:
- Enable co-learning environments that cultivate diverse styles of leadership
- Support global project based learning across subject areas
- Integrate technology across the curriculum
- Foster digital citizenship and media literacy skills at an early age
- Provide opportunities for networking and exchanges that develop a sense of global understanding and social responsibility (with a plug for our very own www.tigweb.org)


After my presentation, we had an opportunity to hear from Premier Dalton McGuinty who talked about the changes he has made over the past six years with our education system in Ontario, Canada. Here are some of the highlights:

(1) Reforms need to be an enduring government priority.
(2) Education reform is not important if it's not important on a personal level to people at the top.
(3) You can't get results unless teachers are on side. Public bickering does not do any good. Celebrating success is key.
(4) Turn teachers into learners. This will shift the classroom culture into a collaborative learning environment.
(5) Improve Teaching. Invest in professional development and improving teacher instruction programs.
(6) Once you make progress, you have permission to invest in more progress.
(7) Keep it personal. Making change a personal priority will generate genuine support.

Here is my photo with Premier Dalton McGuinty:




After our plenary sessions concluded, we took a guided learning journey of the National Educational Computing Conference and visited student showcase projects and the exhibit hall featuring innovative applications of technology in the classroom. I had a chance to speak with Senator Carol Weston during our tour and very much enjoyed reflecting on the past few days and how they will have an impact in Maine. We reflected on the advantages and disadvantages of 1:1 laptop programs and how essential it is to ensure that teachers are actively engaged in making the best use of the technology in the classroom.

Here is my photo with Senator Carol Weston:




A major highlight for TakingITGlobal and TIGed.org was our Poster Session that Katherine Walraven (our Education Program Manager) and I hosted. Between the two of us, we talked to over 200 educators within the time span of two hours! It was incredibly motivating for us to be able to share our work with people who were so thirsty for the kind of online global education resource that we offer. The high level of interest that the educators we met have in bringing the world to their students and their students to the world gives me hope in the potential hundreds and thousands of youth we hope to reach through our community.

Here is a snapshot of Katherine Walraven and I at our TakingITGlobal Poster Session:



While the Poster Session was wrapping up, a young girl came up to our booth who was interested in learning more about TakingITGlobal. Kat and I started to explain what we are about and then started to learn about the radio project that she is part of with Arlington Schools. The students were conducting interviews and demonstrating how they develop and produce a morning television program for their school. Watching them in action was remarkable! These kids were so tech-savvy, well organized and well spoken. I love the feeling of being completely amazed by the capability of young kids - and was energized by group!



"Writing makes you immortal" - were the words spoken by our closing keynote for the conference, Erin Gruwell, who shared a story about how she transformed an intensely challenging experience in the classroom into an uplifting and transformative learning experience with her students resulting in the publishing of a book called 'The Freedom Writers Diary: How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves and the World Around Them'. The story is also told in the Freedom Writers movie that brought tears to my eyes back when I saw it in 2006 (http://www.freedomwriters.com/) so what was especially exciting for me was having a chance to both hear from Erin and to meet with her face-to-face and express my appreciation for her incredible work. I hope that this will spark future partnership!!

Just for fun, here's a fun photo that I took while at the Generation YES booth in the exhibition hall:



My final hours in Washington DC were spent with members of the ISTE Conference Committee where we talked about highlights from the conference and discussed plans for next year in Denver 2010! One of the most remarkable achievements that was noted from the conference this year is that we had over 13,000 registered participants and broke record registration numbers - despite the financial crisis. This really speaks to the power of the conference, and the desire that educators have to connect to one another and to resources that will make their classrooms a more dynamic, engaging and connected learning environment!

After spending a week in Oslo, Norway at the aids2031 Young Leaders Summit, I am left with a feeling of increased momentum and support from a growing movement towards youth being recognized as a key part of the solution in addressing the AIDS pandemic. During the summit I took on the role as an Advisor and shared my experiences, ideas and perspectives as part of highly engaging discussions about how young leaders can lead in the fight against AIDS.

Here is a welcome video that I was part of with HRH Crown Princess Mette-Marit:



The design of the Young Leaders Summit was to both provide a space for creative thinking, problem solving and movement towards action. A few key ideas and initiatives were developed that I would like to share.

1) "5% for the future": This is a campaign that will work towards convincing donors (international agencies, foundations, governments, etc) to give 5% of their HIV/AIDS to youth-led initiatives. The spirit of this effort is to ensure that current financial commitments being made need to recognize the incredibly vast contribution that young people can make as leaders and not as victims.

Check out our YouTube video about the campaign:


The Ford Foundation has already signed on as a supporter! Here is a photo of Jacob Gayle from the Ford Foundation:


2) Young Leaders Fund: In addition to having existing agencies and organizations commit to supporting youth through established funds, we have also started to develop a framework for the creation of a Young Leaders Fund that would support youth-led projects and provide capacity-building and training in the areas of project management and evaluation. Given our work with the Sprout ecourse (www.sproutecourse.org) as well as the ecourses organized by the Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS, we proposed to expand and scale our current efforts.

3) Mentorship Hub: UNAIDS has make a commitment to create a youth-mentorship strategy not only at the headquarters level but also on regional and national offices. Here is a photo of Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS, Under Secretary-General of the United Nations who is talking about his commitment to supporting youth through providing mentoring linkages and opportunities.



Here are some of the key messages that will be included as part of the aids2031 Agenda for the Future Report:
- expanding the AIDS response - people from all walks of life must be actively engaged in the response to the epidemic
- give HIV prevention the priority it deserves
address the epidemic's underlying social drivers - need a new code of conduct for AIDS programming
- decriminalization of (a) HIV transmission/exposure (b) sex work (c) same-sex sexual practices (d) injecting drug use
- recommendations: all countries should adopt a "minimum legal framework" for the AIDS response
- civil society and people living with HIV is key to long term response - communities need to be actively engaged
- AIDS is not over - the epidemic will remain a major global challenge for the next generation

As a personal highlight, I went for a run each morning and also jumped into this beautiful little lake which helped me have an incredibly refreshing start to the day!


For more on aids2031, check out:
Blog: http://www.aids2031.org/youngleaderssummit
Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aids2031youngleaderssummit/
Videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/aids2031
Twitter: www.twitter.com/aids2031

Young leader participants

Omniya Achour, Morocco, Y-Peer
Tina Andriamahefa, Madagascar, International HIV/AIDS Alliance
Ricardo Baruch, Mexico, Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS (GYCA) & aids2031 *
Barbara Bush, US, Global Health Corps
James Chau, China, Central China Television
Sara Choufi, Lebanon, Helem
Carlos Manuel Céspedes Coda, Cuba, Advocate
Selbi Djumayeva, Turkmenistan, Labrys
Tim Hallet, UK, aids2031 Modelling Working Group
Daniel Hayward, New Zealand, Gay Straight Alliance
Sydney Hushie, Ghana, GYCA South Secretariat Director ^
Alfred Charles Ishmael, Sierra Leone, Centre for Coordination of Youth Activities
Frika Chia Iskander, Indonesia, Asia Pacific Network of People Living with HIV
Anna Koshikova, Ukraine, All-Ukrainian Network of People Living with HIV
Ian Kirumba, Kenya, HIV-Free Generation
Yohana Kaanda Malta Linhares, Brazil, Peer-educator and advocate
Andres Lekanger, Norway, Skeivt association
Mandisa Mbali, South Africa, aids2031 Hyperendemic Working Group
Bhatupe Mhango, Malawi, UN Plus, UNAIDS
Liping Mian, China, World AIDS Campaign - Youth Focal Point *
Dudzai Dorren Mureyi, Zimbabwe, ImagineAfrika
Todd Murray, US, Hope's Voice International*
Ed Attapon Ngoskin, Thailand, International Treatment Preparedness Coalition
Himakshi Piplani, India, Wake Up Pune! HIV Awareness Campaign ^
Stephanie Raper, Australia, Young Positives
David Ryan, US, Global Health Corps
Loukman Tijdani, Benin, Réseau Béninois des Adolescents et Jeunes en Population et
Développement
Emi Tsudaka, Japan, Japan Youth Ecology League

Advisor participants

Salim Amin, Kenya, Africa 24 Media
Derrick Ashong, Ghana, Take Back the Mic
Jennifer Corriero, Canada, TakingITGlobal Executive Director
Serge Dumont, France, UNAIDS Ambassador
Verna Eggleston, US, Bloomberg Foundation
Elena Franchuk, Ukraine, ANTIAIDS Foundation
Raoul Fransen, Netherlands, Founder of Young Positives
Jacob Gayle, US, Ford Foundation
HRH Crown Prince Haakon, Norway
Mike Isbell, aids2031 Senior Advisor
Jon Lidén, Norway, Communications Head, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB & Malaria
HRH Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Norway
Sigrun Møgedal, Norway, Ministry of Foreign Affairs-Norway
Francoise Ndayishimiye, Burundi, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB & Malaria
Peter Piot, Belgium, aids2031/Imperial College
Khadija Rejto, Solutions International Advisors
Michel Sidibé, Mali, UNAIDS Executive Director
Kate Taylor,Vice-President GlaxoSmithKline

During our time together over lunch, I co-organized a meeting to discuss and plan for the YouthForce at the upcoming 2010 International AIDS Conference taking place in Vienna.



On a final note, I am thrilled to share a video message to the members of the TakingITGlobal community from HRH Crown Prince Haakon:

After returning from a week in Jordan at the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and Young Global Leaders Dead Sea Summit, I am left with a feeling of optimism about a growing commitment from leaders around the world to youth. There is an acute sense of awareness that this presents both an opportunity and a threat for the region and the world. When youth lack education and employment opportunities, they are easily swayed into feelings of hopelessness about the future and are more likely be recruited by religious fundamentalist groups where they become weapons against their own communities. When provided with opportunities to develop their talents, skills and entrepreneurial abilities, youth can become a force for change in shaping a better world. During the Welcoming Remarks of His Majesty King Abdullah II, particular focus was made on the importance of youth. "The 21st Century has brought the Middle East its largest youth population in history. In only a few years, we will be looking to those 200 million young men and women for our region's strategies, partnerships, and solutions. They need and deserve all the tools we can give to them, to become the great leaders they are capable of being. To the region's young leaders, know this: you have the power to transform the future. Set powerful goals. All of us here today, will help". This statement helped to set an inviting context for the work of TakingITGlobal and I found that people were excited to learn about the nature of our organization and our programs.

A few highlights from my trip:



On my first day in Jordan I went on a trip to Petra with a group of Young Global Leaders and had lengthy in-depth conversations with several people about leadership and the challenges to starting and growing both not-for-profit organizations and businesses.

I was especially intrigued by Josh Spear, one of the youngest marketing strategists in the world who is regularly sought out for his fresh perspective and no-holds-barred style of consulting on everything from design and gadgets to authenticity and word-of-mouth. His recent focus has been the power of the blogosphere, technology, and the impact this new media is having on the world. http://joshspear.com/

It was also amazing to reconnect with David de Rothschild from Adventure Ecology who is preparing for the Plastiki Expedition! Essentially he is building a 60-foot boat (catamaran) made from post consumer plastic water and soda bottles and self-reinforced PET and will be sailing across the Pacific Ocean to Australia as a way to raise environmental awareness. http://www.adventureecology.com/theplastiki/

My conversation with Teresa Kay-Aba Kennedy was really inspiring as I learned all about her leadership and personal devleopment program called Power Living (http://www.power-living.com/principles.html). I really enjoyed having a chance to learn about the Five Principles of Power Living®:
1. Live on Purpose - align your spiritual energy.
2. Tune your Mind to the Positive – tune your mental energy.
3. Honor your Body – maximize your physical energy.
4. Be a Humble Warrior – engage your emotional energy.
5. Sanctify your Surroundings – detoxify your environmental energy.



Petra is a UNESCO World Heritage site and known as one of the world's most famous archaeological sites and offers a humbling and awe-inspiring glimpse at a city built on half-carved rocks and mountains. For any of you who have seen Indiana Jones and the last Crusade, I had a chance to see the Treasury Monument - and it was really spectacular!



Each of my days started early with 7am wake-ups and ending anywhere between 11pm and 3am. With a packed agenda and a group of people that were each incredibly energizing and unique to talk to, I only had one day where I could take an hour and head out to the dead sea for a 'mud' swim - and it was fantastic! The water was extremely salty and buoyant - I took the classic 'reading a book in the water' photo :)



We were warmly welcomed by Her Majesty Queen Rania who provided with her reflections on the topic of 'Leadership in Tough Times; Cooperation in Tough Climates' and provided context to help us prepare for our upcoming Impact Journeys. Each of the Young Global Leaders were organized into groups of about 25 people and day trips were organized for site visits to various community development projects ranging from schools to libraries in underserved areas along with refugee camps. I was asked to be a discussion leader for our group who visited a project of the Jordan River Foundation's Community Empowerment Program called Qudrate.



Our group had chance to learn about an income generating project owned by Al Intima cooperative that consists of a small factory producing traditional foods (Pickels, Jams, dairy products etc) and packaging the products to take them to market. We met one of the workers there who is a woman named Wasal with nine children and a husband who is unable to work due to an illness. She was met with glowing eyes and a deep sense of appreciation for the employment opportunity the program has allows her to access.

We also visited a second project owned by the Orthodox Society, a charitable organization. The Jordan River Foundation provided a grant to help them invest in developing a local supermarket that will sell food and services to the local community and generate revenues that will be re-invested in community and recreational activities.



I very much enjoyed all of the formal and informal sessions organized as part of the Young Global Leaders Dead Sea Summit ranging from our Community Building Lunch to sessions about the Future of Cities. It was a special treat for us to have our Meet-the-Leader session with His Majesty King Abdullah II followed by Valerie Jarrett, Assistant to the President for Inter Governmental Relations and Public Liaison, Office of the President of the United States. During these sessions, YGLs had a chance to ask provocative questions that were thoughtfully responded to. Aside from large group sessions, each person that I had a chance to interact with led to intriguing conversations about leadership, entrepreneurship, tackling social and environmental issues as well as dealing with organizational challenges. Learning about the passions and work of the individuals among our group was also fascinating. I was thrilled when I had an opportunity to co-host a KaffeeKlatsch morning session on the topic of 'YGLs for Empowering Young People'. We had about 20 participants in our session and each person was directly connected to an initiative to empower young people on a local, regional or global level. It seemed that once our discussion got started, it was time to wrap-up, so we decided that we would continue our conversations online and work towards strengthening one another in an effort towards collaboration.

During the presentation on 'Inspiring Leadership through Storytelling' offered by Jonathan Harris, we were all moved by the creative approaches taken in combining arts, digital media and new methods of displaying data to represent human emotion and the search for love and self. Check out:
- The Whale Hunt - http://thewhalehunt.org/
- We Feel Fine - http://wefeelfine.org/
- Want You To Want Me - http://iwantyoutowantme.org/

World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab provided an overview of a new initiative called the Global Redesign Initiative that will reach out across business, government and civil society and work to shape the future of our global institutions, including the global financial systems. I had a chance to work in the sub-group on Security and in our discussions, we talked about the need to have a new vision of security that is not simply based on the absence of conflict, but truly encompassing and inclusive of meeting development objectives.



The most rewarding session I attended from the World Economic Forum on the Middle east was the one on "Rethinking Education in the Middle East", led by Angel Cabrera, President of the Thunderbird School of Global Management. I was asked to co-facilitate one of the break-out groups in the category of continuing education. The aim of our highly interactive workshop session was to think about how educational systems in the Middle East can be transformed into catalysts of innovation, entrepreneurial behavior and critical thinking. In the first part of our session, our group identified the following skills that need to be learned: learn to question, to identify opportunities, risk tolerance, taking responsibility, practical 'doing' skills. In the second part of our session we prepared three recommendations for academia to incorporate:
1) engage in multi-stakeholder partnerships (bring different actors into the learning environment to share practical experiences)
2) redefine the learning experience (make it more experiential with interdisciplinary teams working on real-world projects)
3) implement an entrepreneurship module across all disciplines

One of the personal reflections on my week in Jordan relates to the subject of sleep. How much sleep do you need each night? I discovered that many of the Young Global Leaders are running on an average of 3-4 hours of sleep each night. Personally, I find that I need anywhere from 7 to 8 hours of sleep in order to feel well rested with enough energy for the day. That said, I feel similar to other YGLs in the sense that there is so much that can be done in a day and if we sleep less, we have time to do more! Last week, with such energizing days and full agendas, I found myself ok with taking 3-4 hours of sleep on most nights, but this week, I know that my body cannot sustain the pace for long. I am amazed at how people can live such fast-paced lives, with so little time to rest!


Finally, one of the follow-up actions that I will be taking as a result of the Forum is to add my contribution to a video recording of YGLs who will be making a pledge to the Global Principles for Business Leaders. This is a project designed by YGLs to increase a sense of responsibility among managers and business leaders. Here's what it states:

Global Principles for Business Leaders

As a manager I recognize that

- The enterprise I lead must serve the greater good by bringing together people and resources to create value that no single individual can create alone.
- My decisions can have far-reaching consequences that affect the wellbeing of individuals inside and outside my enterprise, today and tomorrow.
- As I reconcile the interests of different constituencies, I will face choices that are not easy for me and others.

So I promise that:

1. I will manage my enterprise diligently and in good faith and will not let personal considerations supersede the long-term interest of my enterprise and society at large,
2. I will understand and uphold, both in letter and spirit, the laws and contracts governing my own conduct and that of my enterprise,
3. I will respect and protect the human rights and dignity of all people who are affected by my enterprise and will oppose all forms of discrimination and exploitation,
4. I will respect and protect the right of future generations to enjoy a clean and resourceful planet,
5. I will not engage in, nor tolerate bribery or any other form of corruption,
6. I will represent the performance and risks of my enterprise accurately and honestly to each of the constituencies that are affected by it,
7. I will engage with other actors in dealing with critical social and environmental issues that either affect or are affected by the operations of my enterprise, and
8. I will take responsibility for my own professional development as well as the professional development of other managers under my supervision.

In exercising my professional duties according to these principles I recognize that my behavior must set an example of integrity and responsible conduct for other managers under my supervision or influence.

This is my pledge I make freely and upon my honor.

The title says it all, it's what we at TIG try to do everyday. We believe in the collaborative power the internet and other technologies have in connecting like-minded youth all around the world.

With this power, young people can raise their voices at important conferences, can participate in global social moements and can make a real difference in their communities.

A recent article by the Global Knowledge Partnership (of which we're a member!) attests to this fact. Fundamentally, young people need to be recognized as "the world's largest resource in development."

I definitely recommend you checking out the article, and join us in enabling young people as changemakers!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 16, 2009

Announcing: www.beyondgraduation.ca

A Good Life for Youth with Disabilities Beyond High School

PLAN Institute for Caring Citizenship and TakingITGlobal announced today the launch of a new online community to support young people with disabilities. BeyondGraduation.ca is a facilitated online community focusing on employment and ensuring opportunities for contribution and community engagement beyond high school.

"Beyond Graduation is about providing a safe and comfortable environment for young people to share inspiring stories and plan for a bright future" says Jennifer Corriero, co-Founder and Executive Director of TakingITGlobal. "It provides youth and their families networking tools and resources, enabling access to the available opportunities that can help them reach their goals."

Community building is an important component of the new social networking site. Connecting members to each other creates a support network of friends who share their experiences. TakingITGlobal used its expertise in managing a global online community for social change to inform the development of BeyondGraduation.ca.

"Beyond Graduation's objective is to reduce the challenges faced by youth with disabilities as they move from school to community engagement, work and community life. Beyond Graduation is focused on creating opportunities for everyone's contribution to be realized," says Nancy Ford, Program Director for PLAN Institute. "For young people, this website makes it easy to navigate these exciting times while fostering decision making that creates a good life."

Young people and their friends and families can register online at http://www.beyondgraduation.ca.

For additional resources go to from: www.planinstitute.ca

About TakingITGlobal
TakingITGlobal is an international organization - led by youth and empowered by technology. TakingITGlobal connects youth around the world to find inspiration, information and get involved in improving their local and global communities. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, with a growing worldwide presence, the organization's flagship program TIGweb.org, serves as the most popular online community for young people interested in connecting across cultures and making a difference, with hundreds of thousands of visitors each month. TakingITGlobal works with global partners - from UN agencies, to major companies, and especially youth organizations - to build the capacity of youth for development, artistic and media expression, make education more engaging, and involve young people in global decision-making.

About PLAN Institute for Caring Citizenship
Ending isolation through personal networks, resources, thinking and on-line learning, that foster belonging, at heart our work addresses the yearning for belonging and meaning that are the central tenets of citizenship. While it is informed by the experiences of people with disabilities, their families and their communities, the concepts and principles have meaning for all of us.



For more information or to schedule an interview please contact:

TakingITGlobal
Nick Yeo
Communications Manager
nick@takingitglobal.org
(416) 977-9363 x315

PLAN Institute
inquiries@planinstitute.ca
(604) 439-9566

TIG's Executive Director Jennifer Corriero was interviewed by the National Center for Technology Innovation - check it out!

Last year, we ran a pilot project called ymex (Youth Media Exchange), which was an online network for youth to use digital media to generate critical discussions on global issues. This was developed in partnership with Global Kids and Asia Society.

One of our former staff members, Natalie Rodic, who was the project manager, was featured in a recent interview that profiled ymex, in the Indian publication "Live IT" - you can read the interview here or download the magazine pages here!

On the evening of Thursday February 26th, 2009, I had the honour of receiving the CIIM 2008 Giovanni Caboto Award for my leadership with TakingITGlobal. The event was organized by the Confederation of Italian Entrepreneurs worldwide, under the High Patronage of the Office of the Italian Prime Minister. OMNI News was the major media partner and prior to receiving the award, we watched a dynamic video presentation that they prepared in advance.

I very much appreciated having the opportunity to celebrate the occasion with family and friends including my parents, Nonna (grandmother), cousins, aunt and uncle along with two TIG board members. A particularly moving moment for me occurred while I was delivering my acceptance speech and thanked my Nonna for keeping me connected to my Italian heritage. As soon as I thanked my Nonna, the room was filled with emotion and burst into applause. This response caused even deeper reflection for me, and the role that our grandparents play in our lives.



I know that each of my grandparents have faced immense struggles and overcome challenges in their efforts to create a better life for their children, grandchildren and future generations. I think that perhaps sharing my moment of recognition with my Nonna was particularly touching for people in the room because it was an expression of my deep respect and appreciation for her love. Often times, grandparents aren't able to live long enough to share in the accomplishments of their grandchildren...though we know that their love and support is always present in spirit.

If your grandparents are still alive, I would encourage you to express your sincere gratitude and appreciation...both in public settings and through afternoon chats over tea.


For further details on the event, please visit: http://www.ciim.ca/files/publications/12-543372740417000.pdf

Jennifer was recently featured on Emily Davila's blog on Communications for Development - where she provided some insight into the power of media (and particularly PR) and how it can deepen a social entrepreneur's impact.

I wanted to expand a little bit on that topic by talking briefly about how social media or Web 2.0 tools can do just an equally important job as the "mainstream media" channels. For instance, blogs and videos can be a great way of reaching your stakeholders, Facebook can expand your network, Kiva can raise money for your projects etc. And with more and more media outlets keeping an eye on the social media sphere for story ideas, there's definitely a strong case to use any (and all) available tools.

I had presented similar thoughts last November at the International Cooperation Days event in Ottawa. I was on a panel with other social media advocates to discuss the various ways international development organizations can use the new media to inform Canadians about their work. I highlighted 3 organizations that have used social media successfully:

• Hope's Voice's Does HIV Look Like Me? - a video campaign to raise awareness about youth living with HIV/AIDS


• Ushahidi - an SMS-enabled citizen reporting mashup


• I Support Ethiopian Coffee Farmers - an engagement campaign by Oxfam America using Flikr

Of course there are many examples and many tools available to you - it's really a matter of identifying what each tool can offer to you, and then committing the time and resources to telling your message.

And just to wrap up - TIG is on Twitter! Follow us to get the latest news on what's happening on TIG and what our staff are up to! @TakingITGlobal