This event is not related to World Water Week at UBCO but will be of great interest to those who take an interest in Global Water Issues.
Okanagan College will host world-renowned environmentalist, thinker and activist, Dr. Vandana Shiva, for an evening presentation at the Rotary Centre for the Arts’ Mary Irwin Theatre on March 10 at 8 p.m.
For over three decades, Shiva has dedicated her life work to furthering issues of sustainability, agriculture, food rights, intellectual property rights, biodiversity, biotechnology, bioethics, ecofeminism and water rights.
Shiva is a founder of Navdanya, Research Foundation of Science, Technology and Ecology and one of the leaders of the International Forum on Globalization as well as the alter-globalization movement, a well-known global solidarity movement.
Shiva’s presentation on Tuesday evening will be her only stop in the region; she is coming to Kelowna for one night only between lectures at post-secondary institutions in California and Loyola University in Chicago. The event is free of charge and seating will be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis.
http://www.okanagan.bc.ca/administration/publicaffairs/news.html
Okanagan College Presents Dr. Vandana Shiva in Kelowna March 10th
March 4th, 2009 by John WagnerUBCO Water on Campus Survey
March 3rd, 2009 by John WagnerAttached is a link to Angele Clarke’s survey regarding water use on the UBCO campus. Fill it out and help her with her project!
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=m9tfkH4_2f1dI3YFQKdgkHAA_3d_3d
World Water Week Events and Merchandise
February 26th, 2009 by John WagnerHello All!
Just a reminder, we are now booking spaces for World Water Week events on campus. If you have an original idea or a display you would like to share, please contact the World Water Week coordinators, Allisha Luther, Tanya Rooney, or Dr. John Wagner, to reserve a space for your presentation. Spaces are limited, so get yours soon!
We have added a new event to our calendar. The Okanagan Basin Water Board will be hosting a panel discussion on “Shared Waters, Shared Opportunities”, examining Canada/ US relations as they pertain to water security in the Okanagan Basin. The event will be held at the Kelowna Yacht Club on Thursday, March 26 from 4:30 to 6 pm. Admission is free on a first come first serve basis; there are only 60 seats so don’t be late! Coffee will be provided.
World Water Week is now on Facebook! Check out our group page at
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=45032579310
or add the event to your calendar!
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/event.php?eid=57528281494
We are also in the process of ordering t-shirts to promote our event. The t-shirts are natural organic cotton with a student designed, water inspired logo. This is your opportunity to show support for water issues in the Okanagan and to own an original piece of UBCO fine art! Quantities will be limited and the prices are by donation. More details on purchase will be made available via this blog when we receive the product.
Look forward to seeing you all at World Water Week 2009!
World Water Day 2009
January 16th, 2009 by John WagnerWelcome to the World Water Day 2009 inaugural blog entry!
World Water Week at UBC-O will run from Tuesday, March 24th to Friday March 27th. The opening ceremonies will be held at 12:30-2:00 pm on Tuesday, March 24th in the central courtyard. Invited guest speakers, visual arts installations, music, theatre, and food vendors are a few of the things you can expect to find at this exciting event!
We have several events in the works for World Water Week, and all of the events promise to be interesting and informative. Special thanks to all of the World Water Day Committee members for their valuable input and offers to showcase UBC-O’s commitment to local and global water issues. Details on specific events and schedules will be forthcoming.
The grand finale for World Water Week will be a talk by keynote speaker Sandra Postel, also a UBC Distinguished Speaker (see http://web.ubc.ca/okanagan/publicaffairs/speakers/sandra-postel.html). Sandra Postel is the Director of the independent Global Water Policy Project, as well as the Center for the Environment at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts. Over the past two decades she has written a series of influential publications on global water issues, the most recent of which is Liquid Assets: The Critical Need to Safeguard Freshwater Ecosystems. See http://www.globalwaterpolicy.org/biography.html to read her biography and view her important work. Sandra Postel is scheduled to speak at the Rotary Centre for the Arts on March 27th; at 7:00 pm. Tickets are free but will not be available until February 27, and they will most likely sell out so get yours early!
We look forward to seeing everyone at the World Water Week Events!
Success
March 31st, 2008 by John WagnerThank you everyone we have had another successful World Water Day. We could not have done it without all the help we received from all the people that helped out. Thank you to Dr. Hugo De Burgos for his incredible musical score. To Neil Cadger for the water bottle drum procession. To Dr. Diana French for her classes poster display. Jeanette Armstrong for organizing the Okanagan Nation water purification ceremony. Nelson Jatel for his organization of the panel of experts on the Fintry Queen. Tracey Jack for showing her movie “Magic on the Water”. The Biology, Anthropology and Fresh Water Science unions for making displays. And John Wagner for organizing the event again this year.
Thanks again,
Mark Amundrud.
World Water Day Schedule 2008
February 8th, 2008 by John WagnerMar 25th: Opening Ceremonies 12:30pm -2:00pm UBC Okanagan Courtyard
Water Bottle Drum Procession
Neil Cadger leads UBC-O students, staff, and faculty in a drumming procession
Official opening of World Water Day 2008
Welcoming comments by Dr. Alaa Abd-El Aziz, UBC Okanagan Vice President Academic
Opening address by Chief Fabian Alexis on behalf of the Okanagan Nation.
Okanagan First Nations Water Ceremony
Musical Performance
Composed by Dr. Hugo De Burgos and performed by UBC-O students, staff, and faculty.
Speakers on Water Issues
Mar 25th Keynote Speaker Winona LaDuke 7:00pm Rotary Center for the Arts 421 Cawston Ave, Kelowna
On March 25 during World Water Week, LaDuke will speak in Kelowna about indigenous views of the environment, efforts to protect land on the White Earth Ojibwe Reservation in Minnesota where she lives, and how thinking seven generations ahead would impact our world’s natural systems — particularly water, agriculture and energy.
Tickets: Tickets are free and will be available as of Feb. 25 — they must be picked up or ordered in advance from the Rotary Centre for the Arts box office (call 250-717-5304).
Mar 25th-27th Anthropology Student Poster Contest. Arts Foyer
Dr. Diana French’s Anthropology students will display thier posters on B.C First Nations and water issues all week. The announcement for the winning poster will be made Tuesday afternoon.
Mar.25-27th Biology Student Display. SSC Foyer
Dr. Bruce Mathieson’s Biology students will have a display on Bisphenol A in plastic water containers.
Fresh Water Science and Student Union Posters. SSC Foyer
Mar. 26th Water Treatment Facility Tour 12:00pm-2:30pm. 951 Raymer Avenue, Kelowna.
Brian McAuley will conduct a tour and answer question about Kelowna’s waste water facility. Rides from UBC-O are availible to students. Contact: ubcoworldwaterday@hotmail.com
Mar 26th Film Night 4:30pm- 6:30pm. UBC Okanagan
Film 1: Magic on the Water – 4:30pm Arts# 103
See press release and biography below.
Film 2: The Water Front – 5:30pm Arts# 103
Mar.27th Poetry Slam! UBC-O Cafeteria 12:00pm-2:00pm
Dr. Nancy Holmes’s students will be hosting the 2nd annual World Water Day Slam Poetry competition. All entrants welcome! For more information about Slam Poetry or how to enter please contact Vin at vinchenzof@gmail.com
Mar 27th Public Forum on Water Quality 4:30pm-6:00pm Fintry Queen 210 Bernard Ave. Kelowna. For more information visit the Okanagan Water Board at: www.obwb.ca
Panel of Experts
Panel answers questions on water quality
Audience Questions
General public will be able to ask questions of the experts.
Wrap Up
Coffee and mingling.
Close of world water day events
Let’s celebrate water by Hugo De Burgos
March 28th, 2007 by John WagnerLet’s celebrate water by Hugo De Burgos
Let’s celebrate water
Let’s celebrate its life
Let’s celebrate together, water, an essential right
Let’s celebrate today
Before it is too late
Let’s celebrate together, oceans, oasis, inlets,
Let’s celebrate water
Let’s celebrate its love
Let’s celebrate together, water, blessing from above
A paradox it is
In such great quantity
For many people it’s a nightmare of scarcity
Let’s keep it running free
Let’s keep it running clean
Let’s keep it running fresh and clean for everyone to drink
Water’s fragility
Vulnerability
Let’s save our water from the grasp of much aridity
Let us raise our voices with imagination
Drumming, dancing, painting, singing no contamination
No more global sadness, no more cruel deforestation.
That’s enough!
Let’s celebrate today
Before it is too late
Let’s celebrate together keeping the world’s water safe
Ungrateful humans are
Bringing catastrophe
Contamination is a terrible reality
Rivers of misery
Great lakes in agony
Oil, greed and plastic in a globalized insanity
Liquid vitality
Holy immortality
Of life sustainer, fountain of the great divinity
Ancient aquatic soul
Much more precious than gold
Solemn and cheerful, simple, complex, mythological
Our human mission is
Fine water quality
For every creature in this planet and for you and me!
Socially responsible, peoples and nations
Let us come together, celebrate sweet irrigation
No more global sadness, no more cruel deforestation.
Water’s life!
Magic on the Water and Tracey Kim Jack’s Biography
January 16th, 2007 by John WagnerMagic on the Water 48.00 Minutes
Directed, Written, Produced by Tracey Kim Jack
Straight Arrow Productions
Executive Producer: Rob Weller
Airdate: SUNDAY, December 23, 2007
CHBC Television 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Press Contact: 250 770 0124 or tjack@vip.net
Magic on the Water is a one hour feature documentary capturing poignant stories of the Okanagan first peoples. It was only up until a century ago when the Syilx Nation exclusively, inhabited the captivating beaches and fertile lands of the Okanagan valley.
This prime time one hour special for television features a visual feast of beautifully crafted interior cottonwood paddles dipping their ores into the crystal clear lakes and rivers throughout the pristine Interior of British Columbia. Magic on the Water explores the vibrant art, history and oral traditions of the Okanagan first people as they share vivid testimonials revealing their rich heritage, language and culture.
Magic on the Water is the art of storytelling through the journey of a one hundred year old canoe culminating in the return of the salmon to Okanagan shores, nestled in the interior of British Columbia. Ancient historical songs composed by Juno nominee and traditional ensemble Turning Earth Collective members Jeannette Armstrong, Delphine Derickson and Richard Armstrong accompany the documentary.
The documentary describes the biodiversity of ancient rivers, creeks, streams and beaches throughout of the Okanagan Valley in rich storytelling tradition. Magic on the Water is a cinematic experience capturing the sounds and colors of vivid landscapes revealing the beauty and essence of the territorial lands of the Okanagan First Peoples. The Sylix Nation share their testimonials of laughter, struggle, and pain as they strive to survive and to restore their traditional systems of governance and leadership in a modern world.
Bio 2007
~Tracey Kim Jack, Director, Writer, Producer~
Syilx Nation! With a VOICE!
Ms. Tracey Kim Jack is an award winning independent broadcast journalist and producer for television news and documentaries. She is a member of the Syilx Nation from the Okanagan; born and raised on the Penticton Indian reserve. Currently she is the Program Director for the Indigenous Arts Service Organization.
Photo Credit – Storytellers In Motion- Season I
A Provincial Organization mandated to support, advocate and create access and awareness for aboriginal artists in multi disciplines in British Columbia. Ms. Jack is also on faculty at the En’owkin Centre located in Penticton, instructing Media Arts. As well she volunteers for the Independent Media Arts Alliance (IMAA) representing the National Indigenous Media Arts Coalition (NIMAC) to support the growth of aboriginal media arts run centres in Canada. Jack has freelanced print media for the provincial aboriginal print “Raven’s Eye” (AMMSA) and Canadian aboriginal print journal “Aboriginal Voices.” Her current works include producing segments for the CHBC-Television program “Okanagan Now.” More recently in 2006 she was again nominated by the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) for her documentary Honoring our Visions. Also in 2006 Ms. Jack was appointed the first aboriginal person to be awarded the School District #67 Alumni Wall of Fame for her accomplishments in broadcast journalism. In 2003 Ms Jack was also awarded First and Second place for her award winning documentaries “Crying in the Dark” and “REZcovery” at the 2003 International Native American Journalists Association convention held in Green Bay, Wisconsin. That year she garnered a nomination from the American Indian Film Institute for Best Public Service. As well in 2003, 2004 she was granted consecutively the Award of Excellence as a finalist with the British Columbia Association of Broadcasters and the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Award for her riveting documentaries. Ms Jack is currently completing her next one hour documentary under the working title “Magic on the Water.” Which will air in the winter of 2007.Her hobbies include gathering & preparing traditional foods, practicing random acts of kindness and mountain biking.
Her lifelong passion has always been to balance stories from an aboriginal perspective to create dialogue to dispel ignorance and racism. Ms Jack resides on the Penticton Indian Reserve with her two children and splits her time between Penticton, BC and Winnipeg, MAN where she spends time with her partner Jordan.
John Wagner
allisha1