Water for Life! -world youth leaders shout

trees for life-- participants offsetting the local carbon footprint emitted

the green world youth day participants after the planning day

main resource person showing off the New Laos Stove

Green World Youth Day Launch

The Green World Youth Day program was launched by no less than the CEO of the City West Water in the person of Ms Anne Barker. Ms Barker spoke about the water shortage that Australia faces and how the people and the City West Water tries hard to overcome the situation.

Testimonies and welcome speeches filled the night as the participants caught a glimpse on how the week's program would be.

The launch was held at Victoria University, Flinder's Campus on July 5, 2008.

YPD Japan on the move!

Although there are a few members of YPD Japan, we are motivated enough to work together! we bought handicrafts directly from villages of Thailand, some are made by YPD Chiangmai Team. We sold them in Japan to support YPD Chiangmai and YPD Karen. Jean-Joseph(YPD France) living in Japan came help YPD Japan. Everytime we do something, we meet young people to help us. This is the YPD work!
-Mako Higasayama, YPD International Team

Green WYD dialogues with Western MPs

Vince, Kins and Charles went to the Victoria Parliament Building to dialogue with the Western Members of the Parliament as a way of profiling the Green World Youth Day program. Water for Life as the theme of the program was received with much enthusiasm by the MPs and encouraged the holding of this international program at the Western Region.

The said meeting was facilitated by Mr. Thelmo Languillier, MP for Derrimut District. Mr. Languillier was once a student leader in his time at the Victoria University.

EARTH POWER CONCERT

LET'S HAVE FUN TONIGHT!

CALLING ALL INTERESTED AND COOL PEOPLE IN MELBOURNE! THIS IS OUR LAST CALL TO REMIND YOU OF OUR CONCERT TONIGHT. DOORS OPEN AT 7 PM AND TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE GATE AT $10.

SHARE YOUR FRIDAY NIGHT FUN WITH THE GREEN WORLD YOUTH DAY ORGANISERS BY SUPPORTING THEIR FUNDRAISER.

VENUE: HOLY EUCHARIST PARISH HALL, 1 A OLEANDER DRIVE, ST ALBANS

SEE YOU THERE!

THE EVENT IS CARBON NEUTRALISED BY AN ANGEL.
THANKS MARIA!

Victoria University supports Green World Youth Day

After a series of meetings and consultations, Ms. Selvi Kannan, Events Management Lecturer of Victoria University (VU) committed to take up the Green World Youth Day (GWYD) Program as a project of her students. Seeing potential and importance in talking about water and the need for international solidarity, she encouraged the Green World Youth Day management team to articulate the daily events of the program.

Last Wednesday, February 27, 2008 the Green World Youth Day International Volunteers met Selvi's class and did a general presentation at VU-Sunbury Campus. Afterward, they also met with the marketing team of the same university. After the team's presentation, they commented that the activity is very relevant because it is Green, youthful and international. These are the reasons why VU would very much like to be a part of it.

Green WYD- a dream made possible

January 26, 2008, St. Albans. The Holy Eucharist Green World Youth Day Team came together to share dreams and plans for the World Youth Day program in July this year. Bro. Gerard Brady, a Christian Brother patiently accompanied the group in their day of reflection and planning.

Sr. Catherine Tay, a Chaplain of Victoria University generously welcomed the group to her community house. She told everyone to have a good time and help themselves to the food she prepared.

Most of those who came expressed the need to reflect and meditate upon the spiritual impact of the preparations. They also acknowledged the importance of offering a space for young people to take a closer look on the environment during the World Youth Day. With enthusiasm, they promised to do their best to make the stay of the Green World Youth Day participants possible.

The youngest of the groups urged everyone to become more pro-active in inviting parishioners to join the activity or to host young people to their houses.

After the day, everyone left with more work to do. They were quite tired but happy looking forward to what they will do.

Widening of solidarities

January 15-19, 2008 - Sydney, Australia. We were welcomed in the best of circumstance and hospitality by the Karen community based in Australia. In such a big city wherein most of the energies of the friends we knew in Sydney were poured into the World Youth Day preparations this July, the Karens were unaffected. They still look upon those days as moments of receiving young people from all over.

We want to make use of the space and opportunity for training and interaction with other young people... We can do it if we are together and we cooperate in this program... Words that can sum up their will to do a post WYD program with the youth. Most of them were leaders in their own rights while they were yet at home. They also found their own ways of continuing their service to other people through their own organisation.

Some of the new arrivals found it difficult to speak English. It is a struggle to find jobs in this context. However, one can truly feel the cohesion of the group. They found a way to support one another. They come to a new country because it is not possible for them to live in safety in their own place and people...

In four days, we met a mixture of people. People with a big heart to accomodate the other. They are the kind who understands our need to care for the earth and look at the young as partners in development.

The striking difference…

(Scrutinizing the WYD 2008 registration fee)

These days, looking at the workings of affluent Australia, I embarked on a different journey and came up with a striking comparison that led me to much reflection and sometimes despair. The weeks of fundraising allowed me to take a step backward and look at the entire dynamics of funding.

However, when I looked into the following figures, something just isn’t right:

WYD REGISTRATION COST (for five days):

• Middle Income Countries (like Philippines) : 250 AUD
• High Income Countries (like Australia) : 400 AUD

TRAVEL COST:

• Manila-Melbourne-Sydney-Manila (Middle Income Country): 1,000 AUD
• Melbourne-Sydney-Melbourne : 220 AUD

The estimated daily wage for Philippines: 8 AUD. For an Australian: 20 AUD/hour Therefore, it takes 35 hours (or 4.3 days) an ordinary Australian to work his or her way to Sydney. A Filipino has to work for 156 days (5 months) to come to Sydney next year.

How GREEN can we get?

Planting trees - and grass - for a Green Advent

Very happy to join this blog to update you all on our Green WYD project.So many things been happening that it's hard to know where to start.Let's begin with tonight - at the 6pm Mass at Holy Eucharist parish St Albans for the Third Sunday of Advent.Kins has already mentioned the launch of our Green Advent projectFor the first week we showed Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth movie.For the second week we organised a Walk to Church Sunday - a great event - not everyone walked but many did - and many of those who didn't paid a $1 donation to "offset" their use of the car!So tonight we organised the sale of tree and plant seedlings for the Third Sunday of Advent.We sold about 50 plants after this evening's mass - a very encouraging response.The plants all came from Iramoo Sustainable Community Centre at the St Albans of Victoria University.Tonight we sold mainly trees (wattles) and kangaroo apples (all gone) although we'd also like to sell a few native grasses since this area is in fact natural grassland.Let's see how we go tomorrow!

Green Fundraising for a Green World Youth Day--possible?

After almost two months of my stay here in Australia, I still can't do away with converting Australian dollars to my own currency in the Philippines. Either I end up not buying at all or I fall on a guilt trip afterward. Yes, everything out here in the land 'down under' is big.I came over here to help organize the next YPD training session in 2008 and to do something different. However, I still worry about the immense budget that the program will have. As to the big program in Sydney, I close my eyes and force myself to think of other things other than the onerous amount involved at such a gathering. The encounters made among different cultures, experiences, faiths, and ages is not quantifiable. But, drawing closer to the issue on climate change, I take a different stance and take a pledge to be creative in tackling the whole thing.Meetings, endless trainings and reflections were held in the preparation for next year. Most of it will touch on monetary concerns. Positively, we say that things will be all right. We bank on the generousity of people. We bank on the enthusiasm of the world to 'hop down under'. Still, the onerous requirement for those days loom into the picture.What have I done so far? What have we done so far? We push for the eco-solidarity thinking and look at carbon credits for the World Youth Day to move at a smoother pace. At the local level, we strive hard to put green actions and fund raising together. We just successfully launched the "Walk to church" campaign. Those that brought their cars were 'fined' a dollar for the Green World Youth Day program. We raised around $ 400 out of it. We are selling native plants in thanksgiving to the parishioners. I still feel inadequate with all the initiatives. Still, I dream of having a green fundraising for a greener world youth day.

Holy Eucharist Launches Green Advent

"To renew the face of the earth..." is a reason Fr. Peter Carrucan, Parish Priest of the Holy Eucharist Parish in St. Albans envisioned to launch the Green Advent Program. He further explained that Advent is a time to 'vigilantly wait' and hope for new things to come. It is why, he exhorted his parishioners to make use of Advent as a time to know more and do something for the earth.The Green Advent is an introduction of the Greening of the Holy Eucharist Parish. The greening program enables a group of earth keepers to take up the project and to neutralize the carbon emission physically emitted by the Holy Eucharist Parish. It will eventually encourage parishioners to embrace eco-ethical living.On the first week of Advent, the film An Inconvenient Truth was shown. On the second Sunday, people were encouraged to Walk to Church. Those that took their cars along were asked to donate a dollar for the Green World Youth Day Program. The third week of Advent will focus on Planting. Native Grasses, flowers and trees. Families are encouraged to plant in their homes as a sign of thanksgiving for 2007. The last Sunday of Advent is a Greening Solidarity Day. People can share household greening practices through exhibits and/or handing out of leaflets.The Green Advent project is organized by the earthkeepers of the Holy Eucharist Parish.