President Communique #6
Submitted by: Barbara Dowding
Summer greetings and blessings! The longest day has come and gone – can you believe it? While I hope you are all packing your desk for a summer break from CWL, I am preparing for the National Convention. It will be a difficult task to keep all the wonderful highlights from BC & the Yukon to a mere five minutes!
Gratitude
I want to thank you all for the great team effort and wonderful success of the Provincial Convention. The evaluations, cards and calls make it clear that we achieved our goals and then some. The testimony of members and the honest sharing was truly inspiring. I hope our four new Presidents found the experience interesting and looking forward to meeting again in October.
Thanks to Sandra S…….. for the excellent write up of the proceedings – be sure to check it out on our website which, by the way, is looking very nice, indeed.
National Convention
For those of you going to Montreal, please let me know your itinerary so if you are interested in meeting with Margaret Ann J…… re the Toronto Training Manual, I can figure out the best time and connect with you.
Accredited delegates – We’re sending Sheila Q….and Marilyn V………. Although we do not have any resolutions this year, it seems fitting to send our Vice Presidents. Thank you both.
Trafficking
Please keep your eyes and ears open in regard to trafficking. As you probably know, the first case that went to trial this past week, failed to convict. Along with issues around trafficking we need to pay specific attention to those groups who are determined to legalize prostitution. I urge you to work with your councils to make sure we are all aware of what’s happening around us.
The brief mention of the ‘Code of Conduct’ by Sister Zarowny at the convention in relation to the travel industry deserves attention. UNICEF has joined the World Tourism Organization and the International advocacy group ECPAT in launching this Code. Nearly 600 companies have signed from around the world. So far there are none listed from Canada. If you want to find out more you can go to the UNICEF website as well as ECPAT (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and the Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes). I’ve attached the Code of Conduct Summary and the list of signatories for your information.
In recent meetings leading up to the 2010 Olympic Games, it has been noted that the time is now if we are to make any inroads into what happens re trafficking and prostitution. We have no excuses. I look forward to our National Convention where I am hopeful we will have more direction and information on the motion adopted by the Committee on the Status of Women on May 29, 2007; Presented to the House on May 30, 2007):
That pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), and the motion adopted by the Committee on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 your Committee recommends: That the government, in collaboration with provincial and municipal counterparts as well as experts from the police, international organizations and NGO`s, develop and implement a plan prior to the opening of the 2010 Olympics to curtail the trafficking of women and girls for sexual purposes during the games and after.
The BBC World news reports that Britain is already working toward this problem for the 2012 Games. There is no time to waste!
Prayer partners
This was not intended to be a secret, but rather a way to connect in a special way with one other person. I find when I pray for my prayer partner, I think of her in a special way, wondering what she’s doing and how her day will be. For me, knowing my prayer partner is praying and thinking about me, gives me a sense of peace and gratitude.
I wish you all a happy restful and safe summer!
Attachments: Contact information from the convention; Code of Conduct Summary & Signatories of Code of Conduct -available upon request
Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism
www.thecode.org
SUMMARY
The Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism (the Code) is a project joining the tourism private sector and the children’s rights non-governmental organization ECPAT, aiming to prevent sexual exploitation of children at tourism destinations.
The tour operators and their umbrella organizations, travel agents, hotels, airlines, etc. which endorse the Code, commit themselves to implement the following measures:
- To establish a corporate ethical policy against commercial sexual exploitation of children
- To train the personnel in the country of origin and travel destinations
- To introduce clauses in contracts with suppliers, stating a common repudiation of sexual exploitation of children
- To provide information to travellers through catalogues, brochures, in-flight films, ticket-slips, websites, etc.
- To provide information to local “key persons” at destinations
- To report annually.
The Code was initiated in April 1998 by ECPAT Sweden in cooperation with Scandinavian tour operators and the World Tourism Organization (WTO), and since 2000 it has been developed using mainly public funding provided by the European Commission, contributions from the European ECPAT partners, and logistic support from the WTO and the tourism industry. Impact: The Code is currently implemented globally by over 45 companies, tour operators, travel agencies, tourism associations and tourism unions:
- Over 50 tour operators from 13 countries (including the 25 members of the Tour Operators Initiative for Sustainable Tourism Development (UNEP.UNESCO.WTO);
- 3 hotel chains.
The number of tourists impacted by the Code is estimated to reach in 2003 over 30 million per year, travelling to destinations in over 16 countries worldwide.
The Code won in 2003 the British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow Award in the Large Scale Tourism category.
Contact Information from the Provincial Convention
Uganda Library Project – Beverley Reid
Film: Anita’s Africa – Children’s documentary
www.cominghomefilms.com
cominghome@gulfislands.com
(250) 539-5094 or (604) 928-5094.
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Dr. Nancy Reeves
www.nancyreeves.com
Books:
I’d Say Yes, God, If I Knew What You Wanted
A Path Through Loss
Found Through Loss
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Sr. Marie Zarowny, SSA
mzarowny@ssabc.ca
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Linnea Good, who led us in singing and in musical reflection during Nancy Reeves’s presentation, sends thanks and greeting. She wishes you to know that we sang the following songs on Friday morning:
“I Rejoiced!” – Psalm 121, available in sheet music form from Linnea’s
web-site and her Psalm-Body’s Prayin’ subscription group.
“Will You Come and Follow Me” by John Bell of Iona Community, available
through GIA music and in Voices United UCC hymnbook.
“Like a Rock” from Swimmin’ Like a Bird CD and from The Good Book
(LGood)
“And When You Call for Me” – Ps 91, available in sheet music form from
Linnea’s web site and her Psalm-Body’s Prayin’ subscription group
“There is Your Heart” from Greatest of These CD and The Good Book
(LGood)
“Wings of the Morning” Psalm 139, available on sheet and possibly on
Linnea’s upcoming album 2008..!
“Song of Bernadette” by Leonard Cohen, sung perfectly by Jennifer Warnes
on Famous Blue Raincoat CD
“Who Am I” (unknown) from Swimmin’ Like a Bird CD and available in sheet
form from Linnea
Linnea Good is a singer-songwriter and leader in the fields of music in worship, and adults and children worshipping together. She tours much of the year in her trio Good Company. The latest of her numerous CDs, Swimmin’ Like a Bird, was thrice nominated for major Canadian awards as Outstanding Children’s Album of the Year. She welcomes conversations with you about her sharing in the music life of your community through concert, workshop, song-leading, worship or commissioned song. You can order her music by going to: www.linneagood.com.
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