Students from around the world are coming to Squamish to tackle global poverty and inequality.
For the second year running, Quest University is set to host Canada's only student-led Global Issues Network (GIN) conference. Started by teachers and students from six international schools, the touring conference aims to connect high school students from different countries and schools to brainstorm, network and address pressing world problems.
More than 100 pupils will showcase initiatives and achievements in promoting global issues in their schools during the free event, some from as far away as Africa and South America, said Quest employee Keely Stott, who is organizing the event.
"It's about empowering youth to make change," she said.
Over the three days (May 25 to May 27), the Grades 9 to 12 students will take part in workshops and attend presentations. Keynote speakers include Mohammed Barry of the Republic of The Gambia, who co-founded the Gambian Treatment Action Group, Aid for Smiles and served in a series of HIV-related international boards.
In an effort to bring the lessons learned to a local level, on the final conference day participants will run a bottle drive for the community's only homeless shelter - Squamish Helping Hands Society.
Last year, the conference focused on the environment. In partnership with the Squamish Streamkeepers, Squamish CAN and the Squamish River Watershed Society, students painted fish on approximately 150 storm drains around town, making people aware that whatever goes into the pipes impacts watersheds.
The event has almost doubled in size this time around, Stott said. Quest U. is providing dorm beds for 50 visiting students.
The university is encouraging Squamish students to register for the event. To do so visit www.questu.ca and click on the 'news and events' tab to find the GIN conference.
"If people want, they can come for just one day," Stott said.
In an email to The Chief, Quest student Net Nirachatsuwan wrote that he was excited to learn about global programs different schools have adopted. Nirachatsuwan has taken part in two GIN conference - one in Bangkok and one in Indonesia.
Nirachatsuwan's school started after-school English tutoring for impoverished children living on the outskirts of Bangkok.
"[The conference] is a great place for people to connect deeper into global issues and also with each other," Nirachatsuwan said.
**Please note, this story has been modified since it was published to remove personal information about one of the attendees to the conference.
