Opening Address – Sustainable Development Goals’ Conference 2022

It gives me great pleasure to welcome our 140 Grade 10 students this morning in chapel and to extend a Shawnigan welcome to the 160 delegates from 8 different schools:

Brentwood College School

École Ballenas Secondary School

Glenlyon Norfolk School

Queen Margaret’s School

St. Michaels University School

St. Margaret’s School

St. John’s Academy

École Victor-Brodeur

 

I would also like to thank, at the outset, the Secretary-General (Sissi L.), the Director-General (Jenny Y.), and the Committee “Directors,” drawn from different schools (who will be moderating debate throughout the day). Special shout-out to the directors from GNS, Brentwood and QMS.

 

The theme of today’s Model United Nations is “The Global Goals” (with focus on The United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals).

 

In an increasingly complex and anxious world, I am delighted that you will be discussing the Sustainable Development Goals, with a view to a better and more sustainable future for our shared world.

 

The interconnected Sustainable Development Goals provide a blueprint for addressing the global challenges of our time, and this conference challenges you to consider the interconnectedness of the SDGs, to debate solutions, to build partnerships — and to leave no one behind.

 

I invite you to practise and develop skills today essential for community building — both at local and global levels.

 

The UN recently released a statement identifying that there is more conflict in the world today than there has been over the past 75 years. One commentator — when asked what would follow the pandemic — prophetically observed: ‘After plague, comes war’. Biblical times indeed.

 

Sometimes, the United Nations and its work can seem intangible, a world away from Vancouver Island.

 

Here at Shawnigan, we actively seek and provide Impact Scholarships for students from countries that are experiencing or have experienced conflict. For example, sitting amongst you are Shawnigan students from countries such as Afghanistan, Ukraine, Iran, Nepal, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. They have lived the challenges first-hand that the SDGs seek to tackle.

 

I imagine that many more countries are represented in this room and that you will bring diversity of experience and diversity of thought to our campus today.

 

And BC is not perfect and no utopia – with prejudice and inequality to be tackled, water shortage after a significant drought, the need for climate action, and poverty to be eradicated.

 

Today’s conference is about conversation and the presentation of a compelling argument.

 

 

I was struck by a recent compelling, defiant and defining message by President Zelensky of Ukraine — comedian turned president facing unimaginable adversity.

 

Delivered in 115 words, he demanded of President Putin and the occupying army: “Do you still think, that we [Ukraine and Russia] are ‘one nation’? Do you still think that you can scare us, break us, make us make concessions?”

 

“You really did not understand anything? Don’t understand who we are? What are we for? What are we talking about?

 

“Read my lips: Without gas or without you? Without you.

 

“Without light or without you? Without you.

 

‘Without water or without you? Without you.

 

“Without food or without you? Without you.

 

“Cold, hunger, darkness and thirst are not as scary and deadly for us as your ‘friendship and brotherhood,’ but history will put everything in its place. And we will be with gas, light, water and food … and WITHOUT you!”

 

Powerful stuff.

 

 

It is interesting to observe how Canada responds to political tensions across the world: Ukraine and Russia, Afghanistan, North Korea, Syria, Lebanon, Venezuela, Taiwan and China, the question of measures against the Iranian regime — and many others. Prime Minister Trudeau is, in fact, a Co-Chair of the UN Sustainable Development Goals Advocates Group.

 

We need people everywhere to raise their voices and help build awareness of the Global Goals. Today’s MUN gives you the opportunity to be relevant, purposeful and of service in our changing world. And know that it is only a hop, skip and a jump from today’s Global Goals Conference to significant impact.

 

 

My heart sang when a former student of mine, Ladiba, wrote to me last week with a video attached – it was of her speaking to the Decolonization Committee at the UN in New York about the ongoing challenges facing Western Sahara. She is currently studying to be a nurse at Methodist University, North Carolina, and took part in her first Model United Nations in 2017, representing the United States, and speaking in English as her third Language after Arabic and Spanish.

 

 

I have another former student here today to speak to you this morning — Hari Bahadur Tamang from Nepal — on being born into poverty, surviving a catastrophic bomb blast, the power of scholarship and education, his expedition to the North Pole… the story of his journey from poverty to activism.

 

And highly topical given that the United Nations – including Canada - observed the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on Monday.

 

 

Here’s a picture of us at top of Norway’s highest mountain – Galdhøpiggen – on a Red Cross refugee summit of the mountain in 2018 on one of my last days in Norway before moving to Shawnigan.

 

More than anything, Hari has taught me a great deal about humility.

 

 

Richard D A Lamont

Head of School