Tor Iorapuu of Development and Peace’s Nigerian partner YARAC is currently visiting the Atlantic provinces in a tour organized by young leaders of local Just Youth groups. In his presentations Tor will describe how theatre and sport can be used as tools for healing, social change and responsibility, and how YARAC pushes the boundaries of theatre to organize communities.

The young leaders were part of a solidarity trip to Nigeria in August 2008, where they were hosted by YARAC.

Click here for more information on Tor and how to contact him. youth-programs-solidarity-visitor-fall-20081

Today is World Food Day, and according to the FAO, nearly one billion people will go hungry. Food shortages throughout the world earlier this year, paired with unusual flooding in Haiti and Southeast Asia and the current economic crisis have increased the challenges that the poor face in order to feed themselves.

This is particularly relevant in the context of this year’s education campaign. The activities of some Canadian mining companies lead to lower agricultural production in countries in the Global South, as they take over fertile land and contaminate water sources. As Fidel Mutumbo, a consultant for Development and Peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo, warns: “Mines run out, but the earth can feed us forever, if we treat it with care.”

Holding Canadian mining compagnies accountable for their overseas activities will go a long way to ensure that next year, less people will go hungry on World Food Day.

Local debates and door to door campaigning by candidates for the coming October 14 Federal election are great opportunities to raise their awareness of international development and solidarity issues. Simply by asking questions you’ll be letting your candidates know that Canadians are keenly interested in how Canadian government policies affect people in the Global South.

Use our helpful guides below to prepare your questions on corporate social accountability and the food crisis, two major issues Development and Peace and its members have been working on in our Education and Action campaigns.

Roundtables question guide: election-08-question-on-the-roundtables1

Food crisis question guide:  election-08-question-on-the-food-crisis-and-agricultural-aid3

CDPD annual report is now available on line. This document may be seen on line or in pdf format.