The Pledge Goes Global
This week, a delegation of three 4-H members from the U.S., Canada and Sweden is attending the 46th session of the Committee on World Food Security in Rome, Italy. This unique opportunity is giving them a chance tolead on a global stage, and to address issues of concern to all youth, such as Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero hunger. 4-H Canada strives to provide opportunities at the international level for 4-H members to expand their global perspective and cultural understanding, and learn about 4-H programming in other countries. The following articles are extracted from The 2019 4-H Advantage magazine.
We live in a global village. Every time you and your 4-H friends recite the 4-H Pledge at the start of your meeting, another 4-H’er elsewhere in the world is saying it at the same time. Their language may not be the same, and their club may look a bit different from yours, but your voices recite a similar Pledge as you live together in the same world.
On July 11, 2019, the Canadian 4-H Pledge was updated so that fellow 4-H members across the country can pledge the same promise as their counterparts around the world every day. From now on, it will read “for my club, my community, my country, and my world”.
Learn more at 4-h-canada.ca/pledge
From Ghana to the World
By Logan Emiry, Youth Advisory Representative for Ontario
“[…] my country, and my world”.
I was standing halfway across the world on a 4-H service-learning project in Ghana and I paused for a moment, slightly confused. I had never heard this version of the Pledge before – which was from the National 4-H Council in the U.S. – but it was rather fitting. Little did I know that in a few short years it would also be 4-H Canada’s Pledge, after encouragement from staff, volunteer leaders, and members like myself, who believe in the global importance of 4-H.
There is no doubt that 4-H is a global movement, and the reach of 4-H Canada spans the world. 4-H has brought me around the world “Learning To Do By Doing” every step along the way, from Japan for a 4-H Canada-LABO Japan exchange, to Indianapolis for the Future Farmers of America’s National Convention. It also allowed me to become friends with 4-H’ers from many of the more than 70 countries at the Global 4-H Network Summit hosted in Ottawa two years ago.
I am very proud we are now including “and my world” in the 4-H Pledge. There is no doubt that the next generation of 4-H members in Canada will create a positive change in the world around them.
A World of Difference
By Carlie Whetter, 4-H Leader, 4-H Manitoba
It’s only three words...but it makes a “world” of difference. As a delegate at the Global 4-H Network Summit in July 2017, I heard our young Canadian representatives question why our 4-H Pledge ended with ‘country,’ when we were a gathering of representatives from around the globe.
As President of Manitoba 4-H Council, I supported the motion made by our Board Director Denise Dewar to put forward a resolution to officially adopt the international wording. As a 4-H Canada Board member, I participated in the 2018 4-H Canada Annual General Meeting where it was agreed that the next step would be to work on a way to share this exciting news with all 4-H members across Canada.
The youth members of the 4-H club I lead in Alexander, Manitoba, voted unanimously to be early adopters of the updated wording. They have been using this new Pledge for almost a year and feel a strong sense of belonging to a global 4-H community.
I believe our youth are more aware of the global community than ever before with their ease of connectivity and access to world news. Adding “...and my world” reflects the reality of the world we live in. For our youth, it’s a no-brainer!
A Youth Council for the World
By Valerie Stone, Chair of the 4-H Canada Board of Directors
In June 2019, the 41st Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Conference of the United Nations (UN) was held in Rome, Italy. Representing 4-H, I was one of five youth from around the globe participating in the “Real Action on Youth: Driving the Future of Agriculture” event hosted by Ambassador Hans Hoogeveen of the Netherlands. It was a truly remarkable experience, and having the opportunity to highlight the importance of youth on the global agricultural stage was genuinely unforgettable.
During this event, the idea of a Youth Council for the three Rome-based agencies (RBAs) – the FAO, the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) – was brought forward. The idea was to form an inclusive, youth-led advisory team that champions practical innovations and policies focused on the unique needs and strengths of young people in agriculture globally.
Following a debate among the countries, an informal Youth Council decision was passed at the FAO. The path forward to a formal Youth Council for the three RBAs is being paved, and I look forward to seeing how 4-H members will be involved at the global level.
If the creation of a Youth Council is approved, 4-H members from around the world will have the opportunity to apply for one of the two 4-H seats on this council! 4-H Canada encourages and empowers 4-H youth to be engaged in high-level conversations around agriculture, food security and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Did you know?The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a collection of 17 global goals set by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015 for the year 2030. Otherwise known as the Global Goals, they are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.