Earth Day 2013 and Inter Pares Speaker Series 2013

NASA Blue Marble 2007 West by Nasa Goddard Photo and Video, Flickr Creative Commons http://www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/4426654941/ — NASA Blue Marble 2007 West photo, by NASA/Goddard Space Flight Centre/Reto Stöckli, illuminates lands, water and life on earth. Flickr Creative Commons http://www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/4426654941/

There are many ways to celebrate Earth Day, April 22 this year: by making a small but significant lifestyle change, for example, or by attending one of the associated events, including the “Earth Day Every Day” ceremony at Victoria Island at 1 p.m. or a tree donation event hosted by Capital Junk outside Ottawa City Hall at noon.

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Also on April 22, Inter Pares is inviting everyone to hear from two people who’ve been working in other communities around the world on social and environmental challenges. Ahnan, from northern Burma, has been actively involved with with community groups there to protect rivers, lands and livelihoods from the adverse effects of mining, monocropping and dam projects. Jennifer Moore, a journalist and program coordinator at Mining Watch Canada, works with organizations in Latin America on mining issues. They’ll speak about “Developing justice: natural resources and fair economies” as part of Inter Pares’ Annual Speaker Series, on Monday, April 22, 6-9 p.m. at the Best Western Victoria Park Suites (377 O’Connor St.).

If you can’t attend in person, you can still follow online at http://www.interpares.ca/en/events/speakerseries2013.php. There’ll be English, French and ASL similtaneous translation.

I’m a big fan of Inter Pares, an organization that works with partners in Canada and internationally to support social justice and equality. “Inter Pares” means “among equals.”