Outstanding Indigenous Youth Engage in Dialogue

BC frankearl from Cranbrook , February 14, 2010

By, Frank Robertson

On February 11, 2010, the Governor General of Canada, Michaëlle Jean, opened the “Olympic Truce Youth Dialogue” with a speech on peace, and solidarity, in a world of dissent and division. She spoke passionately, to a group of passionate youth. Many of these youth were taking part in the Indigenous Youth Gathering, and the conversation quickly moved to the aboriginal peoples of this land. Jean opened her speech by thanking the Four Host Nations for receiving all these visitors in their ancestral land. This sentiment of gratitude was repeated several times throughout the morning. Then the floor was opened to the audience, who were asked to give their solutions for peace. Within a few minutes those of us in the audience were enthralled with the vision that these youth presented. Again and again and again, intelligent, articulate, and courageous aboriginal youth stood to boldly declare their intentions and solutions – all of them striving for peace and progress. Each person who stood mentioned a different issue, and passionately called for support in combating it. The feeling in the room was one of empowerment. The power of this dialogue can not be overstated, and the strength of our youth – particularly our indigenous youth – will not go unnoticed long.

Our Governor General expressed a beautiful vision: a vision about peace and the power of youth. She said in her opening comments: “Peace is not only about putting an end to war peace is also about humanizing humanity.” This, she said, would require empathy, compassion, and constant vigilance in the fight against social exclusion. Michaëlle Jean intends to change the world, to bring people together in a spirit of forgiveness and strength, and to generate the solutions that will lead to lasting improvement. It is through these dialogues that she hopes to accomplish this – by enabling the youth to bring change into their communities. At this dialogue, Jean highlighted the Truth and Reconciliation Committee: an organization created to investigate the residential schools, and obtain forgiveness for all involved. She called this committee, “…a commitment for justice” an appellation which was met by enthusiastic applause. She also praised the assembly for the will to change she felt in the room. This conference must have been a gratifying experience for her; the power demonstrated over the next two hours was inspiring for all involved.

This Indigenous Youth Gathering was the largest gathering of its kind, bringing together over three hundred people. This was the first time in history that so many diverse first nations have met together. From Newfoundland to the Yukon, Ontario to British Columbia, these exemplary youth hailed from nations all across this glorious land. At least six languages were touched on during the course of the discussion, and more were no doubt known. An elder from the Four Hosts nations, opened with prayer, which he delivered in his native tongue. The entire program began and ended with traditional dance and song. The final song, written by one of the participants for the event, was to celebrate the gathering of so many nations. Despite their diverse origins all of them came together in united strength, an exhibition before the world that our First Nations are on the rise, a call to action for themselves, and a powerful message to the rest of us.

During the dialogue one of the youth stood to make a ringing declaration which seemed to embody the spirit of the entire meeting: “We are the leaders of now – right now! …the memory of our youth will not be of the residential school era, it will be of the freedom fighters who stood up and said ‘We are here!’” That is what this dialogue was about: the will of our indigenous youth to change and to bring peace to their lives. To watch such a display was at once humbling and empowering: humbling because of the frank and determined manner in which these people faced the challenges they saw; empowering because they faced them without fear – with the expectation of victory. All of those who witnessed this magnificent display stand with our Governor General in saluting these youth for their wisdom, their determination, and their strength. Empowering these leaders was the purpose of this youth dialogue, it was the purpose of the indigenous youth gathering, and it is the purpose of this article. Any wishing to join the dialogue, and confront the issues, are invited to go to www.citizenvoices.gg.ca. A video webcast is available here: http://bcelc.insinc.com/sharingthedream/youthdialogue/. Please go and take part, because the world needs a little hope of this kind. There are great things to come, and great reason for hope. May we join in the cause of peace and forgiveness highlighted here, as these indigenous leaders have pledged to do, for, in the words of Michaëlle Jean: “The world is crying out for an ethic of sharing and it is here and now that we must answer that call!”