This year, International Development Week focuses on equality between women and men contribution to sustainable development.  Equal participation by both genders in the development of their societies and equal access to the benefits of development will bring continuing growth and prosperity to all.

The Stand Up for Equality campaign, organized by the YMCA Global Integration Committee, aims to promote awareness and to demonstrate support on gender equality.  You are invited to hold a Stand Up moment.  Read out and sign a pledge, take a group photo, complete a simple opinion survey and return them to the YMCA Integration Committee. The outcomes of these actions would be compiled and sent to the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

The YMCA of Greater Toronto is part of an international community of YMCAs around the world.  Together with our international partners we work to create social justice for all people, irrespective of religion, race, gender, or cultural background and to address issues of peace, poverty and underdevelopment.

International Development Week Events:

Information and Sharing Session: Passion and Strength
Special Guest Speakers: Bahi Krishnakhanthan and Taylor Jane Green
YMCA Youth Foyer
1550 Kingston Road, Suite 7
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

• Screening Karitsa Tye’s short documentary, "Children Accused of Witchcraft"
• African Art Exhibit - A wide range of Congolese and African pieces of artwork will be on display 

Please RSVP by Thursday, February 8th to: 
Veronica Hercules
Veronica.Hercules@ymca.net
(416) 928-3362 x 4204

Book Reading: A Tragedy of Lives
Friday, February 9, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Metro Central YMCA, 20 Grosvenor Street
Author Audrey Chihota-Charamba will be reading from the book “A Tragedy of Lives”, a collection of first-hand stories, based on interviews with former female prisoners.  Bonita Lawrence, Isobel Harry (PEN Canada) and Kim Shayo Buchanan will also join us.

Please RSVP with Ontario Council for International Cooperation at admin@ocic.on.ca / 416-972-6303 by Thursday, February 8th, 2007