Fadi El Masry is hooked on his iPhone.
Classes are done for the week at Westdale Secondary School in Hamilton, and the Grade 12 student is weaving through a cramped hallway while still managing to keep his eyes glued on his mobile planner.
He stops to chat with another student, his eyes shifting back and forth from her face to the iPhone screen.
This addiction will escalate Monday, as the student starts blogging, Tweeting and videoblogging daily from the global climate change conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, for two weeks straight.
"I want to get the message out that ... Hamilton youth do care," said El Masry, 17. "Through my media component, I will be able to get much awareness out."
In October, the local student was selected -- along with more than 20 others from across the country -- by the Young Liberals of Canada to attend the conference as a delegate for the International Federation of Liberal Youth (IFLRY).
The summit, beginning Monday to Dec. 18, will bring together representatives from 192 countries to negotiate an agreement to reduce the impact of global warming.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper, U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will attend the meeting.
El Masry will observe most of the talks and workshops -- though he's barred from voting sessions -- and will share his experiences and thoughts with his online followers.
He believes he's the only high school student from Hamilton attending the conference, adding it's important to educate young people about issues that will affect them in the long run.
"In about a few years, they're going to say, 'Uh oh. We don't know anything about it,'" he said. "The future starts now."
El Masry said he is most excited about the prospect of meeting Obama. It hasn't been confirmed, but IFLRY is trying to arrange for them to speak with the U.S. president during the summit.
"That would be amazing."
The student has to raise his own travelling expenses. He needs about $3,000 and has raised about $2,500. He's received individual donations as well as support from a Westdale student group he co-founded called Students Bridging Borders, which will be offsetting his carbon footprint for the trip.
El Masry, who moved to Hamilton from Dubai seven years ago, didn't become an environmental advocate over night. It took some time to develop an interest, he said.
"I did some research. During the summer ... I realized: 'Whoa, we have a problem here.'"
You can follow El Masry's Copenhagen experience at felmasry.wordpress.com.
Source:thespec.com/
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Promoting a climate of change in Denmark
Fadi El Masry is hooked on his iPhone.
Classes are done for the week at Westdale Secondary School in Hamilton, and the Grade 12 student is weaving through a cramped hallway while still managing to keep his eyes glued on his mobile planner.
He stops to chat with another student, his eyes shifting back and forth from her face to the iPhone screen.
This addiction will escalate Monday, as the student starts blogging, Tweeting and videoblogging daily from the global climate change conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, for two weeks straight.
"I want to get the message out that ... Hamilton youth do care," said El Masry, 17. "Through my media component, I will be able to get much awareness out."
In October, the local student was selected -- along with more than 20 others from across the country -- by the Young Liberals of Canada to attend the conference as a delegate for the International Federation of Liberal Youth (IFLRY).
The summit, beginning Monday to Dec. 18, will bring together representatives from 192 countries to negotiate an agreement to reduce the impact of global warming.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper, U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will attend the meeting.
El Masry will observe most of the talks and workshops -- though he's barred from voting sessions -- and will share his experiences and thoughts with his online followers.
He believes he's the only high school student from Hamilton attending the conference, adding it's important to educate young people about issues that will affect them in the long run.
"In about a few years, they're going to say, 'Uh oh. We don't know anything about it,'" he said. "The future starts now."
El Masry said he is most excited about the prospect of meeting Obama. It hasn't been confirmed, but IFLRY is trying to arrange for them to speak with the U.S. president during the summit.
"That would be amazing."
The student has to raise his own travelling expenses. He needs about $3,000 and has raised about $2,500. He's received individual donations as well as support from a Westdale student group he co-founded called Students Bridging Borders, which will be offsetting his carbon footprint for the trip.
El Masry, who moved to Hamilton from Dubai seven years ago, didn't become an environmental advocate over night. It took some time to develop an interest, he said.
"I did some research. During the summer ... I realized: 'Whoa, we have a problem here.'"
You can follow El Masry's Copenhagen experience at felmasry.wordpress.com.
Source:thespec.com/
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