e-GLO team 2010
Ashie S. Hirji is a technology activist, visionary and social entrepreneur. She is also the founder of Heart In Action Enterprises Ltd., a goodwill new media social enterprise, and a co-founder & director of Asita Informatica Inc.
For the last five years, she has been developing and spearheading the push to find secured multimedia communication solutions. Her work currently involves several technology leaders globally, with a focus on empowering and mentoring young leaders in the West, and bringing solutions to developing countries. Ashie works within the ICT (Information & Communication Technology) secured digital divide, new media sector for end-user protection. In addition, she is a creative producer for online multimedia content, an event planner, and co-producer of secured multimedia end-user content for social media projects.
Along with several other change leaders, she has collaborated to showcase innovative social media projects under the banner A Gem of An Idea. Ashie is actively involved with several organizations, including non-profits and NGOs, to give them platform access and deliver content access and training for various social multimedia projects.
For the last few years, she has worked with numerous musicians, dancers, athletes, fashion designers, inspirational speakers and artists of all kinds. Some of the guests that have been featured on her innovative platform during global presentations include Nile Rogers, Ashok Khosla, Noel Brown Terra Naomi, Eric Solomon, Deepak Chopra, Mallika Chopra, Dave Stewart, Rex Weyler, Ed Begley Jr., Phillipe Cousteau and many more.
Prior to forming Heart In Action Enterprises & Asita Informatica Inc., Ashie was in the fashion industry. She founded a perfumerie called Mon Parfum in Vancouver in the late 80s, and worked with high fashion French and Italian fashion houses and designers such as Dolce Gabbana, Versace, Bulgari, Yves Saint Laurent and several others.
Diego H. S. Baptista
Master in Management of Development, Specialized in Strategy and Enterprise Sustainability and Graduated in International Relations, Social Entrepreneur founder of the Youth NGO Global Society in Brazil with the mission to promote a new model of governance and globalization trough education, leadership and cooperation for sustainable development. My vision: “Everyone has the development agent’s potential to become a global citizen actively engaged in transformative actions”. e-GLO 2 alumni and EC International Youth Network participant engaged with the EC because for him “it represents the model of global society based in universal principles and values that I truly believe that are the changes we need towards an equal, just and peaceful world. It differentiates from others declarations because it was build with the representation of the global civil society with their voices and actions put in a decentralized strategy and systemic approach. The high level of innovation, youth focus and different sectors approach inspires me along with the high level commitment to values and principles rather than technical or paradigmatic concerns that repeat the same model over again and don’t reach the real causes of our global challenges”. Have being engaging in local participatory approaches for the MDGs, 21 Agenda and public policies plannings and supporting the capacity development of civil society organizations, campaigns and movements for human rights, cultural diversity, peace and non violence, democracy, citizenship and sustainable development. Participant in youth and development education networks inspired by the EC and the UNESCO DESD also mobilize local non-formal education projects in public schools. Particularly interested in Youth Sustainability Leadership have been promoting workshops in Universities to engage students in development projects and empower young professional’s capabilities as development agents.
Douglas F. Williamson is a linguist, entertainer, filmmaker, and environmental sustainability professional, specializing in communications. A native New Yorker, he has also lived, worked, and studied in Washington, DC, France, Argentina, Germany, and Costa Rica. Douglas holds Master degrees in International Affairs and in Natural Resources and Sustainable Development, has worked for several international environmental NGOs, the United Nations, and, most recently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Change Division. Douglas has also had a long history with the Earth Charter, having written a film script for the EC + 5 Summit, in 2005, and also he participated in e-GLO 1 and facilitated a session on Social Documentary Filmmaking. As a filmmaker, Douglas has produced several environmental films, mostly documentary, several of which have won awards and selections to film festivals. He is also an accomplished writer, earlier this year publishing an editorial in an Indian energy trade magazine on wastewater methane capture and use, as well as a publication on Water and Journalism for the United Nations University Water Decade Programme on Capacity Development. Douglas is greatly looking forward to e-GLO 3 and meeting and working with the new cohort of youth sustainability leaders.
Name: Jaana Laitinen
Earth Charter Affiliation and Occupation: Earth Charter International Youth Facilitator
Age: 30
Country: Finland / Costa Rica
Earth Charter: “For me the most inspiring aspect about the Earth Charter is its power to bring all wonderful individuals together to work for a better world. The network we have created together, Earth Charter Initiative, is a true proof that a world that is more just, sustainable and peaceful is not only possible but also imperative; if this many people are committed to a same cause, we will be able to make the difference!”
Mike Sheehan is a youth engagement specialist, performance artist, technology consultant and peace educator. Mike owns an operates BeatBoard Education And Training. BeatBoard is a youth leadership, new media and contemporary arts education social enterprise based in Victoria, BC Canada. BeatBoard is committed to affecting positive change in communities through delivering leading-edge experiential education programs that value diversity, inclusion and solutions for healthy living. For the past 17 years he has been designing and delivering a variety of educational programs, including keynotes, interactive conference openers, conference programming, arts based workshops, comprehensive leadership trainings, team building and staff development trainings for both youth and adults. Mike has visited over 50,000 youth in non formal education settings in 2008 alone. His work is sought out by communities, conferences, schools, universities, alternative education centres, Native Friendship Centres, youth detention centres, government, corporations and NGOs. Mike is known for creating meaningful and inclusive learning environments with a surprising level of engagement and energy. He has represented Earth Charter International at the The United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, and co-developed an international online digital media arts and sustainability leadership training called e-GLO (Earth Charter Global Learning Opportunity). Mike is passionate about creating healthy cross-cultural dialogue, working with large groups of culturally diverse participants, and incorporating multiple learning styles in all of the programs he works on. Mike remains committed to learning and to local action through his work, volunteerism and activity on the Board of several youth serving initiatives in Victoria.