Page 21 - Pauza Magazine

pcv projects

Don’t know what I’m talking about? cause and effects know no borders, my heart
rejoices to be alive at this unique time in his-
As a Peace Corps Volunteer working with a tory. We are part of a living history, and as Al-
municipality in Macedonia on development bert Einstein wisely said, “You cannot solve a
projects that seek to improve the local econo- problem with the same level of consciousness
my, environment and well-being of our citizens that created it.” Welcome to an era of new con-
(triple bottom line), I’m constantly trying to sciousness everyone. It’s time we take on the
keep up with the latest innovative technologies responsibility of a higher consciousness and
and sustainable development strategies of the get to work solving the problems around us.
United Nations and European Union so that
Macedonia can be a pioneer in this field. My “my heart rejoices to be
research this past year has been both wonder-
fully and frustratingly energizing. There is SO alive at this unique
much movement and energy around the world
of people working towards a sustainable future time in history”
that we don’t hear about in the news headlines.
It is not the first, nor will it be the last shift in
Every day there are meetings taking place consciousness, as these shifts seem to oc-
around the world about the well-being of our cur in cycles as documented by the Mayans. I
future as a global community. There was the recommend an intriguing film “2012: The True
2012 U.N. Conference on Sustainable Devel- Mayan Prophecy” that lets the Maya people
opment in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil this past June speak for themselves and shares their wisdom
that drew 45,000+ leaders from around the through interviews with Rigoberta Menchu and
world to renew and refine commitments to sus- other Mayan elders. The film also includes in-
tainable development 20 years after the 1992 terviews with Nobel Laureates Desmond Tutu
Earth Summit in Rio when the world’s nations and the Dalai Lama, as well as with leading
first committed to sustainable development. scientists who share their wisdom about what

There was the Doha Climate Change Con- we should all be doing today to create a better
future.
ference in Doha, Qatar this past November
marking the first time that climate change ne- FILM RECOMMENDATION
gotiations took place in the Middle East. That
meeting changed the very structure of all future Title: 2012: The True Mayan Prophecy
climate negotiations by making sustainable
development goals the same for developed What: It’s a 50-minute film that lets the Maya
and developing countries. Representatives people speak for themselves
from both the developing and developed world Where: Watch online at:
now sit at the same table to solve challenges westword.com/mayan2012prophecy
together.
Cost: You will be asked to donate $1.99
And this past December, the U.N. Environment (through credit card or Paypal)
Programme held a conference in Geneva with
international leaders to redefine measures and Who: 100% of proceeds go to the PeaceJam
indicators of a nation’s standard of living based Foundation, a Denver-based non-profit organi-
not only on GDP, but on those very indicators zation with a mission to create young leaders
listed in the beginning of this article. These committed to positive change in themselves,
meetings are changing the future, the ways their communities and the world through the in-
we will measure success, and the ways we will spiration of Nobel Peace Laureates who pass
do business, with emerging concepts such as: on the spirit, skills and wisdom they embody.
green growth, green industry, green technolo- It’s a dynamic organization that I had the plea-
gy, innovative technology, clean development, sure of discovering while working in Denver.
climate compatible development, low carbon
economy, and inclusive green economy.

Having studied ecology and the intricately in-
terconnected ecosystem of our world, where

Winter 2013 – 21
Fall 2012 – 21