EWB Beyond Borders Impact Series Recap

EWB hosted the first event in our Beyond Borders Impact Series on April 15th. For those who weren’t able to join us, you can watch the recording here. It focused on how we can help build an inclusive and sustainable future while the world is convulsed by a pandemic. Panelists Sara Ehrhardt, Louis Dorval, and Jason Carmichael brought perspectives from working in and with our overseas partners as well as with Canadian governments. 

Exciting news!

More conversations to come through our Beyond Borders Impact Series, including a conversation with Canada’s International Development Minister Karina Gould on Monday 4th May at 1pm EST. We’ll talk with her about the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on international development efforts, the defunding of the World Health Organization, Canada’s international leadership in the global response, and more! You can join us for the Instagram Live conversation over at @ewb_canada or online at https://instagram.com/ewb_canada

Key takeaways from the first event:

The COVID-19 pandemic is driving rapid change that needs urgent action. Our discussion explored how events are unfolding and what EWBers can do to help shape them. While it is possible that the world that emerges from this will be more humane and connected, it’s also possible that it will become more fractured, regional, and isolated.

The outcome depends on what we do, and what our governments do, during this crisis. 

Here’s what we heard during the discussion:

• The international aid efforts underway lack coordination and leadership. There is room for non-traditional players to come together and create vision. 
• There is a growing realization that we need to look beyond our borders, and an appetite to spend, but the Federal government needs a mandate. 
• Canada’s investment in overseas aid must complement and support existing efforts on the ground and, to do so, must understand and collaborate with existing organizations.
• If Canada is to be a leader in the world, we need to consider order of magnitude increases in foreign aid. 
• EWB is uniquely positioned to create that mandate since we have been one of the leading groups in promoting aid increases. 
• EWB can use the stories, the connections all over the world, to make sure these stories come out.
• This is not the time to retreat. The decisions about the world that emerges from this crisis are being made now. EWBers need to find creative ideas for activism and advocacy during isolation.

This period of isolation is an opportunity for the EWB community to help create the fertile ground for Canada to make an ambitious pledge as part of the international effort around the pandemic.

We heard that this is not a time to retreat. We need to think big, make noise, talk to people and propose solutions. 

EWB has created 3 channels for EWBers to get involved:

Volunteer your skills to support our partners through the crisis through EWB’s Virtual Talent xChange – www.ewb.ca/virtualtalentxchange

EWB Canada