Building the waka together ...

Dear visitors, friends and citizens of the world,

I would like to share with you a poem I started writing on December 11, 2013 and shared with elders and young leaders at the Synergized Earth Network Summit 2013 in the Netherlands yesterday at the closing ceremony. I intentionally composed the poem in four different languages to reflect the melting pot of cultures, backgrounds and nationalities that I witnessed at the summit and which we can admire each and every day in today's extraordinary world.

Hope you enjoy the poem. Please feel free to provide me with any feedback, suggestions or comments.

Building the waka together ...

Fellows, Elders, do you really know?
How the world we live in would grow?
How action and inspiration can flow?
If we work together in harmony and awe...
And create shared-value collaborations in a row...

J'ai longuement rêvé, cogité et ne me suis pas trompé
Comment m'épanouir dans un monde de plus en plus agité?
Créer des liens, agir, grandir, m'informer et admirer la beauté,
... l'intensité et l'impact d'un dialogue entre communautés ...
En dépit des différences qui auraient pu nous habiter ...

أتدري ... ما أبهى زينة للإنسان ؟
و أساس الحضارات في اي زمان و مكان؟
انه العلم.. علم يتحدى القيود و حدود البلدان...
هنا في هولندا بنينا قطار حب و معرفة يحيي الوجدان
!سميناه الوكا و جعلناه سبيل بلوغ مرام يعجز عن التعبير عنها اللسان

Me gusta mucho viajar, aprender, trabajar y soñar en unión ..
Aquí en SEN hemos combinado pasión con acción ..
¿Cómo es que nosotros podemos involucrarnos juntando la inspiración con la razón?
Llegar a ser agentes de cambio de un gran movimiento social con adoración
Levantar a nuestros pueblos para lo mejor desde Casablanca a Asunción ...

Dear brothers, sisters, waka companions,
Uncle Phil told me an Elder told him..
"That which you are seeking ... Is that which is seeking."
We can give by receiving and grow by sharing ...
Which we did in this amazing 3-days meeting ..
Thank you wholeheartedly for who you are in this defining timing ..
Let's continue inspiring each other and working together while dreaming ..
Growing, shining and moving the world for better now and forever ...

I would like to end with an inspirational quote from a late civil rights leader ...
"Don't worry about what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and do that. Because what the world needs are people who have come alive."

Written by: Yassir EL Ouarzadi. All Rights Reserved.

Poème : La saison blanche et atypique

Chers lecteurs de ce blogue, chers amis,

En cette saison hivernale, je souhaite partager avec vous un poème que j'ai composé il y a quelques années après avoir vécu et expérimenté l'hiver canadien. 

Le poème s'intitule « La saison blanche et atypique » et il a été publié, pour la première fois, dans le Pigeon Dissident (Volume 33, Num. 2 - septembre 2009) et, ensuite, dans le magazine Momentum. 

Bonne lecture! N'hésitez surtout pas à me faire part de vos commentaires, suggestions et critiques :)

La saison blanche et atypique

Percevons cette page blanche représentant la terre, 

Songeons à cet éclat de lumière marquant l'hiver, 

Nous voilà plongés dans un univers hors pair. 

************

Une nuit, la terre s'est pleinement endormie, 

La nature a revêtu son amène manteau blanc, 

Prairies, demeures et plaines sont blanchies, 

D'un doux tapis moelleux qui couvre l'horizon. 

************

Ah! Comme les jours s'abrègent, 

Se succèdent les vents et les neiges, 

Oh! L'aurore du jour! Le crépuscule du soir!

Le temps passant, ce décor magique m'envahit d'espoir!

************

Pan! Pan! Et hallali!

Ö profond spleen, as-tu fini?

Ce soir, un soleil égaré gît au faite de la colline, 

La nature ploie sous la pluie, et c'est la ruine!

************

Ce sont les signes précurseurs de l'Hiver, 

Cette saison interminable et inébranlable qui appert!

Oh! Mystère la neige nous met en rêve, 

À mille gros flocons, elle tombe sans trêve.

************

Ah! Je viens à peine d'ouvrir mes yeux, 

Je décèle un paysage mythique et fabuleux, 

Montréal, emmitouflée, quel charme merveilleux!

Blancheur à perte de vue et climat majestueux!

************

Ah! Comme les jours s'abrègent, 

Se succèdent les vents et les neiges, 

Oh! L'aurore du jour! Le crépuscule du soir!

Le temps passant, ce décor magique m'envahit d'espoir!

************

Par dessus les lacs, les rivières et les champs, 

Charme pittoresque et univers émerveillant, 

Envoûtent l'âme et la rendent ivre, 

Aucun soutien ne contre cette rigueur de vivre, 

Hormis, dans cette froidure, la chaleur d'un livre!

© Poème composé par :

Yassir El Ouarzadi

Millenniums, we'll stay ...

Millenniums, we'll stay ...

Poem started on 11/11/11

& finished on 15/11/11

by

Yassir El Ouarzadi

Millennium Network member

Millenniums, we were ...

Millenniums, we are ...

Millenniums, we'll stay ...

*********

Working together, paving the way ...

Dreaming together of a better day ...

*********

Le Réseau du Millénaire nous a marqués ...

À maintes reprises ... À tout jamais ...

*********

Dans un monde en constante mutation,

Il nous rappelle nos réelles passions,

Nos valeurs communes, notre essence;

L'engagement citoyen et l'excellence ...

*********

Imagine a community of young leaders ...

With multiple talents... Coming from all corners ...

But sharing one goal, now, tomorrow and forever ;

Making their communities better, greater, stronger ...

*********

 That's the M-Network ...

A network not only to network ...

But to learn and grow together ...

To make Canada and the world better ...

*********

Il nous arrive tous de rêver ...

Et de voir nos rêves s'envoler ...

Il m'arrive, parfois, de rêver,

Et de voir mes rêves se réaliser ...

*********

Le Réseau du Millénaire est là ... pour nous aider ...

À rêver, mais surtout, à agir, grandir et se développer

Pour transformer ces rêves en réalités ...

Développer des leaders chevronnés ...

Des leaders proches de leurs communautés.

*********

Millennium friends ... you know...

Eleanor Roosevelt once said ...

"The future belongs to those

who believe in the beauty of their dreams"

Let's all believe in the beauty of our M:dreams !

When there is a will, there is a way. And ADI is the way ...

When there is a will, there is a way. And ADI is the way ...

Poem written by Yassir EL Ouarzadi

On October 8th, 2011 - at the #EAS11 Summit

مبادرة الـتنــمية الـــعربية

هل هي خطوة أساسية في مسار التنمية ؟

أم نـداء من شباب إلى الـبشرية ؟

نداء سلم و أمل ملؤه الـحيوية

التي غمرت قـلوب شـباب من أصول عربية

يتحثون بــلغات مــتعددة و عــالمية

عربـية، فـرنسية، إنــجليزية و إسـبانية

يـجمعهم رابط محبة و أمــة عـربية

************

À l’Initiative de Développement Arabe, nous réunissons …

Inspiration, Détermination, Action …

Lors d’un événement misant sur le changement …

Au lendemain de révolutions en Tunisie, Égypte et d’autres nations

Cinq cent jeunes, environ, venus de multiples horizons ….

Mais scandant haut et fort un message retentissant ….

Une lueur d’espoir, un appel à l’action

Dans des pays assoiffés de changement ….

************

Here we are …

At the right time, with the right people …

Uniting, discussing and tackling issues

From health & well-being to education

And from culture & society to climate action …

************

Fellow #ADIcts …

Brothers and Sisters …

You know .. There is a saying that goes …

When there is a Will, there is a Way …

And ADI is the Way …

MOMENTUM 5th Magazine + Your Big Year Competition

Dear Momentumweb Readers,

I hope you're all doing very well and wish you success in all your endeavours.

I am sending out this message to all of you since October 15th, 2011 is the DEADLINE to send us your writings (poems, articles, blogs, etc) and/or artwork to info@momentumweb.org for the 5th MOMENTUM Magazine (please CC me at yassir@momentumweb.org)

The main themes of this 5th edition will be Youth and ICTs as well as youth engagement through participating in local, regional and international conferences (One Young World 2011, World Youth Congress, SPECQUE, CIVICUS Youth Assembly, etc). If you want to write on another subject, feel free to do that as long as it's original and interesting! Remember, you can write in English, Spanish, French or Arabic.

The second reason I am emailing you today is to invite you to participate in Your Big Year Competition. Your Big Year was created by Smaller Earth as a way to engage people in the themes of entrepreneurship and global citizenship. It uses an incredible prize of a trip to 5 continents meeting community and world leaders to create excitement but everyone who enters get placed in a draw for a Smaller Earth project and the 12 finalists will all be flown to Liverpool in March 2012.

If you want to participate in Your Big Year, register at : www.yourbigyear.com

You'll need to enter a Referral Email. Mine is yasentrepreneur@gmail.com

With my best wishes!

Yassir EL Ouarzadi
Co-Founder and Executive Director
MOMENTUM : Mission, Passion, Expression
Join us at : http://momentumweb.org

Poem : One Young World is the way ...

Hi Momentumweb.org friends, members and supporters!

Here, I share with you a poem I wrote during my participation at the One Young World 2011 Summit that was held in Zurich, Switzerland last week. I hope you appreciate it! Please don't hesitate to add your comments, ideas, insights and suggestions. 

Poem : One Young World is the way ...

Written by Yassir EL Ouarzadi

Moroccan Delegate, OYW Ambassador (Morocco/Canada)

Asia, Europe, America ...

Australia and Africa ...

All of us share a vision ...

And a common mission ...

That is to inspire our generation ...

To engage with the population ...

******************

Let's join hands today,

To make our planet united, I say,

One Young World, let's UNITE, 

To make change, continue the fight ....

******************

Many companies, NGOs and governments are listening to ME and YOU, 

They wanna help us out to get through ...

The obstacles we face everyday ...

When we get involved, per say !

******************

Information. Inspiration. Action.

Mission. Passion. Expression.

What a great place to be !

To learn from each other, see ...

OYW fellow delegates, founders ...

Partners, collaborators and stakeholders ...

When there is a Will, there is a Way 

And One Young World is the Way ...

Yassir EL Ouarzadi  

Co-Founder and Executive Director
MOMENTUM Magazine & Youth Network
http://momentumweb.org/ | yassir@momentumweb.org

MOMENTUM: Mission. Passion. Expression.

On Facebook - become a fan
Follow us on Twitter  

Poème : Lundi soir, lundi noir

Lundi soir, lundi noir

Yassir EL Ouarzadi

Une semaine s'achève, une autre commence ...

Plein d'idées, je travaille, je pense ...

À l'été qui s'amorce, à la France ...

Le temps passe, je me lance ...

********

Je me lance dans un univers ...

Où tout semble éphémère ... 

Stress incessant, quel calvaire!

   Bonheur insipide, quelle chimère!

********

Ça s'est passé un lundi soir ...

Ou devrais-je dire, un lundi noir

Je revenais chez moi, plein d'espoir

Quand surgit une flamme de désespoir

********

Une aide qui a mené à une trahison

Un geste devenu synonyme de punition

Un appel anodin, une simple conversation

A déclenché une série d'événements ...

********

Pan! Pan! Et hallali!

Ô profond spleen, as-tu fini ?

Un soir de déboires, quel alibi?

Tournons la page, c'est la vie!

 

MOMENTUM 4th Magazine NOW ONLINE - 4e MAGAZINE MOMENTUM EN LIGNE

Dear MOMENTUM members and supporters,

Our MOMENTUMweb.org community keeps growing as new members join us to express their points of view and their reflections on what is happening around the world, and especially how youth can contribute to the betterment of our globalized society. Thanks to the motivation and dedication of our volunteers, country ambassadors, sponsors and supporters, we are glad to provide you, through our online platform, with a Social Network for Changemakers and invite YOU to contribute and support us by spreading the word about our youth-led magazine that aims to inform and inspire youth to "be the change they want to see in the World" (quote from Ghandi).

The 4th edition of MOMENTUM magazine is now ONLINE. You can read the magazine via this link: http://en.calameo.com/read/000459508db3f5a633cbf

Feel free to email us at info@momentumweb.org for any question or comment or to submit an article, poem, short story or photography to be published in the 5th edition of the magazine. This time, we invite you to write about your community projects and achievements. 

Thank you and enjoy reading the magazine!

***************************************************************

Chers membres de MOMENTUM,

La 4e édition du magazine Momentum est désormais EN LIGNE. Nous vous remercions de votre patience et vous invitons à la lire en suivant le lien web : http://en.calameo.com/read/000459508db3f5a633cbf

N'hésitez pas à nous écrire à info@momentumweb.org pour toute question ou commentaire ou pour soumettre un écrit (article, poème, récit) ou une photographie pour la 5e édition du magazine. Cette fois, nous vous invitons à partager avec nous des écrits à propos de vos projets communautaires et/ou de vos autres réalisations.

Merci et bonne lecture du magazine!

-- 

Yassir EL Ouarzadi 

Co-Founder and Executive Director

MOMENTUM: Mission, Passion, Expression

http://momentumweb.org/

Join our Facebook group :

https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=39807298354

Follow us on Twitter :

http://twitter.com/momentumweb

When 1600 Changemakers Meet in Istanbul ... (Article published in Montreal University Law Journal - Le Pigeon Dissident - October 2010)

When 1600 Changemakers Meet in Istanbul ...

By Yassir EL Ouarzadi

Action, passion and dedication: three words that describe best what the 1600 World Youth Delegates irradiated during this unique global gathering. Hundreds of young activists, artists, journalists, entrepreneurs and educators met in the 2010 European Capital of Culture, Istanbul, from July 31st until August 13th, 2010 ready to live a very unique international experience. Such global events and meetings help us work together towards common purposes and find solutions to the challenges we, as youth, face everyday. "Imece" was the main theme of the 5th World Youth Congress. As Faruk Nafiz Özak, Minister of State of the Repulic of Turkey, said, "Imece" has existed in the Turkish culture for many centuries and its key qualities such as solidarity, togetherness, and volunteerism are just as relevant in today's world.

Nowadays, we live in a period of fast moving global change. In a world where the population is growing so fast, the challenges and problems that we face have gone from being local to universal. We have just to think to such issues as climate change, security, education, health, poverty... Globalization has removed the borders between continents and countries, thus creating the necessity for us to think, plan and act under the same roof. In these special circumstances, youth population becomes more important than ever before. 12 August 2010 - 12 August 2011 has been annouced as the Year of Youth by the United Nations. I hope that, throughout this designated year of youth, young people, all over the globe, will prove that they are not only changemakers of tomorrow, but leaders of today. Law Students can certainly play a major rule in transforming this dream into reality. As future lawyers, professors, journalists and politicians, we " must be the change we want to see in the world " (Gandhi).

My experience as a Young Activist was truly amazing and unforgettable! During the 5th World Youth Congress (WYC), I had the chance to meet with talented young people from all corners of the world. With my fellow WYC delegates, I attended different workshops, regional meetings and open forums during my stay in Istanbul. Some of the workshops focused on Youth Participation and Citizenship, others taught us how to get a job at the UN or how to develop effective entrepreneurship. It was really wonderful to witness the burning desire of the WYC delegates to work in the spirit of "Imece" for youth-led development. I was glad to meet with like-minded people who started community projects or are volunteering in their neighbourhoods, cities and countries. We shared many goals such as to make poverty history in our lifetimes and to create a prosperous green economy that will bring sustainable happiness to every member of the human family. During the Exhibition, I presented my project MOMENTUM: Mission, Passion, Expression to my fellow WYC delegates. It was a great opportunity to showcase my community initiative and interact with many dynamic youth willing to participate in our next editions of the MOMENTUM Magazine (http://momentumweb.ning.com/)

Istanbul, the city where East and West meet, was a great place to organize the 5th WYC. Since Istanbul, previously known as "Constantinople", is a melting pot of different cultures, it was a perfect place for delegates to share their knowledge, experiences and cultures with each other and to build strong bridges between countries. Istanbul is also a megacity, as well as the cultural, economic, and financial centre of Turkey. It extends both on the European (Thrace) and on the Asian (Anatolia) sides of the Bosphorus, and is thereby the only metropolis in the world which is situated on two continents. Here are some places you should not miss if you travel to Istanbul: Dolmabahçe Palace, where famous leader Ataturk had his last breath, the Grand Bazaar, a historic shopping center, the Blue Mosque (or Sultan Ahmed Mosque) and the Princes' Islands.

The 5th World Youth Congress in Turkey was not just an ordinary conferance, it was a festival, a training, a development programme, and an intercultural & interreligious dialogue at the same time. The 6th World Youth Congress, designed to promote and celebrate youth-led development, will bring together 1000 of the world's most dynamic young people from over 140 countries to Brazil in 2012. Let us all meet there!

Source:

http://pigeondissident.com/publication/liste (please download the October 2010 Edition of the Montreal Univ. Law Journal. In French: "Dernier numéro du Pigeon: Octobre 2010")

Blog Action Day 2010 on the issue of WATER!