This week in Vancouver: Remixology and The Great Turning

Two events that help empower individuals to improve their communities through engagement and collaboration.

Credit: Various

Vancouver social change events

Two events we’d love to see you at this week help you reach out to your neighbours while doing good for your community

 

Granville Online is sponsoring two events this week that are about empowering individuals to improve their communities through engagement and collaboration. Buy your tickets now as both events are sure to sell out!

 

Fresh Media Remixology 5 – Digital Democracy: The New Frontier of Politics & Social Media 

Wednesday, April 27, 2011, Waldorf Hotel | Tickets & Info

 

How social media tools be used to engage citizens? Increase voter turnout? Engage Canadians in important local and global issues? 

 

As the federal election draws near, this edition of Remixology celebrates the “death of apathy and the age of engagement,” targetting the essential role of media innovation in a democracy. More than ever before, through the tools of new media, citizens have the opportunity to take an active role in shaping government and policy in this country.

 

Media innovators, social change organizations and concerned citizens talk about social media and citizen engagement at this interactive dialogue, followed by an “Apathy Is Dead” after-party hosted by Gen Why Media Project and Get Your Vote On in association with ShitHarperDid.ca.

 

Speakers include: Jamie Biggar, co-founder of Leadnow; Emily Jubenvill, Get Your Vote On; Kevin Millsip, director and co-founder of Next Up; Ajay Masala Puri, co-founder and co-lead at Coop Culture; Steve Anderson, national coordinator of OpenMedia.ca; and Tara Mahoney and Fiona Rayher, founders of Gen Why Media Project.

 

The Remixology event series is presented by Fresh Media, which is a project of OpenMedia.ca, a Vancouver-based pro-Internet advocacy non-profit. Fresh Media was formed with the purpose of celebrating innovation in all forms of media, allowing opportunities for mixing and mingling to encourage collaboration after its events. Its goal is to inspire the re-imagining of media and journalism in Canada.

 

The Great Turning Unconference

Saturday, April 30, 2011, Maritime Labour Centre | Tickets & Info

 

The Great Turning is a one-of-a-kind event that brings together hundreds of local change agents leading dynamic initiatives that are strengthening Vancouver. With 40-plus presenters from Greenpeace, Village Vancouver, Oxfam and dozens of other organizations exploring topics from oil tankers to backyard beekeeping, The Great Turning is the place to discover your role in the movement for change.

 

Through speakers and facilitated small-group roundtable discussions, the day-long event brings together 400+ Vancouver residents and community leaders from a broad spectrum of organizations and backgrounds to connect, explore and collaborate on ideas about how to strengthen our communities while striving to achieve sustainability. Sessions will be organized around action, innovation and consciousness. 

 

Speakers include: Rex Weyler, author and Greenpeace co-founder; Andrea Reimer, deputy mayor and councillor to City of Vancouver; Ben West of the Wilderness Committee; Ross Moster, Village Vancouver; Taina Uitto, Plastic Manners; Conrad Schmidt, Work Less Party; Joanne Bays, Food Policy Council; and so many others.

 

An invitation to Saturday’s event by Maureen Jack-La Croix, producer of 
The Great Turning Unconference and founder of the Be The Change Earth Alliance.

 

For anyone wanting to create change in their communities, especially in anticipation of a post-carbon world, the Great Turning offers a unique opportunity to step-back from our busy day-to-day and focus on ideas for improving the communities we live in.

 

The day will be enhanced with morning coffee, yoga, an organic vegetarian/vegan lunch, spoken word, local musicians and storytellers. And later, The Great Turning will be followed by The Quickening: A Musical Journey Through the Four Paths of Transformation.

 

The Great Turning is presented by the Be the Change Alliance, a global community of people who believe that changing the world begins with changing our own lives and habits. The non-profit society was formed in 2007 in Vancouver and offers presentations and symposia, action circles and gatherings to inspire and support people in making lifestyle changes and re-creating healthy communities.