SEVERN CULLIS-SUZUKI
Personal History
-SPEECHES-
1991 Age 11
March 91 Panelist, Environmental Youth Alliance
International Conference, Kitsilano Secondary
School, Vancouver, B.C.
Fall 91 Speech and Slide Show, Kitsilano
Secondary School, Vancouver, B.C.
Fall 91 Speech and Slide Show, 3 shows, Britannia
Secondary School, Vancouver, B.C.
1992 Age 12
March 92 "An Evening with the Environmental
Children's Organization". Speech and
Slide Show on the Amazon. Planetarium, Vancouver,
B.C.
June 92 Severn started E.C.O., The Environmental
Children's Organisation, in 1989. In 1991
and 1992 E.C.O. raised enough money to send
five children and three adults to The Earth
Summit in Rio, Brazil to be a "conscience"
of the proceedings. They had a booth at the
Global Forum and talked to hundreds of people
and gave dozens of interviews. They gave
speeches at:
The Open Speaker's Forum at The Global Forum;
Children's Day, Earth Parliament;
Education and Ethics Panel, Earth Summit;
Closing Plenary Speech, June 9, Earth Summit.
June 92 Speech and slideshow: Tennyson Elementary
School, Vancouver, B.C.
Aug 92 Keynote Speech: The World Peace Prayer
Society, Amenia, New York.
Fall 92 Speech and slideshow: Tennyson Elementary
School, Vancouver, B.C.
Nov 92 Speech and slideshow: Worldwide Homemakers'
Environmental Network, West Vancouver, B.C.
Dec 92 Speech and Co-facilitating of daylong
workshop - "UNCED Revisited": The
Global Education Project, Nanaimo, B.C.
1993 Age 13
Feb 93 Keynote Speech and slideshow - Environmental
Youth Alliance International Conference,
Vancouver, B.C.
Apr 93 Participant: Media Section: Global
Forum of Spiritual and Parliamentary Leaders,
Okayama, Japan
Apr 93 Closing Speech - The Global Forum
of Spiritual and Parliamentary (A gathering
of world leaders including Gorbachev). Kyoto,
Japan.
May 93 Speech: Milk International Children's
Festival. Harbourfront, Toronto, Ontario
June 93 Speech and acceptance of The Global
500 Award, The United Nations Environmental
Program. Beijing, China.
Aug 93 Keynote Speech: Canadian Peace Alliance/L'alliance
canadienne pour la paix (Toronto). Lake Couchiching,
Ontario.
Aug 93 Speech: Roots 20th Anniversary Benefit
Gala. Toronto, Ontario.
Sept 93 Speech: Y.W.C.A., Calgary, Alberta.
(Sent and read aloud to participants.)
Oct 93 Speech - Ontario Science Centre. Toronto,
Ontario.
Oct 93 Speech: Conference: "Building
Sustainable Communities": Ecommunity
Environmental Forum, Mall of the Americas,
Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Oct 93 Speech: Vancouver Writers' Festival.
With Wade Davis. Vancouver, B.C.
Oct 93 Speech - accepting the United Nations
Association's John Gibbard Award. Vancouver,
B.C.
Nov 93 Speech: An Evening for Clayoquot Sound.
The Sierra Club, Victoria, B.C.
Nov 93 Speech: Kitsilano Community Centre.
Banyen Books, Vancouver, B.C.
1994 Age 14
March 94 Host and Participant - Meeting of
Young Environmental Activists from the Kansai
Region. Osaka, Japan.
Aug 94 Speech and Slide Show. Heron Rocks
Society. Hornby Island, B.C.
Aug 94 Speech aboard the Russian ship Alla
Tarasova, for Adventure Canada, Greenland.
Sept 94 Speech: International Institute for
Peace Through Tourism Convention. Montreal,
Quebec.
Oct 94 Speech: Partners in our Future: Business,
The Environment, and Students. Burlington,
Ontario.
1995 Age 15
May 95 Speech: "Letters": Author
Series; Opening of the Vancouver Public Library.
With Wade Davis and Birute Galdikas.
1996 Age 16
April 96 Speech: Student Assembly, New Westminster
Secondary School. New Westminster, B.C.
April 96 Speech: Earth Day. Sponsored by
Vancouver City Savings Union. Vancouver,
B.C.
July 96 Speech: Sharing The Spirit Conference.
Comox, B.C.
Aug 96 Speech: Kuching Conference: Sarawak,
Malaysia. (Sent and read aloud to participants.)
1997 Age 17
Feb 97 Speech: Youth Conference, Collingwood
School. West Vancouver, B.C.
Dec 7-11, 97 Attended Kyoto Climate Change
Meetings, UNFCCC COP3, Kyoto, Japan.
Dec 9 97 Speech: meeting with Network Earth
Village, Kyoto, Japan.
Dec 97 Speech: Rally by The Bicycle People:
Parade for Car-Free Streets; Vancouver, B.C.
1998 Age 18
Sept 98 Speech: 1998 Mother-Daughter Luncheon,
Bishop Strachan School, Toronto, Ontario.
2001 Age 21
March 01 Sao Paulo: keynote address to Amana
Key's business conference entitled The Art
of Making Things Happen
Nov. 29th '01 Toronto: Speeches at the Blueprint:
Designing for Survival student conference,
Ursula Franklin highschool
Speech to students: Sustaining a Positive
Vision of the Future
Speech to teachers: What I learned on My
Summer Vacation: two months in the
Amazon
-PUBLISHED WRITING-
1992 "Kids and the Environment",
article in Environmental Youth Alliance Newspaper,
Vancouver, B.C.
1992 Numerous articles, Environmental Children's
Organization Newspaper; Vols. 1, 2, and 3;
layout and publishing assistance from The
Environmental Youth Alliance, Vancouver.
1992/93 Columns for the magazine The Monitor:
"ECO" - September 1992
"What We Can Do" - November 1992
"Galapagos" - February 1993
"Amazon" - 1993
"Antarctica" - 1993
1993 Book: Tell the World, Toronto, Doubleday,
1993.
1994 "What is it That You're Waiting
For" and other articles on environmental
issues for the Patagonia Catalogue, Spring
1994 edition.
Feb 94 "I'm only a Child, but...";
Article for Our Planet, magazine of the United
Nations Environment Program; Special Issue:
The Family & The Environment; Geoffrey
Lean, editor of publications.
June 94 Interview published as a chapter
in She Should Talk: Conversations with Exceptional
Young Women about Life, Dreams & Success.
Erica Ehm. Toronto, Harper Collins, 1994.
Sept 96 "The Voice of Youth"; inaugural
article of the youth column, Ecolutions Environmental
Magazine; Fall 1996 edition; Paul Boin, Editor.
1992 - 1996 Publication of the speech to
the Earth Summit (Rio) in numerous publications,
e.g.:
-The Earth Summit: A Planetary Reckoning.
by Adam Rogers. Global View Press: Los Angeles,
1993.
-Whole Life Times, Annual Children's Issue,
October 1993; Malibu, Ca.
-Earth Ethics: Evolving Values for an Earth
Community, Centre for Respect of Life and
Environment, Washington, D.C., Winter 1993
issue.
-Environmental Youth Alliance (Australia)
Newspaper January 1993.
-International Business Communications: Promoting
World Trade. North York, Ontario. September/October
1992 issue.
-Page Journal, B.C. Teachers for Peace and
Global Education, February 1993.
-Share International, Vol.12, No.2 - March
1993; Amsterdam.
-The World Affairs Canada Quarterly, Toronto:
Volume 1, No. 3; Fall 1992.
-To Be Y, edicao especial aniversario, No.
13. Yazigi International, Brazil.
-World Goodwill Newsletter, September 1992.
London, Geneva, New York (Excerpts)
-Frontispiece, Final Report of the Great
Lakes Educators Advisory Council to the International
Joint Commission. International Joint Commission,
September 1993 (Excerpts).
-Quarterly Report, South Twin Lake Conservation
Society, Wausau, Wisconsin, 1997.
-Article on Primary Children's Education,
Geography (journal), University of Hertfordshire,
United Kingdom, 1997.
-many others, as permission is constantly
being given to republish the transcript
1993-96 Publication of the Kyoto Speech in
numerous publications, e.g.:
Hinduism Today, Volume 15, Number 7; July
1993. Concord, California.
Spring 97 "Tell the World", article
for Future Now magazine.
In editing:
Book: Friendship That Spanned 5000 Years.
Stoddart Publishing, Toronto, Ontario.
-TELEVISION, AUDIO, & CD-ROM WORK-
1987 "Kittens are Born"; "Sound";
"Taste"; "Collecting in a
Swamp": various items for Sesame Street
television programs; Cathy Chilco, Producer.
1990 "Tidal Pools", Nature Connection
Series, CBC Television, Porpoise Bay Productions,
Toronto, Ontario.
June 92 Subject of UNCED Television Reports
from Rio de Janeiro, CBC Newsworld, David
Halton; Eve Savory; CBC Toronto.
Jan 93 Participant in TV program "The
Earth Summit: What Now?" Knowledge Network,
Vancouver, B.C.
Jan 93 Participant, "What in the World
is Going On?" CD-ROM interactive environmental
diskette, Pixel Productions, Toronto, Ontario.
May 93 "Morningside", Peter Gzowski,
CBC National Radio, Toronto.
June 93 "Gabereau", Vicky Gabereau,
CBC National Radio, Vancouver.
June 93 "Midday", CBC National
Radio, Toronto.
June 93 "Growing Up", Television
Documentary on the Rio Conference, TVE (Television
Trust for the Environment), Central Television,
& UNICEF Coproduction, London, United
Kingdom.
Oct 93 "Canada A.M.", CTV (Television)
Oct 93 Host and Writer,"Stand Up",
student television pilot for youth, British
Columbia Institute of Technology, Vancouver,
B.C.
Jan 94 Presenter, "Earthfile",
WTN Television, United Kingdom, Nigel Swettenham,
Producer.
June 94 Host: Open Space - Four Colours Green,
BBC TV, London, United Kingdom; Gerry Pomeroy,
Producer.
Sept 94 Narrator: "First Peoples",
Bananaphone, C.D. by children's singer Raffi,
Troubadour Records, Vancouver, B.C.
Jan 1 95 Participant, "Discover",
Inaugural Program of the Discovery Channel,
Television (Canada).
Jan 95 Contributor, "True North Arrivals",
CD ROM, Southam Inc., Toronto, Ontario; Brian
Porter, Producer; multimedia resource in
Ontario schools.
March 95 Host, "U-Turn", 22 minute
television program on consumption for students,
Suzanne Tabata, producer, Tabata Production
Associates, Vancouver, B.C.
April 95 Participant: "Femmes/Women",
Les Productions Point de Mire (Television),
Rina Fraticelli Producer, Montreal, Quebec.
1995 Interview, National Public Radio (U.S.)
Nov 95 Subject of half-hour television program:
"Severn Cullis-Suzuki", People
Link Series, Rogers Cable Systems, Patricia
Cottingham & Barbara Anderson Producers,
Vancouver, B.C.
Oct 96 Host, "It's Eco-Logic",
Lighthouse Productions (Television), Toronto,
Ontario.
Mar 97 - July 99: Host: "Suzuki's NatureQuest",
26-part Television Series, Wendy Loten, Producer;
Porpoise Bay Productions Inc. in association
with Kaleidoscope Entertainment Inc., Toronto,
Ontario.
Mar 98 Panelist on Program on Climate Change
aired on On The Edge: Robert Mason Lee, Vancouver
TV.
-ORGANIZATION FOUNDED-
Sept 90 The Environmental Children's Organization:
E.C.O., later E.Ch.O.
-BOARDS-
Director: FarmFolk, CityFolk Vancouver, B.C.
Director: Swim For Life Foundation, Vancouver,
B.C.
Advisory Board Member: YIPPEE (Earth Camp)
International, California, U.S.A.
Judge: Y.W.C.A. 1996 Women of Distinction
Awards, Vancouver, B.C.
Sponsor: Environmental Youth Alliance, Australia.
Commissioner: UN's Earth Charter Commission,
1997-2001
Panelist: UN Secretary General's Panel for
advising on the World Summit on Sustainable
Development 2001-2002
-RECENT ACTIVITIES-
Sept 01-June 02 Currently a Senior in Ecology
and Evolutionary Biology at Yale University.
Summer 2001 Researcher at Pinkaiti Amazon
Research Station, Para, Brazil.
Summer 2000 Power Shift 2000: with 5 other
young women, powered a cycling trip across
Canada in a campaign for Clean Air.
-AWARDS and HONOURS-
A: INTERNATIONAL AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS:
June 92 Certificate of Apreciation in Recognition
of Outstanding Contribution to the Earth
Summit, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Right
Honourable Brian Mulroney, Prime Minister
of Canada.
June 93 The Global 500 Environment Award.
United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP),
Nairobi; awarded in Beijing, China.
April 95 Tommy Brayshaw Junior Conservation
Award. North Pacific International Chapter,
American Fisheries Society.
Oct 96 Adopted into The Raven and Wolf Clan
of Tanu; the Haida Nation, Skidegate, Haida
Gwaii; by Chief Chee Xial, Miles Richardson
Sr., at traditional ceremonial potlatch.
Haida name: Killthgula Gaayaa (Good Speaker).
Feb 97 Appointed member of the Earth Charter
Commission by Mikhail Gorbachev and Maurice
Strong. Delegate, Rio+5 Forum, Rio de Janeiro,
March 13-19, 1997.
Nov 97 Named by the Hesquiat Tribe of the
Nuu-chah-nulth Nation of the west coast of
Vancouver Island; by Chief Klah-Kisht-Ke-iss,
Simon Lucas, at traditional ceremony. Nuu-chah-nulth
name: Mah-Nulth-Ath-Luk (She Who Looks Out
for the World).
May 98 Adopted into the Housty Clan of the
Heiltsuk Nation at Waglisla, Bella Bella;
by Chief Naci, Gary Housty, at ceremonial
potlatch.
March 00 Follow up on benchmark draft of
Earth Charter,
June 01 Europe and North American Rountable
conference in preparation for the Johannesburg
Summit in Vail, Colorado
Oct 01 Johannesburg preparations with Kofi
Anan and Eminent Persons
B: CANADIAN AWARDS
1989 First Prize: St. Roch Art Contest/Concourse
artistique. Maritime Museum, Vancouver.
March 91 Selected for In the Mood for Mystery:
Young Writers' Conference. Vancouver School
Board.
May 91 Certificate of Appreciation, Turn
on the Lights Project. For artwork: contribution
to the beautification of Downtown Vancouver.
Business Improvement Association.
Oct. 92 The VanCity Youth Environmental Service
Award. Vancouver City Savings Credit Union.
92 - 96 Apprenticeship with renowned Haida
artist Bill Reid.
Oct 93 John Gibbard Youth Award. B.C. United
Nations Association.
April 94 Leader of Tomorrow Award. Volunteer
Vancouver.
1994 Finalist: YTV Achievement Award honouring
Canadian youth and excellence.
Jan 95 Official Selection: 1995 Ontario Silver
Birch Book Award. Ontario Library Association.
For her book Tell The World.
May 96 Y.W.C.A. "Women of Distinction"
Awards, Vancouver, B.C.: Judge.
C: SCHOLASTIC AWARDS
June 93 Honour Roll. Kitsilano Secondary
School.
June 94 Principal's List (A average). Kitsilano
Secondary School.
June 94 Passport to Education Scholarship:
$125
1994 Canadian Mathematics Competition (Pascal):
Certificate of Distinction. University of
Waterloo Faculty of Mathematics.
June 95 Principal's List (A average). Prince
of Wales Secondary School.
June 95 Passport to Education Scholarship:
$175
June 96 Honour Roll. Kitsilano Secondary
School.
June 96 Passport to Education Scholarship:
$225
June 96 Principal's List (Over 85% average).
Kitsilano Secondary School: "A recognition
of exceptional performance in both academic
and non-academic studies."
Dec 96 Canadian Merit Scholarship Provincial
Award. "The top three per-cent in Canada's
largest independent open awards competition."
Feb 97 Canada Trust Certificate of Merit
for Outstanding Community Leadership &
Scholarship: $500.
June 97 AP (Advanced Placement) in four subjects:
English, Calculus, French Language, and French
Literature.
June 97 Passport to Education Scholarship:
$275 (Four-year total $800)
June 97 Provincial Scholarship Award for
Excellence: $1000
March 97 Accepted at Yale University, Princeton
University, and Amherst College.
April 01 Presented with the Thoreau fellowship
$3500 US.
D: SPORTS AWARDS
Starting Lineup, High School Basketball Team,
annually from Grade 7 through Senior Year
in Secondary School. City Championship for
final three years Grades 10, 11 and 12. Grade
12: School Provincially Ranked for the first
time in 40 years (8th of 400 schools in Province).
March 94 Named to the city-wide Vancouver
All-Stars Basketball Team. Grade 9.
Aug 94 Bronze Sail IV Certificate. Kitsilano
Yacht Club.
March 95 1995 Vancouver District Junior Basketball
Championship. Prince of Wales Secondary School.
April 95 Named to the city-wide Vancouver
Junior Basketball Team. (All-Stars)
May 95 District Cup, Under 17, Silver Division,
Point Grey Soccer.
Dec 95 Santana Horsman Chevron Christmas
Classic Basketball Tournament, San Diego.
March 96 1996 Vancouver District Senior Basketball
Championship. Kitsilano Secondary School.
Dec 96 Santana Horsman Chevron Christmas
Classic Basketball Tournament, San Diego.
Feb 97 1997 Vancouver District Senior Basketball
Championship. Kitsilano Secondary School.
Feb 97 Award: Best Defensive Player of the
Tournament, 1997 Vancouver City Senior Basketball
Championships.
Mar 97 8th Place. 1997 British Columbia Provincial
AAA Senior Girls Basketball Championship
Tournament.
-OTHER SPORTS-
Snowboarding (Advanced)
Ocean Kayaking
Whitewater Kayaking
Whitewater Rafting (Leader in Training)
Whitewater and Ocean Canoeing
Soccer
Backpacking (including Winter Camping)
Good fisherman! (Freshwater and Ocean).
-Comments-
"Your daughter was the real star of
the Conference and when I move back to Canada
I hope I will have a chance to see both of
you and discuss the immense job that now
faces us all in following up on Rio."
- Maurice Strong, Secretary-General of the
Rio Earth Summit of June 1992; July 2, 1992.
"That was the best speech at Rio."
Senator Al Gore, June 1992.
"A Small Voice Carrying a Large Burden:
While speaking at the Indigneous People's
Earth Parliament, 12-year-old Canadian activist
Severn Suzuki held the audience in awe with
her eloquent and articulate description of
the planet's ailments. Among those in attendance
was UNICEF director James P. Grant, who told
Suzuki that he was going to give a transcript
of her speech to Canadian Prime Minister
Brian Mulroney when he arrived in Rio to
sign the documents. Grant did more than that:
he brought Suzuki to the attention of UNCED
Secretary-General Maurice Strong, telling
him that the young lady had a message that
the world needed to hear, and asking him
to make room for her in the UNCED Plenary
proceedings....What resulted was what Senator
Al Gore called "The best speech of the
Rio Conference." July 1992: Toronto
Star columnist Michele Landsberg, wife of
Stephen Lewis, Canadian Ambassador to the
United Nations.
"As Head of the Canadian Delegation,
I want to personally thank you for your effort
and your contribution and it gives me great
pleasure to recognize this in a formal way
through the attached certificate from the
Prime Minister who shares my high regard
for your work." Jean Charest, Minister
of the Environment, Canada. November 4, 1992.
"The best speech I heard at the 1992
Earth Summit in Rio was an electrifying talk
by Vancouver's 12-year-old Severn Suzuki.
An outstanding spokesperson for the hopes
and fears of the world's children, Severn
speaks with compassion for the endangered
family of Earth....On behalf of her generation
and those yet to come, Severn's strong call
for change is unique in its logic and in
its moral voice." - Children's singer
Raffi, May 14, 1993.
"UNEP has decided to pay tribute to
your outstanding environmental work by naming
you to its 'Global 500' Roll of Honour. Please
accept my heartfelt congratulations. I wish
to invite you to Beijing China to receive
the Certificate of Honour..." - Elizabeth
Dowdswell, Executive Director, United Nations
Environment Programme, New York. April 30,
1993.
"If children could be made leaders in
environmental programs, Severn would surely
be among them. She makes more sense than
most adults who engage in small talk and
do nothing. Severn, like many children her
age are doers and that means a lot when it
comes to the environment. At age 5, she fought
for the Indians in British Columbia to protect
them from logging interests. At age 10, she
founded the Environmental Children's Organization
which participated in the Earth Summit and
brought the house down with her impassioned
speech." - The United Nations Environment
Programme, Information and Public Affairs
Branch, Nairobi. May, 1993.
"I am very pleased to offer you my warmest
congratulations on having recently been named
to the Global 500 Youth Environmental Award
Roll of Honour of the United Nations Environment
Program. This prestigious award is ...recognition
of the great potential which lies in your
future. You have proven yourself to be a
young lady with tremendous enthusiasm, talent
and intelligence; qualities which are matched
only by your desire to preserve the environmental
wonders of our world." - Ramon Hnatyshyn,
The Governor General of Canada. May 27, 1993.
"This articulate youngster is an outstanding
spokesperson for the hopes and fears of the
world's children. She has great compassion
for the underprivileged, a strong sense of
social justice, and possesses a faultless
logic which, combined with her young age,
gives her arguments a moral imperative that
can not be ignored. I feel that her role
as the youth voice on the International Green
Cross Board would truly exemplify the value
change you seek to embody." - Children's
singer Raffi to Rabbi Soetendorp and Mikhail
Gorbachev, Green Cross, The Hague. May 10,
1993.
"Your commitment to the environment
sets an example for both youth and adults
and brings hope for the future." -Tore
Brevik, Chief, Information & Public Affairs,
United Nations Environment Programme. July
5, 1993.
"Raffi has kindly sent me a copy of
the speech you recently presented in Kyoto.
Your insight and eloquence are exceptional!...Your
commitment is recognized as a great motivating
force for both the young and the old."
- Arthur Campeau, Q.C., Ambassador for Environment
and Sustainable Development, Canada. July
2, 1993.
"We have transcribed your speech [in
Amenia, New York] and I am continually impressed
with your dedication and insights. Your speech
was powerful and moving. You are the kind
of person who will make great improvements
for the betterment of our planet Earth."
To Severn's Mother: "We often speak
about the Festival; in large part its success
was due to your daughter's tremendous contribution.
You must be very proud of her. She's a rare
person who will go far in life. How gratifying
it must be for you to see how much she has
accomplished." Taira Tanaka, Managing
Director, The World Peace Prayer Society,
New York, N.Y. October 15, 1992.
"She's a media star. Groups around the
world are clamoring for her to speak. Her
name is Severn Cullis-Suzuki and she's 13
years old." - The Vancouver Sun, July
10, 1993.
"Severn's presentation [at Burlington]
was powerful, inspiring and to borrow a word
from my kids - awesome. The audience of 350
were captivated by her words and delivery....I
was personally blown away by her presentation
and delighted to have met her. This was a
very special day for me." - George Torok,
Burlington Sustainable Development Committee.
October 16, 1994.
"Your daughter has a great future in
public speaking." Vice-President Al
Gore, 1994.
"What a delight to share with you perhaps
your 'first public stage'! Already you are
publicly encouraging youth and elders to
'rekindle their culture' to respect mother
Earth. Many EYA participants told me how
much you touched them during our intergenerational
presentation and during your ECO workshop."
Ronald Leger, CIDA (Canadian International
Development Agency). May 18, 1991.
"I realize that she has a true gift
for writing that I want to support and encourage.
In class, I see her as an analytical thinker.
She is a leader and she is an original. Congratulations,
Severn!" - Marie-Paule Fancello, Gifted/Enrichment
Teacher, March 11, 1991.
"I had the pleasure of hearing you speak
at the Burlington Environmental Conference
two years ago and I truly feel that you can
make adults listen and inspire other youth
to speak out and act." - Paul Boin,
Editor, Ecolutions Magazine, September 1996.
"I was impressed with the power of your
delivery and the truth of your statements."
- Bev Suderman, International Cooperation
Coordinator, YWCA Calgary. October 6, 1992.
"Severn Cullis-Suzuki, only 14 years
old, personifies the example and leadership
young people have to offer." Volunteer
Vancouver, YWCA B.C.
The closing words of the Earth Summit in
Rio de Janeiro:
"You heard the other night from a fellow
Canadian, a lovely young 12-year-old girl,
Severn Suzuki. I want to close these remarks
by reminding you of what she said, which
I believe every child on this planet will
have in his or her heart as they look to
what you have done here at Rio.
She said, 'Parents used to be able to comfort
their children by saying Everything's going
to be all right; we're doing the best we
can, and it's not the end of the world. But
you can't say that to us any more.
'Our planet is becoming worse and worse for
all future children. Yet we only hear adults
talking about local interests and national
priorities. Are we even on your list of priorities?
You grown-ups say you love us, but we challenge
you to make your actions reflect your words.'
And we are challenged, in the responsibilities
we carry as we leave Rio, to make our actions
reflect the words which have testified to
our commitment here." -Maurice Strong,
Secretary General, Rio Earth Summit: United
Nations Conference on Environment and Development
(UNCED); the closing words of the Rio Conference.
"David Brower, as you know, is thought
to be the grandfather of the modern-day environmental
movement. He respects you very much....Throughout
David's travels around the world he proudly
plays your videotaped speech....He looks
up to you as an eloquent young leader for
the environmental community and is inspired
by your vision and strength." Bill Buck,
Earth Island Institute, San Francisco California
June 3, 1995.
"Your VanCity Earth Day speech on environmental
citizenship was brilliant and thought provoking"-Vancouver.
"We are proud to have featured such
an eloquent speech in our annual Children's
issue" -California. "You very admirably
represented the voice of youth at the I.I.P.T.
Conference....You reminded us of what's truly
important in life....Severn, you are a very
special person." -Montreal. "Severn's
presentation was powerful, inspiring and
to borrow a word from my kids -- awesome."
-Burlington. "Without a doubt, many
people are changed individuals as a result
of...that day" -Nanaimo. "I found
your message so powerful and really believe
you are making such a difference to people's
lives...I was so moved by your speeches and
challenged to consider better ways in which
I can make a difference..." -Sydney,
Australia. "A 14-year-old environmental
crusader is visiting to encourage her Japanese
peers to put more pressure on those controlling
the fate of the Earth" -Osaka, Japan.
"Congratulations to your group on putting
into words this loving warning. We are proud
to spread this message to teenagers throughout
Brazil..." Sao Paulo, Brazil. "I
am a professor of environmental studies....Your
speech really encouraged and gave incentive
to my students" Yamanashi, Japan. "It's
really important that young people's views
get listened to. Thanks a lot! Edinburgh,
Scotland.. "I feel I am doing well in
my effort, Severn. That was your speech at
the Rio Earth Summit which initiated me to
struggle for a better environment all my
life. I hope I can get an invaluable knowledge
from your experience. And I have started
the journey now." -Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.