International Health

From being a young person who had done no traveling about 2 years ago he's spent a lot of time in airplanes since.  He has been fortunate enough to be involved in LEAP (remember we have seen him before when Deepti organised for the LEAP participants to come and visit with us awhile ago?) and to be invited to a World Summit in 2014 for young people.  The event was held in Dublin.  If you want to see more about it, go to You Tube and look for "The One Young World Summit Highlights 2014 and revisit the video Marc played this morning. 

 

Marc, through his travels has come to the conclusion that health and culture are linked; and that we, here in Australia, really are in a lucky country with a better health system than in many other parts of the world.    At the One Young World Summit he and 999 other young people from over 190 different countries got to listen to some very powerful and diverse speakers during the 3 day event.  He was completely overwhelmed by the amazing speakers, which included Kofi Annan, Bob Geldorf, Richard Bransom and many more.  Marc loved the experience - he said it was the best 3 days he's ever had.  One young speaker Yeonmi Park talked about her experiences before fleeing from North Korea into South Korea.  She said that people born in North Korea are born prisoners.  Marc indicated that Yeonmi had experienced some horrific sights as a young child; and now can talk about it from outside that country. 

 

Another speaker he spoke highly of was Mary Robinson who has climate change in her radar.  She says that most of the developed countries who are causing climate change will not be as impacted upon by its effects as other countries.  Those in low lying islands will be most affected, and a disproportionate number who will be affected are women.

 

On the eve of the Fall of the Wall in Berlin, all 1000 young people moved out of the auditorium to outside where they each released one white helium filled balloon - that was very inspiring said Marc.

 

Some key lessons that Marc wanted to share with us include:

 

 

Marc's talk this morning was very entertaining, extremely informative; and with all that energy and drive he is sure to achieve what he wants to achieve.  Maybe one day he will be in charge of the World Health Organisation.  We need to . . .  watch this space . . . .  Thank you Marc.

 

Please come again and update us on some of the other work you are involved in too.