Tonight I joined a dynamic discussion about how to make TheStoreFront Community project self-sustaining...and I couldn’t help but flash back into the early days of when TakingITGlobal was founded and we had our discussions on what future directions we would take and how our ideals and dreams could be transformed into actionable plans. Of course, even after 9 years of having the ‘idea’ of TIG, the essence of having challenging strategic conversations still remains part of my current reality – however the energy in the room this evening reconnected me to the Fall of 2000, when we hosted meetings with invitations sent out to friends, organizations and those who joined our website from Toronto.



The dynamics of the room jolted from cohesive and interconnected to somewhat tense given the financial realities of the project. Earlier this year, a 1000 square foot store front space was established in order to serve as a support and communication network in the context of an urban village. Starting in January, the costs of rent will be doubled and the project in its current state does not generate enough revenue to afford costs of rent or administration. That said, an exciting range of events have taken place in recent months including a documentary with interviews of people in the neighbourhood, the inaugural BIG on Bloor Festival (bigonbloor.com/festival), the “b-l-o-o-o-o-r” design campaign including sales of well designed American Apparel t-shirts and bags, the “Everything Local” silent auction event and hosting of meetings, events and exhibits including the Afri Village Fest front window presence & photo documentation.

The project was made possible through a partnership between ThinkTankToronto, Business Improvement Area Office, and a group of students and faculty at the Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD).

A key driver and facilitator of the initiative is a former TakingITGlobal staff member, Ghazaleh Etezal who is currently 21 and worked with us as a graphic designer in 2006. As I connected with Ghazaleh this evening, it was amazing to see her in action in her role as one of the facilitators and in hearing people reference her contributions of design, research and coordination for TheStoreFront. It was also great to chat with Ghazaleh this evening and hear her attribute TakingITGlobal as part of her inspiration for the project.



In many ways, the place based goals of creating community for TheStoreFront initiative are aligned with the global online community objectives for TIG. As explained on the website, TheStoreFront aims to be “the common space between two separate disconnected worlds of youth, institutions, neighbourhood NGOs, programs and services available within the BloorCourt and BloorDale Villages (Christie to Lansdowne on Bloor West).” On a conceptual level, it is intriguing for me to observe and be part of a conversation about how to grow and sustain a space that supports vibrant community engagement.

Some of the ideas shared this evening that are most interesting to me include:

- Having a paid membership fee (i.e. $10/month)
- Hosting regular meetings (weekly or monthly) for ‘members’ to attend which would serve as a social space, with topics of discussion
- Utilizing the space to feature the products of local artists (i.e. clothes, jewlery, artwork)
- Having a cafe space with organic chocolate & other organic snacks sold
- Renting out the space to community organizations for events/meetings
- Offering workshops to help meet needs of community members (i.e. English as a second language, or focusing on a particular craft/skill with guest speakers etc).
- Establishing a core base of volunteers (i.e. a partnership with the neighbouring Working Women Community Centre), to offer an experience for newcomers to Canada living in the neighbourhood which would help to ensure that core responsibilities are fulfilled (i.e. keyholders with people who are responsible for opening & closing up the space)

One concern that emerged from the discussions was the issue of timing and how challenging it will be to raise sufficient funds in time for the end of the year. There was some discussion on what the concept or project would be if it did not live in the specific space at 957 Bloor W – however most of the ideas generated were aimed at trying to keep the space alive.
If it ends up not being feasible to maintain the 957 Bloor W StoreFront space due to costs, my recommendation is to develop stronger partnerships with existing places designed for the community (i.e. local community centres, employment centres, libraries etc) and try to help revitalize existing spaces that are supported by the government and that have a history of serving the community. While I love the idea of transforming commercial spaces into being community driven and serving, it may be too challenging to develop a financially sustainable model at this current time due to current economic realities.

On a final note...I do hope that the financial challenges can be overcome and that a proven model can be developed, shared and scaled with other communities!

Here's a list of who came:

Night at the Indies / Meow Films: Gurbeen
Community Arts Collective / Daily Bread Food Bank: Jim
BIG and BIG Festival: Ann
People Plan Toronto: Ann
DIG IN: Donna / Ann
Torontopedia: Himy
Working Women: Diana / Jessica
BloorCourt BIA: Shelley
IF Theatre: Sara
Supportive, active, creative, engaged dedicated locals: Ryan / Michelle / Phil / Darcy / Leah / Leigh / Chatherine S / Craig / Camilo
Delaware Residents (Street Festival): Rosalie
Delaware Open Space: Darcy
Humanist Movement: Nick / Roberto
Sistering (past Chair): France
Green Party: Steve
Annex Lions Club: Monica
Wireless Toronto: Gabe
Concord Café: Genoveva
Christie Ossington Neighbourhood Centre: Tim
Dufferin Grove Residents Association: / Rob
Anarchist U: Christian / Maggie
Laidlaw Foundation: Ana
Globe & Mail: Nadja
Property Owner 957: Robert Markovits
Chemistry Branding (consultant and partner): Will
Jim Allen Photo: Jim
TakingITGlobal: Jennifer

[unconfirmed]
Freedom Clothing: Amanda
Parkdale Liberty: Jennifer
ArchiTEXT: Zahra
Long & McQuade: Jon
Toronto Poets: Jason / Hajile
Linux Caffé: David

Pari réussi pour la deuxième session de formation Leadership Action, organisée par la Jeune Chambre de Commerce de Montréal (JCCM)* le 26 novembre dernier, au centre ville de Montréal. Encore une fois la JCCM a su répondre aux attentes des participants avec brio.
Le thème de l’atelier était axé sur la notion de connaissance: connaissances professionnelles approfondies et sensibilité aux enjeux d’affaires et sociaux.

Animée par deux experts du monde des affaires, la JCCM, toujours fidèle à son approche intergénérationnelle a opté pour une formule encore plus interactive !
Une combinaison gagnante qui a eu le mérite de permettre la contribution de chacun des participants.

Une vingtaine de jeunes professionnels/entrepreneurs, répartis en groupes de 4 ont été invités tout au long de l’atelier à réfléchir sur différents exercices, et ce en 3 temps : individuellement, en sous-groupes, enfin en partageant le fruit de leur réflexion à l’ensemble du groupe. Les participants étaient aidés par un questionnaire, une feuille de route et les rétroactions éclairantes des présentateurs…

D’une part, Francois Taschereau, directeur général d’Edelman relations publiques à Montréal, et gouverneur à la JCCM, qui a cumulé plus de 20 ans d’expérience en affaires publiques et communications corporatives, à titre de consultant ainsi qu’au sein de grandes entreprises et du gouvernement du Canada.

D’autre part, Frédéric Michel, président de la JCCM et directeur principal, Services-conseils, Gestion des risques et Amélioration des opérations chez KPMG depuis 2007. Titulaire d'un diplôme en ingénierie de l’Institut Chimique et Textile de Lyon (France), et d'un MBA de l’École de gestion Telfer de l’Université d'Ottawa, il a reçu en 2008, le prix Tremplin de l'Association des MBA du Québec.

Voici une brève synthèse des exposés des experts :
C’est bel et bien dans l’action que l’on développe ses capacités de leadership. Le leadership ne s’enseigne pas, il se développe tout au long de notre carrière.

Les compétences techniques ne suffisent pas. On peut être le meilleur des experts, mais ne pas savoir mobiliser et motiver une équipe, trannsmettre des connaissances, résoudre des conflits...
François Tashereau nous a parlé de la gestion des priorités en nous illustrant par des exemples précis (conversations stériles avec des collègues, réunions trop longues et non-productives…)

Il a également insisté sur l’importance de la lecture pour développer ses compétences de leadership (livres, journaux, revues, magazines…), en mentionnant qu’il ne sert a rien de TOUT lire mais qu’il faut s’atteler à lire des choses pertinentes relatif à ses champs d’intérêt et d’expertise. En d’autres mots, lire mieux et plus efficacement (notamment en prenant des cours de lecture rapide si nécessaire).
Aussi l’exercice proposé par Francois Tashereau sur le "Need to know", "Nice to know" et "Don’t need to know" a permis à chacun des participants de mieux comprendre comment il peut gagner du temps et mieux gérer le volume d’informations auquel il est souvent exposé dans son travail.

Frédéric Michel nous a exposé de façon claire et succincte les principaux points à retenir concernant la gestion de risque.

La notion de risque est inhérente à toute activité humaine. Dans le domaine des affaires, que ce le secteur des ressources humaines, des communications, des technologies etc, on est tous exposés à des risques…La notion de risque empêche l’atteinte de l’objectif tandis que l’opportunité la maximise.

Il y a 4 stratégies de gestion de risques :
- éviter le risque
- accepter le risque
- transférer le risque
- mitiger le risque (en d’autres mots le réduire)

La dernière option est la plus souvent présente dans le milieu des entreprises.
Quant aux discussions, elles ont été productives et fructueuses. Voici les principaux points qui ont été mis en commun lors de l’échange collectif :

• Identifier les domaines où l’on a besoin d’élargir ses compétences
• Être à l’écoute
• Sortir de sa zone de confort
• Être proactif
• Se créer des opportunités
• Être toujours à l’avant-garde
• Aimer ce que l’on fait
• Être conscient des risques et des opportunités
• Gérer ses priorités (et entre autres savoir dire non!)
• S’inscrire aux 5 -6 blogs (flux RSS) concernant l’actualité de notre domaine d’activité
• Organiser l’échange d’information
• Savoir déléguer
• Équilibre vie travail famille
• Être intelligent dans son réseautage
• Se constituer un plan d’action
• Se faire "challenger" par un coach

En bref, c’est à nous tous de rester maîtres à bord de notre processus de développement de connaissances, de savoir identifier ce qui est bon, pertinent de connaître ou non pour nous-mêmes, de suivre notre propre cheminement tout en faisant un bilan et en se remettant en question régulièrement.

*Les partenaires du Programme Leadership Action: Secrétariat à la Jeunesse du Québec, Défi de l’entrepreneuriat Jeunesse

Art for me
is a journey
into the unspoken, unknown, unwanted and unheard
realities of our shadows
and of our hopes.

We are suspended in time
glimpsing in the mirror
of our future and our past
They flash before us and cause a jolt
of hope, of fear, of want, of release.

Our senses on overload
we admire and adore
our object of fascination
representing the idol we love
and demon we hate.

we forgive
we empathize
we heal
we bathe
in beauty
and bliss.

This is art
for me.

Smart Growth.org
A SERVICE OF THE SMART GROWTH NETWORK
http://www.smartgrowth.org/about/default.asp?res=1024

In communities across the nation, there is a growing concern that current development patterns -- dominated by what some call "sprawl" -- are no longer in the long-term interest of our cities, existing suburbs, small towns, rural communities, or wilderness areas. Though supportive of growth, communities are questioning the economic costs of abandoning infrastructure in the city, only to rebuild it further out.

Spurring the smart growth movement are demographic shifts, a strong environmental ethic, increased fiscal concerns, and more nuanced views of growth. The result is both a new demand and a new opportunity for smart growth.

The features that distinguish smart growth in a community vary from place to place. In general, smart growth invests time, attention, and resources in restoring community and vitality to center cities and older suburbs. New smart growth is more town-centered, is transit and pedestrian oriented, and has a greater mix of housing, commercial and retail uses. It also preserves open space and many other environmental amenities.

The Smart Growth Principles and Issues below describe in greater details the various aspects of planning and development that make up smart growth.

Deux présentateurs motivés pour un début de programme inspirant. Tel était le contenu du premier atelier du Programme Leadership Action de la Jeune Chambre de Commerce de Montréal, qui s'est tenu le 10 novembre dernier à Montréal. Tout d’abord, l’approche intergénérationnelle proposée lors de cet atelier lui a donné tout son dynamisme. L’interactivité entre les conférenciers invités et l’échange entre les deux générations étaient tout à fait approprié au contexte.

Une homme d’expérience, qui a tout d’ un mentor et une jeune femme pleine d’énergie…

D’un coté, Luc Villeneuve, associé senior chez Samson Bélair/Deloitte & Touche et Mélanie Joly, 29 ans, directrice développement corporatif chez Cohn & Wolfe Montréal nous ont présenté les bénéfices que pouvaient retirer les jeunes à s’engager dans leur communauté.

Très impliquée socialement, Mélanie Joly est membre du conseil d’administration du Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (MACM) et présidente de son Comité jeunesse, membre du Conseil consultatif du doyen de la Faculté de droit de l’Université de Montréal, membre du conseil d’administration de Relations publiques sans frontières ainsi que cofondatrice de Génération d’idées, un groupe de réflexion politique. En plus de siéger au Conseil supérieur de langue française, Mélanie est membre de nombreuses associations et organisations à but non lucratif: sa passion se révèle à la fois dans son regard pétillant de même que dans son discours stimulant.

Luc Villeneuve est devenu, en septembre 2007 membre du conseil d’administration de Deloitte & Touche s.r.l., et en décembre 2007, a été nommé vice-président et membre du Conseil canadien de service à la clientèle. Il est aussi membre du conseil d’administration de la Fondation Deloitte et coprésident du Comité national sur la Marque (Brand). M. Villeneuve a participé à plusieurs campagnes de financement, dont celles d’HEC Montréal en 2004-2005 et 2005-2006, à titre de président. Il siège aux conseils d’administration de l’Institut des administrateurs de sociétés (président), du Cercle des amis des Petits frères des pauvres (vice-président), de la Société Pro Musica (trésorier) et du Club Saint-Denis (vice-président), entre autres.


Les deux présentateurs ont invité les jeunes à s’impliquer bénévolement dans des domaines qui les intéressent, pour lesquels ils font preuve d’enthousiasme car, cela comme le dit Luc Villeneuve « nous aide à mieux performer, selon notre expertise. » Aujourd’hui, les jeunes font face à un champ de possibilités incroyables et les organisations québécoises offrent de nombreuses opportunités pour ceux et celles qui veulent s’impliquer dans des conseils d’administrations. Les jeunes doivent faire le premier pas et aller cogner aux portes selon leurs champs d’intérêt.

L’engagement social constitue une solide base pour le développement d’un champs d’expertise et du leadership communautaire.

Des représentant (e)s d' organisations jeunesse étaient présents pour informer les jeunes des opportunités d'implication au sein de leurs organismes : la Tablée des Chefs, (http://www.tableedeschefs.org)
l'organisme qui dispense des ateliers de développement du leadership auprès des adolescents Jeunes ! et Bénévoles d'Affaires(http://www.benevolesdaffaires.org/ ). Ils ont pu présenter aux participants leur mission, leur vision, la teneur de leur engagement dans la communauté.

Le 6 novembre dernier, le Comité Consultatif Jeunes organisait le colloque : "Les jeunes en emploi : comment relever les défis de demain?".

Nikolas Ducharme, directeur des stratégies clientèles et des projets ministériels à Emploi Québec nous a présenté une synthèse éloquente des défis de l’intégration en emploi des jeunes dont voici les points clés :

Un des faits saillants à retenir pour les jeunes en recherche d’emploi, c’est que les perspectives du marché du travail au Québec sont relativement bonnes.

Voici un bref résumé des principaux points soulevés :

• On assiste à des taux record sur le plan de l’emploi depuis plus de 30 ans. 61% des personnes de plus de 15 ans sont à l’emploi, 71% des 15 à 65 ans.

• Entre 2003 et 2007, la création nette d’emplois était au rendez-vous.
(Soulignons toutefois que le travail atypique est un enjeu très important qui touche la jeunesse. Tout ce qui n’est pas un travail à temps plein, régulier, salarié et à horaire non standard est qualifié de travail atypique (Définition du Conseil du patronat du Québec)).

• Le marché de l’emploi au Québec continue d’afficher une croissance soutenue, à créer de la richesse.

• Selon Emploi-Québec, 700.000 emplois seront à pourvoir entre 2007 et 2011, mais ce chiffre est à relativiser car il y aura environ 460.000 départs à la retraite et parmi ceux-ci certains ne seront pas remplacés.

• Malgré, le ralentissement économique en cours dans les pays de l’OCDE, on signale au Québec des problèmes liés à la rareté et même à ce que l’on qualifie de pénurie de main d’œuvre (c'est-à-dire qu’il y a plus d’offres d’emplois que de candidats disponibles à l’emploi).

Par contre les difficultés d’ajustement du marché du travail aux besoins réels, sont amplifiés par :

• La faible croissance démographique du Québec
• Les changements technologiques rapides et la forte concurrence internationale qui exigent des entreprises l’embauche d’un personnel davantage qualifié
• La difficulté de ressources compétentes en raison de plus faibles bassins de main d’œuvre disponibles.

Ce dernier point nécessite d’investir dans la formation et l’acquisition de compétences. La question de la formation continue devient très importante dans les entreprises.

Plusieurs secteurs comme celui de la santé, des communications, de la fonction publique municipale, de l’éducation, des hautes technologies offre de bonnes opportunités et perspectives d’emploi aux jeunes :
Au Québec, il a un manque de plus de 1500 infirmièr(e)s, au Canada de plus de 20.000.

L’entrepreneuriat des jeunes est également vivement encouragé, beaucoup d’organismes soutiennent des projets de jeunes entrepreneurs en les stimulant à faire preuve de créativité et d’innovation.

Nikolas Ducharme nous a également parlé du réseau des 110 carrefours-jeunesse emploi du Québec et des principales actions menés par Emploi-Québec en faveur des jeunes (Alternative Jeunesse, Jeunes en Action, Québec pluriel).

Pour plus d’informations sur les initiatives menées par Emploi Québec :
www.emploiquebec.net

La conférence d’ouverture des JQSI :

La conférence d’ouverture des Journées Québécoises de la solidarité internationale, intitulée : Quels défis pour un monde sans faim ? a fait salle comble!
En effet, plus de 150 personnes (étudiants, chercheurs, activistes, journalistes, responsables ou membres d’organisations locales et internationales…) ont participé à l’événement qui s’est tenu dans la salle Marie-Gérin-Lajoie de l’Université du Québec à Montréal (UQUAM) à Montréal. Quelques minutes avant le début des allocutions, on pouvait respirer l’impatience du public d’écouter l’intervention de José Bové, conférencier principal sur la question de la souveraineté alimentaire.

Rappelons que José Bosé est une figure de proue du mouvement altermondialiste, syndicaliste agricole, ancien porte-parole de Via Campesina. Le concept de souveraineté alimentaire est un concept développé et présenté pour la première fois par Via Campesina en 1996.

José Bové s’est fait connaître notamment après l'affaire du démontage du McDonald's de Millau (août 1999) pour laquelle il est condamné à de la prison ferme.


Pour lire la suite :
http://www.takingitglobal.org/express/panorama/article.html?ContentID=23341

Bonjour à tous,

Nous vous invitons à découvrir le profil des experts participants au Débat en ligne sur la souveraineté alimentaire le Samedi 15 novembre 2008 de 14 h à 16 h (heure de l'Est).
N'hésitez pas à préparer vos questions à l'avance ou à les poster sur la page TIG dédié à l'évènement.
http://events.takingitglobal.org/21343


Santiago Alba, Action Contre la Faim


Santiago est directeur technique et de recherche d’Action Contre la Faim Canada. Titulaire d’une maitrise en agriculture et en développement rural de l’Université Cornell (Etats-Unis), d’une autre en audit environemental et d’un Baccalauréat en ingénierie agricole de l’Université La rioja (Espagne), il a travaillé dans le développement rural et sur les enjeux environnementaux en Europe. Ensuite il est parti effectué un travail de terrain en Afrique et a travaillé avec la section espagnole de l’International AIDS Agency et des fondations privées sur des processus de réformes locales et de développement des capacités. Avant d’occuper son poste actuel à Action Contre la Faim (ACF), il a travaillé au sein de l’Institut de Développement Africain à l’Université Cornell.
Au cours de ces 14 dernières années, le parcours académique et professionnel de Santiago l’a conduit à se concentrer sur l’évaluation et la gestion de programmes de développement rural durable.

Il est actuellement membre du Groupe des Directeurs techniques et apporte son soutien au Conseil Scientifique de l’AFCIN. Il coordonne des projets et des recherches sur des sujets tels que la nutrition, l’eau et les systèmes sanitaires, la sécurité alimentaire et les changements climatiques.


Amélie PANNETON, Carrefour Tiers Monde

Amélie Panneton, 22 ans, agente d'éducation à Carrefour Tiers-Monde
Après un stage de trois mois en théâtre d'intervention au Pérou, elle a été responsable des activités d'éducation pour Intermon Oxfam à Vitoria-Gasteiz en Espagne. Détentrice d'un baccalauréat en études internationales et langues modernes, elle travaille à Carrefour Tiers-Monde dans le domaine de la sensibilisation et de l'éducation au public, et s’'intéresse particulièrement aux enjeux liés au commerce équitable, à la souveraineté alimentaire et à l'économie solidaire.


Amélie CHARBONNEAU, Carrefour Tiers Monde

Âgée de 22 ans, Amélie CHARBONNEAU est étudiante au baccalauréat en Travail social. Elle travaille comme stagiaire au sein de Carrefour Tiers-Monde comme.
Dans le cadre, des Journées Québécoises de la Solidarité Internationale, elle est en charge du volet jeunesse. Elle rencontre des jeunes du
secondaire pour parler des enjeux relatif à la souveraineté alimentaire.
Elle s’intéresse beaucoup aux enjeux internationaux tels que la pauvreté, l’environnement, la prévention du VIH/SIDA…car elle considère qu’ils nécéssitent qu’on y apporte des solutions globales. Elle est également engagée dans la lutte des femmes.

Pour finir, n'oubliez pas d'enregistrer le lien du chat dans vos Favoris, et de vous munir, si possible d'un casque micro :
http://projects.takingitglobal.org/clccanada/chat

Au plaisir d'échanger avec tous Samedi !

Star Wars: An Islamic perspective



The way "jedis" are taught to respect a greater power, fight for the defense of the
innocent and bring peace and justice to their society, is also what Islam teaches
all Muslims to strive for.



By Irfan Rydhan, June 17, 2005










Luke bin Anakin?
As most "Star Wars" fans know, director George Lucas took spiritual elements, which
are common in most major world religions to create his epic saga of good vs. evil.
As a Muslim, I always thought of the "Jedi" as what a true follower of Islam should
be like. Never mind the fact Jedi masters with their North African style cloaks and
scruffy beards look like Sufi Sheikhs, but they way they are taught to respect a
greater power, fight for the defense of the innocent and honor a code of morals and
ethics in order to bring about peace and justice to their society, is basically what
Islam teaches all Muslims to strive for. So what really is the connection between
these similar Islamic principles and the fictional "Jedi Order" of the Star Wars
saga?I decided to look into this question more deeply. What I came across from my
research off the internet and talking to other Muslim "Star Wars" fans was not only
surprising, but also a bit scary. For example it was reported in a National
Australian magazine that more than 70,000 Australians identified their religion as
Jedi, Jedi-Knight, or Jedi-related in the country's 2001 national census! Don't
these people realize that the "Jedi" are make-believe? There may be some truth in
fiction, but instead of looking for the truth, people get caught up with the
fiction. In this paper I hope to reveal where some of the truth of the "Jedi" and
"Star Wars" comes from: Islam.Back when "Episode I: The Phantom Menace" first came
out, "The Muslim Magazine" had some interesting pieces on the connections between
Islam and the content of the Star Wars films. One was an interview with Dhul-Nun
Owen who talks about how George Lucas had contacted members of the "Habibiyyah Sufi
Order" in Berkeley, CA in order to do research for "Star Wars." There was also a
piece by Mahmoud Shelton about how Sufi ideas of spiritual chivalry ("futuwwat")
have parallels in the Jedi teachings.Surfing the internet, I came across an
interesting article entitled "Eternal Jihad: The Way of the Mystic-Warrior" from a
Sufi website:"We are at the core a Movement of Jeddi; masters of Futuwwat ("the Way
of the mystic-warrior"). We encourage adherents to train both physically AND
spiritually, for their own personal edification and to enhance their knowledge and
abilities in the STRUGGLE. The Real does not lie alone in contemplation, prayer and
meditation; nor does it lie alone in action and revolution. Both of these are
notions of "one or the other" and Allah is not "one or the other." "Allah" literally
means "the One[ness] which manifests from Nothing." As we have stressed before, this
"Nothing" is not the "lack" of all, but rather, it is Nothing in the sense of
Totality of Being, which is symbolized by the numeral zero � this number itself
originated with Sufis. Allah is neither the positive alone, nor the negative. Allah
is the perfect balance between the two. The direct center of two polarities is
always zero, Pure Nothing, from which the Totality, the Tawhid (Unity), the Oneness
of ALL becomes manifest. For it is out of zero that all subsequent positive and
negative numbers reel. That is Allah."Notice the Arabic term "al-Jeddi" (master of
the mystic-warrior way) along with another Islamic term not mentioned, "Palawan"
(similar to Lucas' "Padwan" for Jedi apprentice) which were actual titles used by
Muslim Knights!The Force"The Force" is the common thread between all six movies and
is defined as an energy field, which binds all living things together (i.e. Allah,
God, a Supreme Being or Power that most religion's adherents worship, follow and/or
yearn to become a part of). According to Star Wars mythology, the Jedi "are a noble
order of protectors unified by their belief and observance of the Force." The "Jedi"
study and train under the apprentice-master relationship similar to how many
religious students study under a priest or religious scholar until they have learned
enough to teach and train the next generation of students.From a Muslim perspective,
the similarities between the Jedi and the Islamic traditions of instruction are
strikingly similar. For example a Muslim scholar usually trains under a Sheikh for a
number of years before they are given the right or permission ("Ijazah" in Arabic)
to teach others about Islam. "In Islamic Sufism Sheikhs will have "silsilas" that
list the chain of teachers going back to the Prophet Muhammad (S). A "silisia"
indicates a Sheikh's lineage of mystical learning from which he draws his spiritual
authority."Similarly in the "Jedi" tradition of Star Wars, each "Padwan"
(apprentice) is taught the same tradition and skills their Jedi masters were taught
by their previous masters. "Star Wars" fans know the lineage of Jedi instruction
starting from "Yoda" to "Count Dooku" to "Qui-Gon Jinn" to "Obi Wan Kenobi" to
"Anankin Skywalker."In the first Star Wars movie, "Episode IV: A New Hope," Luke
Skywalker, like his father, Anakin, live in the desert (The desert planet of
"Tatooine" was actually filmed near the real desert town of "Tataouine" in Tunisia).
From among this remote desert area with no roots of a civilized urban society, a
"Chosen One" (i.e. a Prophet) arises who brings a hope of peace and justice to their
society. Anakin is the "chosen one" in the latest Star Wars films, and Luke can be
considered the "chosen one" from the original Star Wars trilogy.Similarly, the
Prophet of Islam, lived in the desert where there was no true rule of law or justice
and people followed the tribal system of blood vengeance. Prophet Muhammad (S)
brought Islam to the Arabs, which completely changed their way of thinking and the
way they lived their lives. Instead of living for the present and for themselves, as
Muslims they live for the hereafter and are taught to take care of the poor,
orphans, those less fortunate than themselves and to fight for social justice and
well being for the whole community.Thus the Jedi too is taught to be selfless and
not selfish like the "Sith" (An ancient order of Force-practitioners devoted to the
dark side and determined to destroy the Jedi). Just as "Yoda" taught young "padwans"
not to give into fear and be tempted by the "Dark Side" (i.e. temptations of the
devil or "Shaytaan" in Arabic), Muslims are taught not to be attached to the "Dunya"
(life in this world) nor to fall prey to the diseases of the heart (jealousy, envy,
fear, hatred, etc.) as they lead to evil and sin.The Green OneThere is an
interesting connection between the Jedi master "Yoda" (a short, green skinned
creature first seen in "Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back") and Islamic traditions.
"Al-Khidr" means "the Green One" in Arabic. Qur'�nic commentators say that al-Khidr
is one of the prophets; others refer to him simply as an angel who functions as a
guide to those who seek God. And there are yet others who argue for his being a
perfect wali meaning the one whom God has taken as a friend.So in other words "Yoda"
(which means "Wise One" in Hebrew) is like an angel or spiritual mentor who guides
the young Jedi in the ways of the force and to be strong enough to resist the
temptations and evil inclinations of the Sith and other Dark Forces.In "Episode VI:
Return of the Jedi", the Emperor tries to influence Luke Skywalker to give into his
feelings of Anger and Hatred (As we all know Luke's father Anakin, did fall prey to
the Emperor's whispers and joined the Dark Side). Because the Jedi (as Muslim
warriors) are taught that one's intentions in battle must be pure and that it's
wrong to kill out of anger, even when is outwardly justified.'Ali (RA) the nephew of
the Prophet Muhammad (S), was faced with this situation at the Battle of the Ditch,
the noble Imam 'Ali had knocked an enemy soldier to the ground and was raising his
sword to kill him, when the unbeliever spat in the his face. Imam 'Ali at once stood
still and refrained from killing his enemy. Hardly able to believe his own eyes, the
unbeliever asked: "Why have you spared me, O gracious one?"To this, the noble 'Ali
replied: "Your property and your life have become sacrosanct to me. I am not
authorized to slay you. I can receive permission to kill only in holy combat, in
fighting commanded by Allah. Just a few moments ago, I had overcome you in battle,
knocked you to the ground and was on the point of slaying you. But when you spat in
my face, my selfish anger was aroused against you. If I had killed you, I would have
slain you not for Allah's sake but for my own selfish reason; they would then have
called me not a champion warrior, but a murderer. When you spat in my face, my
selfish passion threatened to overwhelm me, so instead of striking you with the
sword for my own sake I struck my passion for the sake of Allah, Exalted is He.
There you have the reason for your escape." The unbeliever was of course in awe by
Ali's noble character, and immediately accepted Islam and became
Muslim.Muh-Jedi-DeenThe Jedi could be considered "Holy Warriors" (or "Muhajideen" in
Arabic) as they fight for truth, justice and peace. They meditate (i.e. "Dhikr" �
remembrance of Allah) as much as they can, to become "one with the force", even in
the midst of battle. Just as in "Episode I: The Phantom Menace", the Jedi master,
Qui-Gon Jinn (The term "Jinn" in Islam is one of the forces of the "unseen") begins
to meditate in the middle of his battle with "Darth Maul", while he waits for a
force field to go down.Islamic History is filled with stories of Muslim Warriors who
also stop in the heat of the moment of battle to give their prayers to Allah.
Hussein (RA) the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (S) stopped to do his Asr (mid-day
prayers) at Karbala. There is even an account of 'Ali (RA), known as the "Sword of
Light" (light-saber?), who completed his "Salat" (Arabic for prayers) while he had
an arrow stuck in his leg or foot!The lack of fear for death exhibited by Jedi
Knights Obi Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Qui-Gon Jinn, Luke Skywalker (particularly in Episode
VI: "Return of the Jedi") resembles the Muslim warrior's creed that states that the
Muslim loves death more than the un-believer loves life.There is another saying in
Islam, which is "Life in this world is Paradise for the Un-believer and a Prison for
the Believer." Some reasoning behind this saying is that if one puts all their faith
in this world (the "Dunya"), then it is very easy to fall off the straight path and
be tempted by Satan (i.e. fall prey to the "Dark Side").This is shown very clearly
in "Episode III: Revenge of the Sith," which is all about the Chosen One's (Anakin)
fall into the dark side. Lucas, himself stated in an interview that the he chose the
final battle between Anakin and Obi-Wan to be on a planet with flowing molten lava
and fire, which represents the fires of Hell. The ultimate showdown between good and
evil.Anakin falls victim to the dark side because he loves power and the Dunya (as
he wanted to have the power to live forever and save his loved ones from death �
i.e. his wife from dying during childbirth). He has excessive anger and arrogance
(as he felt he was the most powerful Jedi and no other Jedi was better or stronger
than him) and distrust for those who are his righteous guides (as he felt Obi-Wan
was jealous of him and thought the Jedi Council was against him, which lead him to
follow other sinister forces for guidance). Lastly he had hatred in his heart (he
admitted to hating the "sand people")! Everything that Islam teaches the Muslim to
avoid!The Sand PeopleThe "sand people" or the "Tusken Raiders" could be considered a
metaphor of the Arabs and other people of the Middle East, since they live similarly
to nomadic Arabs in the desert. In "Episode II: Attack of the Clones", the Tusken
Raiders kidnap and torture Anakin's mother, Shimi, which eventually leads to her
death. Anakin then proceeds to kill all the "sand people" in vengeance, and as he
told "Padme," that he "killed all of them [sand people], including the women and
children." But this did not relieve him of his anger and hatred.I believe Lucas was
trying to make a point about the continuous spewing of hate and evil against the
Arab and Muslim people, specifically after September 11 th. Even though the
countries of Iraq and Afghanistan were bombed and destroyed relentlessly (it hasn't
stopped yet), as punishment for the attacks of September 11 th (without any proof or
legitimate legalities of course), many Americans still have a lot of hatred against
anyone that even looks like an Arab or Middle Eastern. Many innocent people,
specifically women and children, have been harassed, attacked and sometimes even
killed, because of this hate.This wasn't the only example of Lucas getting
political, since after Episode III debuted at the Cannes Film Festival, many
Europeans were saying that Anakin represents Bush and his Neo-Con cohorts currently
in power. One couldn't help but notice the very overt examples in the last and final
installment of the "Star Wars" series.An example that sticks in my mind is when the
Emperor was taking control of the Senate. Senate Palpatine (aka the Emperor) was
calling for war against the "separatists" (i.e. read as "insurgents", "terrorists",
etc.) and the Jedi, all the while the whole Senate erupted in agreement. Padme (aka
Queen Amadala) then says "..So this is how Liberty ends, with thunderous
applause"!Of course the most obvious example was when Anakin tells Obi-Wan before
their final duel, "Either you're with me, or against me", which is basically
straight out of Bush's mouth when he said "Either you're with us [i.e. America], or
you're with the terrorists" immediately after the attacks of September 11 th.Which
reminds me of a very funny take on the whole Bush Inspired U.S. "War on Terror"
transposed into "Star Wars" mythology I came across on the web. Here is an
excerpt:It's believed that Skywalker [Luke] was specifically trained by infamous
terrorist O bin Wankanobi. Wankanobi, occasionally called "Ben" and easily
recognized by his bearded visage and long, flowing robes, achieved near-martyr
status among the Rebels after his death last year during a spy mission. His more
fervent followers believe that Wankanobi lives on within them today, some even
claiming to hear his voice during times of duress.The attack on the Death Star came
shortly after the Empire's destruction of Alderstaan, a planet whose government was
known to harbor terrorists. Responding to criticism over the total annihilation of
the planet, [Darth] Vader stated, "There is no middle ground in the War on Terror.
Those who harbor terrorists are terrorists themselves. Alderaan was issued ample
warning. The fight for continuing Freedom is often burdened by terrible cost."In
other words, the Emperor, Darth Vader and the Empire are equivalent to Bush and
Company and Luke Skywalker, the Jedis and the Rebel Alliance are referred to as
"terrorists" (or "separatists", "insurgents", etc.).The Jedi ArtsOne of the most
popular aspects of the "Star Wars" films are the exciting light-saber duels and
swordsmanship (Lucas is an admitted fan of old Samurai films) and martial arts style
fighting (which of course originates from the East). As a former student of "Eskrima
Serrada" (Stick and Blade fighting developed by Muslims of the Philippines) myself,
I see a lot of similarities in the fast-moving and short-range fighting I studied
for about a year and a half, and the "invented" art of the Jedi masters.When Anakin
fights Count Dooku (Christopher Lee) at the beginning of the last "Star Wars" film,
at end of the fight, Anakin applies a disarm and cut that is a technique from
Eskrima to Count Dooku's arm. Going back into history, the technical differences
between the Japanese/Chinese arts and the Muslim arts of Southeast Asia regions of
Indonesia, Philippines, and Malaysia: The Muslim arts of "Pentjak Silat" and Eskrima
are based on paying attention to the Limb of the attacker and not an immediate
strike to the attacker's head or torso.Ray Park, who plays "Darth Maul" in "Episode
I: The Phantom Menace", studied Kung Fu (very similar to the empty hand techniques
of Serrada) and Wushu and frequently traveled to Malaysia (a Muslim country) to
refine and develop his skills.The spiritual basis of the Muslim arts of Southeast
Asia is very immense. This is the local Sufi expression of Islam, through martial
arts practice, rather than through poetry or music as otherwise done in India and
Turkey, etc. Traditional Indonesian/Malay folklore attributes initial design of
these arts to Muslim saints in the region of Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines
in the 7th Century. The Silat system is attributed to nine main Wali or saints, also
called the Wali Songo in Indonesian language.Here another example of the Sufi and
Jedi connection. As Jedis study the force and train in the "Jedi Arts" under the
apprentice-master relationship, so do the Sufis."What I term the more Sufi exercises
include breathing exercises, means of meditative contemplation, and physical
exercises. This last activity is practiced within the Qadiri-Rifai Sufi order
through the Indonesian martial art of Pencak Silat Gerakan Suci. Here is a prime
example of the Order's growth. Extending beyond its originally Turkish character,
the Order has adopted a Muslim practice from a far corner of the Islamic world."From
my brief amount of research and study into the "Star Wars" saga, I found many
examples connecting the ideals and principles of Islam to that of the fictional Jedi
Order. Some of the similarities were clearly visible (as with the relations between
the Jedi master, apprentice and the Force to that of the Sufi Sheikhs, students and
worshipping of Allah), while others were a bit more hidden and surprising finds
(such as the term "Jeddi" and "Palawan" for Muslim knights and the story of
"al-Khidr" � the green spiritual guru which has an uncanny resemblance to the Jedi
Spiritual master "Yoda")!Even though Lucas himself is not a follower of any specific
religion, he has used elements of Islam (as well as other world religions) to convey
the universal understandings of good and evil. Combining that common thread of
humanity with a futuristic space-age setting and exciting martial arts
swordsmanship, came a creation that has inspired many, no matter their race,
religion or culture. There is something about the "Star Wars" saga that everyone can
relate to and enjoy. And I hope that those people who are searching for a "truth"
within the mythology of "Star Wars", will look a little deeper behind the fiction
and find Al-Islam: A true way of life which emphasizes peace, justice and
brotherhood for all humanity.

Irfan Rydhan is an architectural designer (and Star Wars fan). He lives in San Jose,
California.

Toute l'équipe francophone de TIG et Liaisons Locales Canada vous invitent à notre prochain débat en ligne sur le thème de la SOUVERAINETÉ ALIMENTAIRE. Vos questions seront les bienvenues mais les sujets principaux qui seront discutés et présentés par nos experts invités du Carrefour Tiers-Monde et probablement d'autres organisations francophones comme l'AQOCI ou Jeunesse Canada Monde sont le commerce équitable, l'importation de produits alimentaires des pays en développement, la consommation responsable et enfin les solutions à la crise alimentaire.

Ce Chat en ligne est destiné à tous les francophones membres de TakingITGlobal.

Pour rejoindre ce débat en ligne le samedi 15 novembre 2008, visitez http://projects.takingitglobal.org/clccanada/chat à 14h (Heure de l'Est) ou à 19h GMT.

Pour savoir l'heure du Chat, dépendant de votre pays, utilisez ce site: http://www.timezoneconverter.com/

Si une aiguille tombe dans un puits profond, ceux qui regardent dans le puits sont plus nombreux que ceux qui y descendent. proverbe malinké (Afrique de l'Ouest)


Chacun d’entre nous sait que les défis de Barack Obama sont immenses, que les attentes du peuple sont énormes. Nul doute qu’Obama lui-même est le premier conscient des responsabilités qui reposent sur ses épaules non seulement pour son pays mais pour le monde entier.

Certains journalistes ont qualifié cette présidence, de « cadeau empoisonné », laissé par l’administration Bush ; 2 guerres, une situation économique désastreuse, d’importantes réformes sociales…

Obama sait que c’est une mission de taille de diriger un pays qui demeure la première puissance économique et militaire mondiale.

Selon moi, Obama est un homme de courage, d’audace et de foi; il a décidé de descendre dans le puits et le monde le regarde, il a fait ce que beaucoup n’auraient jamais osé faire, et ce malgré le contexte difficile, la crise économique.
Malgré les menaces de mort dont il fait l’objet….
Ce n’est pas seulement l’Amérique qui le regarde poser ses premiers actes en tant que président mais le monde entier. Obama est devenu le président monde en quelques minutes ainsi que l’homme le plus médiatisé de la planète.

Il est vrai que toute l’ampleur et l’euphorie de la victoire de Barack Obama laissent parfois songeur… Cela va-t-il durer longtemps ? Ou cela va-t-il retomber comme un soufflet dans quelques jours, semaines, ou mois ? Le « Yes, we can » ou « Yes, we did » aura-t-il autant de force, de puissance dans quelques années, fera-t-il autant vibrer les foules de partisans dans quelques mois? Nous l’espérons tous….

Ce que tout le monde attend c’est que les discours d’Obame se traduisent en actes forts, surtout en ce qui concerne la situation économique et les relations internationales des Etats Unis.

Si la force d’Obama réside dans sa capacité à créer le consensus, à mobiliser et à bien s’entourer, son plus grand danger pourrait bien venir de son propre entourage à l’image de grands leaders du passé qui se sont fait trahir par des membres de leur propre camp. Mais cela, nous ne le souhaitons pas...

Si Obama reste un symbole, un modèle positif pour les générations et pour le monde, c’est qu’il aura nécessairement su rester fidèle à ses valeurs intrinsèques et intègre dans son exercice du pouvoir.

N'oublions qu'Obama reste un homme, et que rien ne pourra se faire sans le soutien et l'unité de ses pairs...