TakingITGlobal Proudly Presents:

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The TakingITGlobal Dispatch!
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For the month of January 2005 (Volume 5.1)

In this issue:

1 -> Tidal Wave Swamps Asia: TIG members share experiences
2 -> TIG Pay What You Can
3 -> Young People From Small Islands To Meet in Mauritius
4 -> Ukraine Elections: What Comes Next?
5 -> TIG's Major Russia Program Officially Launched
6 -> Global Gallery Contest: HIV/AIDS
7 -> Panorama Online Magazine: HIV/AIDS; Women's Rights
8 -> Country Sites
9 -> Open Forums
10 -> 2005: A Big Year Ahead

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++ 1. Tidal Wave Swamps Asia: TIG members share experiences ++
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Thousands of TIG members live in countries affected by the devastating tidal
wave on December 26. Some of them are organizing teams of youth volunteers to
help out.

Udara2004 from Sri Lanka who has been keeping TIG members up to date writes:
"I was about 15/17 KM from coastal areas and many of friends I knew were right
in beach to be spending their Christmas vacation with sea! Some were saved thanking
to the running of their legs but some were not so lucky! YES, We are in a huge need
of helicopters and Indian air force providing couple and rest is managed by Sri
Lankan air force. But many army personal I've met spoke saying what they have is
inadequate! That's obvious looking at the situation. The hospitals I saw were filled
with dead bodies, its flooded, its something which none had ever imagined!"

Visit the special Tsunami page "Responding to Disaster" to find out more how
TIG members are involved, and how you can help: http://www.takingitglobal.org/news/tsunami

Discuss the response and your experiences in a discussion board:
http://www.takingitglobal.org/discuss/showthread.html?threadid=10092

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++ 2. TIG Pay What You Can ++
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Last month we launched a new fundraising initiative called "Pay What You Can"
membership.

We know that TakingITGlobal members value the integrity and non-commercial
nature of the community -- over 90% of members told us this in the member survey
early last year. To be able to keep up with our expansion and innovation, we are
asking all members to contribute any amount they can afford towards helping
TakingITGlobal grow.

Our suggested youth member contribution is $30 US or $4 per month ($100 US / $12
per month for adult supporters), which will go directly to support our operating
expenses (which are currently not being funded by any supporter).  These costs
include web hosting, design & development, program coordination, office infrastructure
(rent, phones, Internet access, etc.), quality assurance, administration as well as
ongoing innovation and improvements. Making a donation is optional and will not affect
your TIG community services.

We hope you can contribute!

http://www.takingitglobal.org/whatyoucan

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++ 3. Young People From Small Islands To Meet in Mauritius ++
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Creating early warning systems for Tidal Waves are just one of the many subjects
discussed at the meeting "Youth Visioning for Island Living" which TakingITGlobal
collaborated with UNESCO and several other partners to organize January 7-11th in
Mauritius (an Indian Ocean Island itself recently buffeted by the Tidal Wave). About
100 youth from Small Islands gathered to create an action plan, develop local projects,
and have important input to the UN's International Meeting on Small Islands. You can
find out more about the ongoing plans for the program at http://www.islandyouth.org
or by emailing Lindsey Higgs at lindsey@takingitglobal.org

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++ 4. Ukraine Election: What Comes Next? ++
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After three elections in less than three months Viktor Yushchenko has been
confirmed as the new President of Ukraine. Many TIG members have been actively
involved in the election process and the huge street protests over the last month.
But what comes next for Ukraine? Does this mean a more western-orientation? Will
Ukraine be admitted to the European Union sometime in the future? How will the new
President unify a divided country?

Discuss the issue with TIG members from across the region:
http://www.takingitglobal.org/discuss/forumdisplay.html?forumid=2419

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++ 5. CLC Russia Officially Launched ++
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In mid-December, TIG staff Jennifer Corriero, Michael Furdyk and Svitlana
Taraban, traveled from Toronto to Moscow for the launch of the CLC Russia
project. Since the start of the project, around 600 Russian youth have joined
TIG's community! The week of the project's launch was filled with events (including
an Open Forum on innovative youth projects), several workshops, discussions with
TIG Russia members, partnership meetings with Russian organizations and interviews
with the local press. Stay tuned for upcoming media coverage and trip reports about
the launch of the pilot project in Russia!

To learn more about the project activities in 2005, visit:
http://russia.takingitglobal.org

To find out more about TIG's local initiatives, visit:
http://about.takingitglobal.org/d/programs/local

Interested in collaborating around the CLC Russia?
Contact Svitlana at svitlana@takingitglobal.org

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++ 6. Global Gallery Contest: HIV/AIDS ++
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On December 1, the TIG Global Gallery launched a monthly contest that aims
to raise awareness around HIV/AIDS by reflecting on the smaller emotions that
make everyday life grand, that some of us appreciate and that too many of us
will never feel. A life can change forever in 15 seconds.

We're really excited about the submissions we're receiving and are really
looking forward to even more member submissions! Some very interesting work
that we have received can be seen at:

http://gallery.takingitglobal.org/dwm376s/8528 by David M.
http://gallery.takingitglobal.org/mysticmerlin/8211 by George V.
http://gallery.takingitglobal.org/CEasar/8206 by Mo'men S.

To find out more about the contest and to participate go to:
http://gallery.takingitglobal.org/contest

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++ 7. Panorama: Featured Content on HIV/AIDS; Women's Rights ++
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Maulik Baxi has responded to our call for submissions on HIV/AIDS. In his
article "AIDS Among Adolescents: Care is the Cure," he explains how youth are a
vulnerable population, but also a group who can bring about a reversal in
infection rates. In his multi-pronged approach, Maulik offers 10 viable suggestions
for the prevention of a youth AIDS pandemic. Read Maulik's article and other
articles and poems in our current issue:
http://www.takingitglobal.org/panorama/index.html

Next Issue (February/March): Women's Rights

Women's work, women and language, women and violence, feminism, women's art,
women's bodies - Women's Rights!

Choose any topic, or introduce us to a strong woman in your community. Submit your
articles, poetry, interviews, and short stories to Panorama by January 27, 2005.

For content guidelines please visit:
http://www.takingitglobal.org/panorama/content.html

If you have any questions, contact us at editorial@takingitglobal.org

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++ 8. Featured Country Sites: Ukraine and Guyana ++
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Ukraine - Serious HIV/AIDS Epidemic

According to UNAIDS, Ukraine has the most "serious and firmly-established"
HIV/AIDS epidemic in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The HIV prevalence rate
was estimated at 1.4% for men and women aged 15-49 at the end of 2003. Tuberculosis
has also become a serious concern as it is the leading cause of death for those
living with HIV.* Do you think HIV/AIDS is one of the major concerns for the
country's new leadership? Visit http://ukraine.takingitglobal.org to find out
more and discuss!

* UNAIDS Eastern Europe and Central Asia Fact Sheet 23/11/2004; and UNAIDS/WHO
Epidemiological Fact Sheet - 2004 Update

Guyana - Caribbean Partnership against HIV/AIDS (PANCAP)

Did you know that UNAIDS selected the PANCAP as "international best practice" in
the fight against HIV/AIDS this past December? PANCAP is one of the first regional
efforts bringing together key partners working on AIDS in the region. PANCAP's
Coordinating Unit is based at the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat in
Georgetown, Guyana. How do you think youth can have an active role in PANCAP? Visit
http://guyana.takingitglobal.org to get informed and discuss!

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++ 9. Open Forums on HIV/AIDS in Ukraine ++
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Looking for an opportunity to discuss, plan a presentation, fundraise, or launch
a project around HIV/AIDS? Get some ideas from the Open Forum, "The Role of
Information Technology (IT) in Raising Awareness on HIV/AIDS among Ukrainian
Youth," that some of our members are holding on January 12, 2005 in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Participate or organize an Open Forum in your country! Visit:
http://www.takingitglobal.org/action/openforums//current.html

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++ 10. Wrap Up - 2005: A Big Year Ahead! ++
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What are you doing in 2005? We wish you the best of luck with school, university,
work and personal adventures in the year ahead.

You'll soon begin to notice that many big things are afoot at TakingITGlobal.org.
In the next few months, almost every aspect of the Online Community will undergo
major improvements - we're adding new features and tools such as better blogs and
new features in TIG Groups. We received more 2,500 emails and survey responses with
suggestions from members in 2003/2004 and we're incorporating your ideas to make
sure TIG meets your needs.

In being a member of TakingITGlobal, you are part of a community that is more than
70,000 strong coming from over 200 countries and territories.

In friendship,

The TakingITGlobal Team
dispatch@takingitglobal.org

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The TakingITGlobal Dispatch is the official newsletter of TakingITGlobal,
electronically published via email, and compiled from various events and news
from within the TakingITGlobal network. Contributions should be sent to
dispatch@takingitglobal.org. Please include your full name, age, and your
member name.

Past issues of the Dispatch can be read in the dispatch archive, found at
http://www.takingitglobal.org/community/newsletters/dispatch