ST. CATHARINES, Ont. – When Brock University’s newest graduates gather to mark their accomplishments next month, they’ll be ushered into this new chapter of their lives by the inspiring words of an environmental activist.
As part of Brock’s 115th Convocation celebrations from June 10 to 14, the University will bestow an honorary doctorate upon Maude Barlow, who will then deliver an address to the graduating class.
A respected Canadian activist and author, Barlow chairs the board of Food and Water Watch, which advocates for safe food, clean water and a livable climate for all. She is also the founder of the Blue Planet Project, a leading water justice organization.
Barlow will be honoured during Brock’s 10 a.m. Convocation ceremony on Tuesday, June 11.
In 2008-09, she served as Senior Advisor on Water to the 63rd President of the United Nations General Assembly and was a leader in the campaign to have water recognized as a human right by the UN. She is the creator of the Blue Communities project in which municipalities pledge to ban or phase out the sale of bottled water and to recognize water as a human right and a public trust. There are now more than 25 million people living in official Blue Community towns and cities around the world.
Brock’s 115th Convocation will include nine ceremonies held from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14 in the Ian D. Beddis Gymnasium of Brock’s Walker Sports Complex. Ceremonies will take place at 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. each day, except for Friday, June 14, when only a morning ceremony is scheduled.
All ceremonies will be livestreamed online at brocku.ca/livestream.
