Climate Justice Solidarity Webinar: voices from Canada and Zambia

Oct 9

3 min read

On April 20, 2026, the founding members of the Time To Act movement brought their communities and partners together online for a Climate Justice Solidarity Webinar. This one-hour gathering set out to recognize and celebrate the ongoing climate justice work of VIDEA, a supporting partner of the campaign.

The webinar highlighted this work through the power of global solidarity. Speakers from Canada and Zambia who lead climate justice programs in their communities were paired across borders to bring out shared concerns, leadership and solutions.

Meet the speakers

Lily, founder and executive director of an organization that amplifies youth voices in Zambia.
Stéphanie White, involved in climate action in Edmonton, Alberta.
Michael Sanguisso, climate leader in Lundazi, eastern Zambia, with Women for Change, where he supports around 400 young people.
Janelle, from Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, a member of VIDEA's climate justice team in Edmonton, where she works with five Indigenous youth leaders.

Hosts

Tina, representing the volunteer cooperation organizations behind Time To Act.
Hilary, from the VIDEA team.

Hosted by Tina, who represents the volunteer cooperation organizations behind the campaign, and Hilary from the VIDEA team, the webinar was offered with simultaneous interpretation. Participants joined from Canada, Zambia, Tunisia, Nigeria and Djibouti.

From the start, everyone was invited to offer a land acknowledgement or name a body of water they feel connected to. The North Saskatchewan River, the Richelieu River, the Red River, Okanagan Lake, the Lundazi River in Zambia: the chat quickly filled with lakes and rivers.

Tina shared the campaign's core message: every action counts, big or small, here at home and around the world. She also thanked the volunteer cooperation organizations behind Time To Act and the Government of Canada, through Global Affairs Canada.

What does climate justice mean?

The first pair of speakers featured Lily, founder and executive director of a youth organization in Zambia, and Stéphanie White from Edmonton, Alberta.

For Lily, climate justice means recognizing that the people who have contributed least to the problem, such as those who have never been on a plane, are often the first to face extreme heat. For Stéphanie, it means naming an injustice and doing more to protect the people most affected.

Drought in Zambia, food insecurity in Edmonton

In Zambia, Lily described a drought so severe that the country declared it a national disaster. Almost every farmer was affected, and some areas lost nearly 80% of their crops. Without suitable insurance or the means to buy inputs, farming families are left without a safety net. Floods add to the droughts. "It's truly unfair," she said.

In Edmonton, Stéphanie highlighted another side of the crisis. Much of the city's food is imported, and rising transportation costs push prices up. As a result, access to healthy, nutritious food has become a food security issue. Hotter, drier summers also bring smoke that affects people's health, including in her own family.

Different realities, but a shared conclusion: telling these stories helps us recognize that we are not alone.

Take only what you need

Asked about the teachings that guide their work, both speakers found common ground. Stéphanie spoke about reciprocity with the land: never take more than you need, and give thanks to Mother Earth for fish and harvests.

Lily shared a similar teaching passed down in her community. With significant deforestation in Zambia, she encourages her colleagues to spread this knowledge. Trees feed and shelter animals, and future generations must be able to rely on these resources.

Hope comes from young people

What gives them hope? For Stéphanie, it's her children and the young people in her community, who find concrete ways to take action. For Lily, it's students drawing trees and talking about climate change at school, communities choosing to protect forests, and new cookstoves that reduce reliance on charcoal.

Projects rooted in community

The second pair brought together Michael Sanguisso and Janelle. Michael is a climate leader in Lundazi, in eastern Zambia, with Women for Change. He supports around 400 young people in community-based climate projects.

Janelle, from Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, lives in Edmonton, also known as amiskwaciy (Beaver Hills House). A member of VIDEA's climate justice team, she works with five Indigenous youth leaders. Their approach centres on storytelling: sharing the history of water and land with young people to better care for them.

As the conversation turned to global solidarity, the message was clear: it starts with sharing information.

Every action counts

This webinar showed it: from the Lundazi River to the North Saskatchewan River, people take action every day for their water, their land and their communities.

To stay engaged, explore VIDEA's climate justice initiatives and join the Time To Act movement.