One Planet, One People | Catherine Younesi | TEDxGSN Youth
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlmuqvMcV_Q Video ID: ZlmuqvMcV_Q ============================================================ Good afternoon everyone. My name is Katherine and once upon a time I was lost. Many moons ago, well at least three decades of moons, I was six years old and when I was six, I had a great day at school and then when it was time to get home, I got on the school bus and I got off the school bus and realized we're not in Kansas anymore. Toto. So, the bus driver didn't drop me off in front of my home at the corner. He dropped me in downtown. I know, horror story, but it's a true story. And I asked my mom, I asked her, I said, "Do you remember when I was lost?" And she said, "Remember I was crying? I was a mad woman in the whole of running around the city crying and praying. I can't imagine the horror." So, there I was in my little mind. And I thought I can find my way home. Maybe home is behind that building over there. So, I walked and then I realized I wasn't going to make it. I wasn't going to find my home. This was not my neighborhood. So, I did what any six-year-old would do. I cried. I cried. I walked. I walked. And I cried. And my mom was going crazy. I'm sure you can imagine. All of a sudden, a man appears and he says, "What are you doing? Are you okay?" And he takes me and I follow him and he opens the door and I enter and I realize I'm in a dental clinic. So, he was actually my dentist. So, I was saved. So, that's why I'm still here. Okay. Um, moments later, my mom arrives. And this was in the 80s. She had no cell phone. No one called her. How did she know that I was there? You can say it was good luck. I call it a mother's prayers. So for a six-year-old, home is where your parents are. Home is family. And for you, you might still feel the same way. Now fast forward, I'm an adult now. And I'm a very simple person. So I think of it in a very simple manner. Home roots home. I'm a human being. So home is simply planet Earth. Isn't it beautiful? Can you imagine? This is the planet we're on together. Planet Earth. If you were born in one country and raised in the same country, then when people ask you where are you from, your answer won't be complicated. But if both your parents are from different countries, you were born in one, raised in another, then you pause. When people ask you where do you come from, you take a moment, at least I take a moment to think about it. My answer is always the same. I'll say Canada. I was raised there. And Canada's wonderful, you know, friendly Canadians, maple syrup, free healthc care, it's great. No complaints. But I don't think I am merely that. Only that. a representative of one country. And I think a lot of us can relate to that. I don't think that I am just this physical entity, this body, this hair, this skin color. I think we're all more than just the physical. And if you are in tune, in touch with your inner self, your true self, your heart, your soul, what's within, this might resonate with you. If I may start with my beginning. So my father came from Iran. When he was young, he had to flee. He had to leave his country, his home, his roots because of his beliefs. Beliefs in the oneness of humanity, equality of men and women, nice things like that. My mother is from Malaysia. And if you know about Malaysia, you know it's a very diverse country. So she speaks Tamil, English and Malay. I was born where they met and married. I was born in India. But I don't have any memories of India because I was raised in Canada. We left when I was a baby. But I do like Indian food. I do like Bollywood. I do dance, you know. Now I spent most of my life in Laos, lost in Laos and in Thailand. And here I am in Ningo in China. And you know what? This feels like home. I love this city and I love this country. I think it's really beautiful. It's very safe. It's very advanced technologically. So really truly um home is a word that's very heavy for some people. It's a word that will make you smile. If you have memories of bike rides and picnics with your family and your mom making you pancakes or dumplings on Sunday, it's going to make you smile. But it could also make some people cry or be triggered or feel bring back memories of trauma. Because if you were born in a war torn country, if you've seen death, if you if you've seen pain and suffering, if you struggled for basic necessities, then home isn't a happy memory. We know that there's a lot of injustice in the world today. There are some countries where a boy can go to school but a girl can't. There are some countries where a girl can be killed because she didn't wear her head covering. Right. There are some countries where children are forced into marriage. So, we know that there's a lot in this world that needs to be changed. A lot. Now, I don't want to make this sad. So, here's the good news. We can all do something. And if you think I can't do anything, I'm just one person. What can one person do? One person can do a lot. Think about all the people in the past or even just think about one person who has brought about positive change through their words, through their actions. I think that we can be the salt. And I say salt because I like to cook. I just don't like cleaning, but I like cooking. And even if you don't cook, if you eat, I'm sure you eat food sometimes. If you eat, you know the power of salt, okay? Just a pinch of salt is going to elevate and enhance the flavors of your meal. So, we can be that be that salt. We have that power through our words, through our deeds. Just being kind to your family, being kind to your classmates, a smile, thinking about how we can be be of service to our communities. Every action has power. I think it's time that we look at this planet as our home and each other as family. We know that families can be complicated sometimes. Sometimes people don't even want to talk to each other. There will always be some misunderstandings, disagreements, conflicts, but they're there to resolve. At the end of the day, what's most important is unity, love, respect, spiritual qualities. That should be our roots. My wish for you is that wherever you go in this world, this beautiful planet of ours, wherever your adventures take you, you will always feel at home, you will spend time with people that make you feel like you're at home. And your vision is always world embracing because this planet is the only one we have. I mean, maybe in a thousand years we might have another planet to live on, but for now, we only have planet Earth. So let's take care of her and let's take care of each other. Roomba Nandri Merci Cop Thank you very much.