TakingITGlobal

4 TakingITGlobal Annual Report 2010 to New York for a showcase that took place at the American Management Association during a meeting of the UN General Assembly, as well as the Clinton Global Initiative. These events demon- strated the power of the arts in supporting comm- unity development and helped to inspire reflection across local and global networks reaching leaders from business, government, and civil society. The determination and passion that the TakingIT- Global team displays has consistently reinforced my belief in their ambitions for cre-ating mean- ingful change in the world and for inspiring youth to make a difference in their own communities. I look I look forward to continued collaboration with TakingITGlobal in the upcoming years! Kim Samuel Johnson I have had the joy of being a friend and supporter of TakingITGlobal since 2002, when Jennifer was first recognized by the World Economic Forum for her dedication to creating a more inclusive, peaceful and sustainable world. I was immediately drawn to Jennifer's commitment to supporting youth initia- tives across Canada and internationally—a vision that was strong then, and that has only grown in strength in the last decade. TakingITGlobal believes in the importance of including youth in the decision-making that will affect their futures. One of my key areas of passion is ensuring that the voice of youth is projected by youth themselves—across critical issues such as health, education and employment—and my own work involves a major focus on the global issue of youth unemployment. I've contributed to a number of partnerships directed toward poverty alleviation, human rights advocacy, environmental sustain- ability, disability rights and family support. I cherish the collaboration opportunities shared with TIG–a model organization which displays exceptional leadership on addressing crosscutting global issues and remains sharply focused on realizing its goals through innovative projects in partnership with various organizations. In addition to the force of the organization, it has been a pleasure for me to be able to support Jennifer's individual participation in various international events hosted by the World Economic Forum. As a member of the WEF's Global Agenda Council on Investing in Children (2009-2010), I was pleased to support the efforts of the Youth Task Force that Jennifer co-chaired in her role as a Young Global Leader. In 2010, the Task Force collaborated to write the Youth Effect: A Toolkit for Decision Makers on Engaging With Youth, launched in July 2011 at the United Nations High- Level Meeting on Youth. This past June in Toronto, I was delighted to support Jennifer in hosting an art show on the theme of How Does Change Happen? which created an alternative dialogue for citizens to engage in discussions about change in tandem with the G20 Summit. This exhibit also travelled MESSAGE FROM KIM SAMUEL JOHNSON

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