Raffi & Sustainability

Selected Chronology

In words and music, advancing a sustainable world fit for children.

1980

  • Songs: Baby Beluga / All I Really Need / Thanks A lot

1982

  • Songs: Rise and Shine / Big Beautiful Planet

1985

  • Songs: One Light One Sun / Just Like the Sun

1989

  • Taped David Suzuki’s 5 hour CBC Radio series It’s A Matter of Survival
  • Met David Suzuki, took part in his environmental TV quiz

1990-91

  • A founding donor to David Suzuki Foundation
  • Supported The Environmental Youth Alliance (donations, Ottawa appearance and march)
  • Evergreen Everblue ecology cd : sang 3 songs at UN Gen Assembly Hall
  • Evergreen Everblue music video with the Penan, David Suzuki, Raging Grannies
  • Earth Achievement Award: from UNEP

1991

  • Sang at Sustainable Agriculture conference, Asilomar CA
  • Supported many environmental NGOs

1992

  • Private meeting with Al Gore in Toronto / read his book Earth In The Balance
  • Read Warning to Humanity (Union of Concerned Scientists)
  • Attended Rio Earth Summit, helped 4 Canadian kids attend
  • UNEP Goodwill Ambassador for Youth (’92-94)

1993

  • Award for helping ban the wasteful cardboard “cd longbox” (with Peter Gabriel, Bonnie Raitt, the Beach Boys)
  • Kyoto Global Forum: dinner with Gorbachevs, Earth Day concert with Japanese children’s choir: “Evergreen Everblue”, “Big Beautiful Planet”
  • Green Cross USA: Washington DC, sang “Evergreen Everblue” with kids’ choir for Gorbachev, Yoko Ono, Jane Goodall, Ted Turner, Jane Fonda and guests

1994

  • Global 500 Award (London)
  • Songs: First Peoples / Naturally / The World We Love
  • Joined Social Venture Network, attended annual conferences (1994-2002)

1995

  • Songs: Every Child / Sunflower

1997

  • Child Honouring vision
  • Troubadour switches to chlorine-free paper in all products
  • SustainABILITY speech, Canadian Embassy, Washington DC
  • Vancouver keynote: North American Association of Environmental Educators

1998

  • Met with eco-designer Bill McDonough
  • Attended conferences on Children’s Environmental Health

1999

  • Wrote A Covenant for Honouring Children
  • Songs: It Takes A Village / Blessed Be / Turn This World Around
  • Dharamsala India: 1st conversation with the Dalai Lama, on Child Honouring; attended his talk at “Ecology and the Human Spirit” event
  • Autobiography The Life of a Children’s Troubadour, on recycled chlorine-free paper
  • Child Honouring presentations: U of Virginia, Harvard, Parliament Hill, New York Academy of Medicine

2000-2005

  • The Troubadour Institute : Inspiring child honouring

2000

  • Spoke and sang at World Bank conference on Early Child Development
  • 2nd conversation on Child Honouring with the Dalai Lama (filmed), Dharamsala, India

2001

  • Sang for Nelson Mandela in Toronto
  • Songs: Turn This Word Around / Blue White Planet / Counting on You
  • Met Jane Goodall, wrote Jane Jane (tribute song) and Roots & shoots everywhere (theme song for her Roots & Shoots organization)

2002

  • Honorary Chair of UNEP’s International Children’s conference on the Environment
  • Turn This World Around became conference theme song “Blue White Planet included” in Country Goes Raffi CD
  • Let’s Play CD includes songs Jane Jane and Roots & Shoots Everywhere
  • Sierra Club press conference (Parliament) on renewing Pesticides Bill : successful
  • chlorine-free clause in Random House contract: all Troubadour kids’ books printed with recycled chlorine-free paper

2003

  • Sang in support of US Organics Association in New York
  • Wrote Earth Charter song Where We All Belong (chant and ballad)
  • Released Where We All Belong 3 song CD, supported Earth Charter events worldwide
  • Jasper, Alberta: presenter, CANSEE conference of ecological economists with Evergreen Canada co-sponsored environmentally safe playgrounds

2004

  • Songs: Song for the Dalai Lama / Tomorrow’s Children
  • Sang for the Dalai Lama at Orpheum theatre backed by the Vancouver symphony, Vancouver inter-cultural orchestra and 100 children
  • Advisor to BALLE BC (Business Alliance for Local Living Economies)

2005

  • Earth Stewardship Award (Chlorine Free Products Assoc.)
  • Rethinking Development conference: Antigonish, Nova Scotia
  • Met Sharna Olfman, Author/Psychology professor, Point Parke University
  • Sang at Canadian Landmines foundation event
  • Met with Ray Anderson, CEO of Interface
  • Hosted “Beluga Grads” seminar on Mayne Island, BC

2006

  • Presenter, World Peace forum, Vancouver BC
  • Launch of anthology Child Honouring: How to Turn This World Around and companion CD Resisto Dancing at numerous US and Canada settings
  • Victoria BC: Lieutenant Governor’s luncheon for Child Honouring anthology
  • Child Honouring presentations for student teachers

2007

  • Wrote & recorded COOL IT, with David Suzuki and staff singing in chorus, became theme song of Suzuki’s cross-Canada bus tour
  • Posted “If I Were Prime Minister” on YouTube
  • DVD Raffi Renaissance: Child Honouring and the Compassion Revolution
  • Presentations included BC Music Educators, IONS conference, Yale University