A few months ago there was a flurry of online traffic about
maps. For some, there is nothing more mundane and boring than a map. But not
me. I love maps and the stories they tell – call me a map nerd. Anyone who has
been in our home may have seen a few dozen historic maps (mainly Canadian) they
paint an intriguing picture of our evolving understanding what we now call
Central Canada. That perspective has changed a lot. Maps provide a window on
how we see each other and how we see the Earth. This who have read The Map
that Changed the World also understand how maps can even change
our understanding of humanity, religion and where we came from. (Even for those
in the “maps are as exciting as bricks” camp, the story tells a great tale of
creativity, tragedy and the power of persistence – I recommend it.)
Perhaps my interest in maps came from my university years
studying geological engineering. Honestly though, I think the spark was lit and
fanned in my years at summer camp, doing outdoor education at school and in
scouts where on canoe trips and hikes your skills in understanding where you
were and where you were going was based on understanding maps. The ability to
relate a two-dimensional sheet of paper with topographical lines, different
colours indicating terrain, and strange symbols to your three-dimensional field
of vision was challenging, often ambiguous, and, if you got it wrong, there
could be significant consequences for your party. These abilities can be
shockingly variable across a group and seem to have very little correlation to
intelligence.
One of the best of the “maps that change the way you think”
groups was sent to me by a friend, but it originating with The Washington Post – “40
Maps that Explain the World”. Take a
look at them and I think you’ll perhaps develop a new or updated insight the
position of Canada in the world. In particular, take a look at maps 2, 4, 8, 9,
10, 16, 19, 21 and 22.
About 10 years ago, I met Eric Lubbock who, during the
Second World War, was in Canada as a “war guest” – the young people who were
sent by their families from England to attend school and escape the danger of
the Blitz. Lubbock is now 86 years-old and since 1971 has been 4th
Baron Avebury. Lord Avebury is a most fascinating individual. Over a couple of
lunches with him in the Parliament Buildings on the banks of the Thames, I
heard of his time in the Welsh Guards; his business success as an engineer; his
conversion to Buddhism; his election, service then defeat as a Liberal MP
(which gave birth to his wonderful line "In 1962 the wise, far-seeing people of Orpington elected me as their
Member; in 1970 the fools threw me out"); and then his service since 1971
in the House of Lords. He has made a name for himself as a tireless advocate
for the oppressed in many parts of the world and a voice of compassion.
The last time I
saw Lord Avebury (about five years ago) he was asking me about multiculturalism
and what Canada does differently. He was lamenting the challenges the UK has been
facing with worrisome societal conflict based on race and ethnicity, the lack
of positive social dialogue between different new immigrant groups,
longstanding Brits, religious faction and different ethnicities. And for all
the issues Britain has been facing for a few decades, compared to many other European
countries and other regions of the world, they seem more like mild tensions.
Many countries face devastating inter-ethnic problems, in some cases tearing
their countries apart. Since my lunch with him, while the state of the world
has generally become better, concern around race, ethnic and religiously-based
violence has spread. For many, it our greatest problem. Lord Averbury asked how
Canada gets it right? Of course, we also have challenges. We are far from
perfect, but the nine maps I mention paint a picture of what Avebury was
talking about with respect to Canada and some of the other Washington Post maps help make his point about the issue around the
globe.
When I travel
(most recently in Turkey, China, the Northeastern US, and the UK with heads
from other G20 schools), I like to ask people what they think of Canada and
Canadians. I find that for families of students thinking about independent
schools, they tend to pick the country before the school. And the common themes
I hear about Canada are safe, welcoming, diverse, happy, big, beautiful &
clean space, stable and boring. Not such a bad mix.
A few years ago,
I posted about the four kinds of learning – learning to learn, learning to make
a living, learning to live and work with people of different backgrounds and
perspectives, and learning to be – defining your purpose/reason for being. Of
course they are all important. But the third one seems to be growing in
importance for the world. And the more I travel the world, the more I appreciate
that this is one of Canada’s more striking competitive advantages. It is also what
our students, especially those from outside our borders, remember most of all
about their years at Appleby, be it in the blend of students at the school or
their Appleby experiences internationally.
As we confirm our
priorities for the future, we plan to “double-down” in this area. Increasingly,
the ability of young people to have a global outlook, intercultural literacy,
and acceptance of different perspectives will be a harbinger of their own
success in life. Just as important, it is one of the golden keys to addressing
some of the world’s most dangerous threats … and indeed making the maps of the
future better than those of those of today.
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