Shahed Shafazand

My journey as an activist started at an early age. Growing up among environmentalists and activists of my family, I learnt to be a steward of the planet and care for other people. I have tirelessly advocated for environmental justice, women’s rights, and social equity throughout my years at university organizations, NGOs, and my workplace. I bring this passion to my personal and professional life. As an engineer, I strive to identify challenging problems in our ecological, economic, and social systems and find revolutionary solutions to these problems. I believe solving the pressing issues of our times, including climate change and equity takes collective action. I have contributed to various NGOs and not-for-profit organizations by volunteering and providing expertise. In the past two years, I have been involved in various energy, water, and resource conservation projects at Enviro-Stewards identifying opportunities to help build resilient and sustainable businesses. Working with multiple stakeholders has given me great communication and collaborative skills. While technical skills are essential in analyzing complex systems in industries and communities, I am a strong advocate for policy innovation. To achieve meaningful positive change, we need to collectively reflect on our cultural and political landscape and redefine our relationships with each other and our ecosystems. Currently, I am working on several projects in collaboration with indigenous partners to envision a just, sustainable, and resilient world for our communities in Canada and beyond. My long-term vision is to help build communities and businesses where the 17 Sustainable Development Goals are incorporated as essential collective values. I welcome new partnerships and experiences as I continue my journey towards catalyzing a shift to SDGs in a Canadian and global context.