Global Perspectives

It’s been several very difficult weeks/months within our Global community. For over 15 years we have been travelling to Cuba each April to learn, connect, and share experiences with students and professors from the University of Matanzas. As the political climate around the world becomes more unstable, and Cuba feels the effects of international foriegn policy, our planned trip to Varadero and its surrounding areas this year was cancelled by the airline several weeks ago.

Team Cuba,

From all of us in Barrie - and across Canada - we wish you the best health, safety, and security as you search for calm in these troubled waters. You are in our hearts and minds.

Until we meet again.

❤️❤️❤️

Hi Global Perspectives Community,

Posted here, is an exciting opportunity for your family to possibly be involved with another initiative involving Zweibrucken, Germany.

The Zweibrucken Hornets, a mixed youth hockey team, ages 11-16, will be travelling to Barrie from April 1-9, 2026, and we are in need of a few more host families.

This initiative is being run through Barrie Minor Hockey Association, with some help from the City of Barrie. Our very own Mr. Babcock is one of the organizers.

If you think this might be of interest to your family (or someone you know in the community), please see the attached information and reach out to Mr. Babcock ([email protected]) or Steve Fontaine, General Manager, BMHA ([email protected]).

Yours in hockey, community, and new friendships.

I am touching base with an update from a project we worked on from many moons ago: Edwin Espinal’s imprisonment in Honduras.

If you remember, Mr. Espinal was falsely charged and imprisoned by the then-president, Juan Orlando Hernandez, for exercising the basic human right of free-speech.

You wrote letters to many politicians and government officials expressing concern for Edwin’s arrest and treatment whilst in custody. Some of these were delivered to the then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chrystia Freeland, by one of Barrie’s MPs, John Brassard.

In Cuba one year, late at night, when our class was having an end-of-the-evening chat, Mr B. played a ‘smuggled out’ thank-you WhatsApp message from Mr. Espinal that came from his future wife, Karen.

Edwin eventually had his charges dropped, and after a three-year wait, he obtained his permanent residency in Canada. Although the Simcoe County Honduras Rights Monitor led this initiative, there is no doubt that Global’s letters helped. Global friends and families, you have been invited to meet Edwin and Karen Espinal and listen to a presentation about this ordeal/case and celebrate a win for human rights. The ‘Thank You Celebration’ is on January 25th from 1-4 at the Elmvale Community Hall. If you think you will be able to attend, RSVP to Janet Spring by the 18th (janetspring7@gmail.)

Mr. B and the Global Teaching Team

Global has a looooong and storied past; the characters that embodied its chapters set the foundation for everything that came after. During a clean-up at Innisdale yesterday, we came across these photos that may have come from the program’s inaugural year. There’s a reason a program like this is still running, stronger than ever. 🤔🧐 Grade 10s across Simcoe County, be part of our Global history; apply for the program by Feb. 20. Applications can be found at https://youthambassadors.barrie.ca/

❤️

Our October! The last week(ish) of the program saw the Germans head out on their Big Trip to Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec City, tour Niagara Falls, experience their first evacuation drill, and attend and perform at the Goodbye Party. What a month! 🇨🇦🍁🇩🇪

Our German guests left this morning on their Big Trip to Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec - their 3rd week in Canada. Before that though, they were able to visit Collingwood, Stratford, and Toronto in their 2nd week. These are the days! Have a great time friends! 🇨🇦🍁🇩🇪

On Wednesday, was lucky to collaborate with 28 students from who are studying at for the next 2 months. The trifecta included 8 Canadian students, 28 Danish students, and 27 German students from who were able to build relationships by communicating and creating with each other, and also exploring

Together we grow! Thank you to and Barrie City Council for welcoming our German exchange students this week. The 27 students and 3 chaperones are from Zweibrücken, Germany - Barrie’s sister-city. This is a long-running partnership that continues to flourish. 😍 🇨🇦🍁🇩🇪