Report from the 13th International Meeting of Young Beekeepers, Dubai, UAE
By John MacFarlane and Lenka Petric
This past December three young beekeepers from Ontario, together with two mentors represented Canada at the 13th annual International Meeting of Young Beekeepers held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This was Canada’s third time participating in the international event (Slovakia – 2019 and Slovenia – 2023).
Team Canada consisted of Rebecca Wood (17) from Pontypool, Ben Marshall (17) from Trent Hills and Heidi Westbye (15) from Cavan. All three are graduates of the Kawartha Junior Beekeeper program and they joined young beekeepers from around the world in the various social events, cultural activities and competitions that form the IMYB experience. They were accompanied by mentors Lenka Petric from the Kawartha Junior Beekeeper program and Dana Petrillo from the Northumberland Junior Beekeeper program.
The event marked a significant milestone this year as the first time IMYB was hosted outside of Europe. Participation was limited to 20 countries and included first time participants from South Africa, China, Turkey, Bulgaria and Oman. This was the most culturally diverse gathering in IMYB’s history and Canada was excited to be one of the countries invited to attend.
The IMYB was held at the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club and was hosted by the Beekeepers Foundation, UAE. The Opening Ceremonies featured a Parade of Nations where delegates from each country took the stage with their flag; the Ayala performance, a traditional Emirati cultural dance; and speeches, including from Ayshka Najib, UNICEF Youth Advocate to the UAE, who called on young people to take the lead in championing climate justice and driving sustainable environmental practices.
The Competition
This year’s theme, Beekeeping in Arid Lands was woven throughout the event, in lectures, contests and competition questions, immersing the young beekeepers in real-world challenges faced by other countries. Participants learned about the unique issues of beekeeping in the UAE, including extreme heat, bee-eaters predation and seasonal dearth and water scarcity.
This year, two new contests were introduced as part of the competition. For the first contest the Teams were asked to research and submit, in advance of the competition, a practical solution for one of the challenges experienced by beekeepers in arid climates. This contest encouraged the Teams to deepen their understanding of global beekeeping issues, engage in critical thinking, and collaborate effectively. Our Team chose the challenge of extreme heat, and with support from researcher Grace McKinney and beekeeper Jerry Jerrard, prepared an excellent research paper outlining strategies for beekeeping in cold climates (indoor overwintering) and applying them to climates with extreme heat.
The second contest, also new to the IMYB, titled The Honey Story, required participants to write a personal story about their beekeeping journey and create a unique label for their jar of honey. This was also done in advance of the IMYB.
IMYB judges reviewed the submissions, and each Team presented their Beekeeping in Arid lands solutions to their fellow competitors. Judges scored both contests to come up with a final score for each country.
There were two other components of the competition: Individual and Mixed (multi-national) competitions. The Individual competition included 50 multiple choice questions (including 15 questions about beekeeping in arid lands) and a set of theory and practice challenges, covering bee biology, bee pathology, honey tasting and honey quality analysis.
For the Mixed (multi-national) Team competition, participants were divided into 10 teams consisting of 6 members from various countries. Team members worked together on 5 activities: drone (queen) marking, arid lands challenges, frame making, bee genetics and hive inspection.
Congratulations Team Canada!
Team Canada made us proud:
- Rebecca Wood shared the Silver medal with a young beekeeper from the Czech Republic in the Individual category
- Ben Marshall’s mixed (international) team won a Silver medal in the Team category
- Team Canada came in 4th overall in the Country category.
The results reflect the huge amount of work that Rebecca, Ben and Heidi put into preparing for the competition. In addition to writing the Beekeeping in Arid Lands research paper and their own Honey Stories, they participated in in-person and virtual learning sessions, and all three were junior mentors in the Kawartha and Northumberland Junior Beekeepers programs.
Cultural and Social Activities
Cultural and social activities are integral components of the IMYB experience. Participants learn from each other through country/cultural presentations, and they learn about the culture of the host country through excursions and unique experiences. Participants leave the IMYB with a broader awareness and understanding of other cultures as a result of one-to-one interactions and shared group experiences.
Accommodation was provided by KSK Homes (student residences), which provided excellent opportunities for social interaction and developing friendships. Young beekeepers shared rooms with participants from other countries and were able to foster new friendships during free time in the common areas.
Each country did a short presentation highlighting their culture through dance, costumes, songs and activities. Team Canada’s interactive presentation on ‘Canadianisms’ challenged participants to answer questions about uniquely Canadian words and awarded gifts to participants who joined the game.
The organizers arranged excursions to the city of Dubai and the surrounding desert lands, including the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, which is the UAE’s first national park. Participants experienced the desert landscape and had the unique opportunity to spot Arabian Oryx, gazelles, and other species native to the Arabian Peninsula. The awards ceremony was held at Al Waha Camp, where attendees experienced dune bashing, camel riding, and traditional activities like henna tattoos and falcon handling.
To round out the experience, the members of Team Canada spent two days exploring the city and culture, with guided tours of iconic landmarks like the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Frame and Gold and Spice Souks (markets) and presentations by locals at the Jumeirah Mosque and The Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Centre for Cultural Understanding (Open Doors. Open Minds).
Mentor Presentations
The IMYB is an excellent opportunity to learn about youth beekeeping programs in other countries. Mentors from each country were invited to provide an overview of their programs, serving as a platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration.
Programs for young beekeepers are offered in a variety of formats, delivered in the community, in schools and through beekeeping clubs. Local beekeeping associations are often very involved in program delivery and many of the participating countries have some sort of national or regional structure in place to support youth beekeeping programs. Local, regional and national competitions play a prominent role in choosing participants to represent their country at the IMYB. Strong national organizations and selection processes were noted in the Czech Republic, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Malta, Romania and Bulgaria.
Thank you to our Supporters
The opportunity to participate in the International Meeting of Young Beekeepers wouldn’t be possible without the support of many people, associations and organizations. The Central Ontario Beekeepers Association has been a key supporter since the start of the Kawartha Junior Beekeepers program, providing annual funding and hosting an auction to support Team Canada’s participation in the IMYB. We are also very thankful to the following organizations and business who contributed funding, items for our auction and crucial support: Ontario Beekeepers Association, Canadian Honey Council, Huronia Beekeepers Association, Durham Region Beekeepers Association, Wellington County Beekeepers Association, Quinte Beekeepers Association, Hunnabees, Dancing Bee Equipment, The Bee Works, Dominion and Grimm, Kawartha Lakes Honey, Blossom Hill Nurseries,
Millbrook Lions Club, Lindsay Lions Club, Lions Club of Cobourg, Jason McIntosh Auctions, Makers On Enfield, Cottage Chairs, Stellmar Farm, Fleetwood Hills Farm, Ray-Mar Acres, 3 Bees Buzz, Chosen Raw Pet Foods, BAG’EM Freeze Dried Foods, Someday Soon Farm, Joanna Paul, artist and Red Sky Candles.
We had a fundraising goal of $15,000 to cover the registration fee and travel costs, ensuring that the trip was affordable for participants. With the support of our many donors, we met our target! The parents of our young beekeepers were crucial to our success, spending many hours in planning meetings and various fundraising activities and events.
Quotes from Team Canada:
What Impact did the IMYB have on you?
“The IMYB had an incredible impact on me. Meeting so many like-minded individuals was an eye-opening experience for me. I have gained a more worldly perspective and insight into beekeeping in different environments”. Rebecca Wood
“The IMYB had a profound impact on me, broadening my perspective on global beekeeping practices and fostering a deep appreciation for cultural diversity. Collaborating with peers underscored the importance of teamwork and adaptability in problem solving. It also strengthened my commitment to sustainable beekeeping by exposing me to innovative techniques tailored to unique environments like arid lands…the event reaffirmed my passion for beekeeping and inspired me to continue sharing this enthusiasm with others in my community. Ben Marshall
“The trip has truly changed me as a person, broadening my understanding of the world and made me a better individual. It was a life changing experience that will stay with me forever”. Heidi Westbye
What is one thing that will stay with you about your experience at the IMYB?
“The camaraderie and shared passion among participants transcending language and cultural barriers…that sense of global solidarity will stay with me as I continue my journey in beekeeping”. Ben Marshall
“I met great people who I am still in contact with and created connections and memories that will stick with me forever”. Rebecca Wood
“The friends you make, the sights you see and the experiences you gain are invaluable opportunities that everyone should have”. Heidi Westbye
What advice would you have for another young beekeeper considering going to the IMYB?
“Do it! At the start I was nervous and thought I wasn’t good enough but it all worked out. It is a life changing opportunity which you won’t regret”. Rebecca Wood
“I encourage anyone who has the opportunity, to step outside their comfort zone and go – you will never regret it”. Heidi Westbye
“Embrace the opportunity wholeheartedly… The event is as much about cultural exchange and teamwork as it is about beekeeping. The experience will challenge you, but the knowledge, friendships and memories you gain will be truly priceless”. Ben Marshall.
Meet the Team of Young Beekeepers heading to the International Meeting of Young Beekeepers
In December of this year, three young beekeepers from Ontario will be traveling to Dubai, UAE to represent Canada at the 13th annual International Meeting of Young Beekeepers (IMYB). Only 20 countries have been selected to participate in the event this year. This is a great honor for Canada and will be the third time a team from Canada will be competing. In 2019, three young beekeepers attended the IMYB in Slovakia, and last year three young beekeepers represented Canada in Slovenia.
This year, the members of Team Canada 2024 are all graduates of the Kawartha Junior Beekeepers program: Heidi from Cavan, Rebecca from Pontypool and Ben from Trent Hills. All are avid beekeepers and eager to represent their country at this unique event. They are busy preparing, including fundraising and improving their beekeeping skills and knowledge. At the IMYB, they will be judged on their beekeeping skills and knowledge across a wide range of areas including frame/hive assembly, bee handling skills, queen grafting, bee biology and anatomy, pests and diseases and honey identification. The theme of this year’s event is “Beekeeping in Arid Lands” and participants will learn about the characteristics of beekeeping within desert environments and the ecological importance of bees for this unique ecosystem.
The Team will be traveling with two chaperones. The estimated cost for this trip, including the team registration fee and travel, is approximately $15,000. Fundraising efforts are underway to help offset the cost of the trip and make it more affordable for the youth and chaperones who are attending. The Team is selling honey gifts packs supplied by Hunnabees Honey and Co, notecards designed by artist Joanna Paul, and candles. They also have a gofundme page: gofund.me/6c592e69 (Team Canada 2024-International Meeting of Young Beekeepers).
The IMYB started in 2010 in the Czech Republic and has become the largest international meeting for young beekeepers worldwide. The meeting includes a competition, as well as social and cultural activities. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for these youth to represent their country at an international event. It is also a unique opportunity to learn about beekeeping in other countries. For more information about the IMYB, visit the IMYB website: https://www.icyb.cz/imyb.