Head of Winnipeg’s Bear Clan departs for United Nations event

The co-founder of Winnipeg’s Bear Clan boarded a plane for Abu Dhabi on Saturday where he will present at an event on urban sustainability hosted by the United Nations.

James Favel, the executive director of the Bear Clan, will have five minutes to give a speech at the UN event on Wednesday about his organization.

Favel said he’s still working on what he wants to say, but it will have to do with being proactive instead of reactive.

“The work starts at home and that’s going to be my message,” Favel said at Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport.

The original invite for Abu Dhabi was for members of the SAGE Clan in Lethbridge, Alta., but after they couldn’t go, Favel said they put his name forward.

“I was the third choice,” Favel said. “I know that there’s a lot of people paying attention so I just hope I do it justice.”

The Bear Clan was first formed in 1992 in Winnipeg’s North End but went on hiatus after a few years. The group officially returned to patrol the streets again in 2015 and has since grown to 17,000 volunteers with sister organizations popping up outside the city.

Favel admits he’s nervous about the trip but is excited to learn as much as he can.

“I’ve got five minutes to present but I got two hours and 25 minutes to learn and I’m going to absorb as much as I can and bring it all back home.”

Favel returns to Winnipeg Feb. 14.