Marie-Marguerite Sabongui (2008 - 2009)

Canada

Raised in an Egyptian home in Montreal, Marie-Marguerite developed profound and far-reaching interests and an insatiable curiosity that makes her value education, driving her to constantly question and research. Compelled by questions of water scarcity, she has travelled extensively across the globe – from Bhutan, Tibet and Nepal, across Europe, North America and the Caribbean – to work with various local and international organisations, including Child Haven, UNEP and the Bellairs Research Institute in Barbados.

A professional actor since the age of seventeen, Marie-Marguerite is passionate about using her position in the public eye to effect positive change. She is the founder of GreenerSets, an organization dedicated to consulting film and television shoots on sustainability. She has written about her experiences in academic journals and magazines such as Geoscope and the Grapevine. Her acting resumé includes the popular children’s series “Galidor: Defenders of the Outer Dimension,” and the Chinese series “Dr.Bethune”.

In April 2008, Marie-Marguerite was trained by Nobel Laureate former Vice President Al Gore to educate the public on solutions to climate change, and in October, she participated in the David Suzuki Foundation and Canadian Federation of Students for Sustainability Cross-Canada Tour to promote the greening of campuses. More about the tour on Marie-Marguerite’s Cross-Canada Tour blog . Marie-Marguerite graduated in spring 2008 with a First Class Honours degree in International Development and English Cultural Studies from McGill University.

Upon completing her year as a Sauvé Scholar, Marie-Marguerite immediately began studies for her Masters in Public Affairs in Environmental Science and Policy at Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs, in collaboration with Columbia's Earth Institute; and she is also one of the actors in Rogers' My5 commercials.