Concept
International Youth Summit 2008 Go 4 BioDiv
People from all over the world are united in their concern about the protection of natural habitats. Next to climate change, the dramatic decline in biological diversity is one of the greatest challenges of our lifetime – regardless of where we are located geographically. And it is today’s younger generation that will have to bear the future consequences of present-day irresponsible action by the global community.
9th UN Conference on Biological Diversity in Bonn
Special attention was given to the subject of biological diversity in the year 2008: from 19 through to 30 May 2008, Germany was hosting the 9th Conference of the Parties (COP9) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). During this time, and under German chairmanship, the convention’s highest political committee which convenes every two years – the Conference of the Parties – debated measures for the protection of biodiversity. This not only included the conservation of biological diversity but also its sustainable use and the fair distribution of costs and benefits. Priority subjects included: forest protection, the establishment and funding of protected areas, conservation of plant and animal genetic diversity in agriculture, the development of a body of rules for the equitable distribution of advantages and the objective of substantially reducing the loss of biodiversity worldwide by 2010. Around 5,000 participants from some 190 contracting parties to the convention were expected to be in attendance. Also in May 2008, namely from 12 through to 16, Bonn was the scene of the 4th Conference on Biosafety pursuant to the Cartagena Protocol (MOP4). The focus here lay on issues of liability relating to the release of genetically-modified organisms.
International Youth Summit – A forum for the concerns of young people
Young adults from all parts of the world have a very keen sense of injustice and are full of energy and enthusiasm when it comes to making the world “a better place”. However, they can only formulate and place their messages successfully if they have access to forums where they can form an opinion and express their needs. During the 9th UN Conference on Biological Diversity, young adults were given a joint political platform. The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ German Technical Cooperation) organised the International Youth Summit for young people who are engaged in the field of biodiversity on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Cooperation partners are the Bavarian State Ministry for the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection (STMUVG), the City of Bonn, the German Federal Environment Foundation (DBU) and the Bavarian Forest National Park.
Results and objectives
The International Youth Summit was to promote dialogue with the younger generation about their future and their needs. At the International Wilderness Camp in the Bavarian Forest National Park, young people took part in workshops where they developed various formats reflecting the emotional aspect of biodiversity and the diverse cultural backgrounds of the participants.
They looked at what dependency on biological diversity means for them personally and how in concrete terms the loss of biodiversity is impacting their region and individual countries. They presented their perspectives on this subject and possible approaches for resolving the problem during the UN conference in Bonn. In this way, they were given the opportunity to clearly express their concerns. Presentations were planned, inter alia, in the high-level segment of the UN conference, on stage in the exposition area and at the International Conference of Mayors. The young people were able to hold discussions with representatives of national delegations and other political decision-makers. This enabled these young adults from industrialised and developing nations to hone their intercultural understanding and to strengthen their partnership-based cooperation. Their involvement was intended to help clarify mutual responsibilities and to draw up a joint road map for the future – all of which goes hand in hand with personal responsibility. In the long term, the summit thus promotes the sustainable networking of young agents for biodiversity.
Participants
The event organisers were to select up to 50 young participants from the 18-to-33 age group, who were already involved in the field of biodiversity, be it through their work or through their social engagement. Two young people respectively from Benin, Brazil, Chile, Mongolia, Russia, Venezuela and Vietnam (all from partner protected areas of the International Wilderness Camp in the Bavarian Forest National Park) were able to take part. Furthermore, places were also available for two participants each from the countries of Bolivia, China, Madagascar, Mauritania, Namibia, Mexico and Uzbekistan. Young people from Germany and the Czech Republic (Bavarian Forest National Park region / Šumava) also took part. Good English-language skills were essential.
Programme
In the run-up to the International Youth Summit, the selected participants had already made preparations and agreed on subjects and contributions. Before and during the UN conference, the young people gathered for ten days, from 16 to 25 May, at the International Wilderness Camp in Falkenstein in the Bavarian Forest National Park, where the focus lay on getting to know each other. Biodiversity was experienced first hand at the wilderness camp. Here the young people worked on the subject biodiversity and developed a format that reflects its emotional aspect as well as the internationality and cultural diversity of the participants. They presented their contributions and perspectives on biodiversity in Bonn. The programme then continued for five days in Bonn from 27 to 30 May 2008. The focus here was on the young agents’ permanent presence at the conference location, where they were able to communicate their message to the delegates and the public at large via exhibitions, activities, theatre and film etc. The participants were scheduled to return home on 31 May 2008.
Contact:
Your contact for the International Youth Summit Go 4 BioDiv:
Rolf Mack
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH
Dag-Hammarskjöld-Weg 1-5
D-65760 Eschborn
Tel.: ++49-6196-79-1317
Fax: ++49-6196-79-801317
E-Mail: Rolf.Mack@gtz.de
Your contact for concrete questions concerning the programme in the
International Wilderness Camp:
Lukas Laux/Stefanie Jäger
Nationalpark Bayerischer Wald
Freyunger Str. 2
D-94481 Grafenau
Tel.: ++49-8552-9600-134 (Mr. Laux) or
++49-8552-9600-197 (Ms. Jäger)
Fax: ++49-8552/9600-100
E-Mail: Lukas.Laux@npv-bw.bayern.de
