PYEN launched
The UN Environment Program's (UNEP) Pacific Youth Environment Network (PYEN) conference this week was a fantastic learning experience.
[Ed: You might need to click on the timestamp; for some reason this one's not cooperating.]
It was a small conference, with about 30-40 delegates from the Pacific - comprising about 22 island states if I'm not wrong. But the breadth of the issues covered did a fine job of opening my eyes to the tip of the iceberg that is environmental sustainability. (yes, just *had* to use an environmental metaphor.)
In particular, I really liked Stuart Hill's presentation on practical strategies for progress. [conference program here.] It's the little steps, and touching your immediate sphere of influence, often, that is really what carries a ripple effect to a broader platform. But this sounds cheesy for anyone who didn't hear him speak. Still - I appreciated his underdog-made-good story, with plenty of inspiring examples of practical nuggets for social change.
It was amazing to meet all the Pacific-ers doing the good work they're doing in their beautiful islands. Their dedication to environmental progress is really something else. Being in constant contact with them for 3 days, talking about all the projects they were involved in - from biodiversity to clean energy to ecological footprints - you can imagine what a powerful experience that was, for a person attending her first environmental conference ever. (I know, shame!)
It got my reminiscing about my time with Greenpeace as a frontline campaigner, yonks back. Hi there! Do you know much about whaling and how that impacts on the environment? .. And this is what Greenpeace is doing about it.. Fond memories of learning, of abuse and developing the thick skin I'm now blessed with, and of greenie hippy tree-hugging pot-smoking friends! Go the stereotypes.
Did you know? Tonga, consisting of about 150 little islands, has only 2 of them with electricity. It jolted in me an appreciation of the conditions under which these determined people are trying to make change - that my ignorance had precluded me from before.
And... as it turns out with most things I come into mere contact with, I got roped in. This time, to help coordinate the inaugural Issues Paper for PYEN, which is going to be used as a tool to lobby governments and inter-governmental bodies (like SPREP) on environmental issues in the Pacific, from a youth perspective. It's a first for Pacific Youth, and a big task - but we have a great team, and I'm confident that everyone's gonna put in great content that will make it a fantastic paper (with clout!).
A highlight (other than my newfound Pacific friends) was getting to meet Surendra Shrestha, director of UNEP Asia-Pacific. It was even luckier still, being an ASEAN observer at PYEN - thus not being a particularly relevant person there - that I managed to squeeze in a brief chat with him about my ASEAN project. (Sorry, can't divulge anything yet.) And he's offered to hook me up with relevant people in UNDP (!!) - so I need to get cracking on my concept paper so he can look over it.
I'll remember this week for some time to come. (Will put up cool pics here!)
And in the spirit of learning and sharing:
Technorati: UN, environment, Pacific, youth
ao longo de garota a 23:52
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