Global Young Greens
Encyclopedia
The Global Young Greens (GYG) is an emerging global organisation supporting and consolidating the efforts of young people working towards social justice
, ecological sustainability, grassroots democracy
and peace
. GYG is a joint project of over 70 youth organisations and many hundreds of individuals, including the Federation of Young European Greens
, Asia Pacific Young Greens Network, Cooperation and Development Network Eastern Europe
, Young Volunteers for the Environment and others. GYG is a non-profit organisation under Belgian
law.
, Australia prior to the 2001 Global Greens Conference,. Inspired by the Global Young Greens conference of 2001, in 2005 members of the Federation of Young European Greens
(FYEG), Campus Greens USA, and many young Green groups and individuals began discussing via email holding another conference. In 2006 two persons began working out of the FYEG office in Brussels. The official founding congress of Global Young Greens was held from January 16–20, 2007 in Nairobi
, Kenya. It was attended by 156 people, with 133 voting participants, all under 35. Despite efforts of the organisers, the gender balance was still 2:1 male to female. The numbers were approximately as follows: Africa: 89 (50 Kenyans), Americas: 5, Asia/Pacific: 31, Europe: 26.
Some of the countries that were represented included New Zealand, Germany, Austria, Finland, Sweden, Canada, France, Spain, Tunisia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgykstan, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, Nigeria, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Benin, Andorra, Czech Republic, Italy, Cyprus and Kenya.
The congress saw agreement on an organisational structure, a list of principals and also elected an organising committee featuring 16 young people from 4 regions: Africa, Americas, Asia Pacific and Europe.
Another informal, two-day GYG meeting was held in São Paulo, Brazil in April 2008, preceding the Global Greens Conference. Aroudn 60 young greens participated
The Second Congress of the GYG was held August 8–13, 2010 in the German capital Berlin. Over 100 delegates from 48 nations participated in the Congress which lasted for 6 days and included dozens of workshops, several high-level panel debates as well as alternative approaches to exchanging ideas and learning from each other. In Berlin, the structures of the network were revised.
Impressions
But this is merely the tip of the iceberg- for a full understanding of what it means to be Green, one and all should read the Global Greens Charter which is endorsed by GYG.
Additionally, the Global Young Greens are striving for the following principles on all levels (local, national, regional, global):
Adam Sommerfeld (Canada),
Alex Surace (Austrialia),
Ann Bulimu (Kenya),
Anna Kavalenka (Belarus),
Clarence Chollet (Switzerland),
Chung-Ming Wang
(Taiwan),
Jesùs López (Venezuela),
Kalpana Ambepitiya (Sri Lanka),
Kelvin Kaunda (Zambia),
Lukas Beiglböck (Austria),
Mareike Rehl (Germany),
Masami Muramatsu (Japan),
Roberta Morena Santos (Brazil),
Roselin Monogla (Benin),
Sandra Guzman (Mexico),
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
, ecological sustainability, grassroots democracy
Grassroots democracy
Grassroots democracy is a tendency towards designing political processes where as much decision-making authority as practical is shifted to the organization's lowest geographic level of organization: principle of subsidiarity....
and peace
Peace movement
A peace movement is a social movement that seeks to achieve ideals such as the ending of a particular war , minimize inter-human violence in a particular place or type of situation, often linked to the goal of achieving world peace...
. GYG is a joint project of over 70 youth organisations and many hundreds of individuals, including the Federation of Young European Greens
Federation of Young European Greens
The Federation of Young European Greens is a federation of Green youth organisations from all over Europe . It is the official youth wing of the European Green Party European political party...
, Asia Pacific Young Greens Network, Cooperation and Development Network Eastern Europe
Cooperation and Development Network Eastern Europe
The Cooperation and Development Network Eastern Europe is a network of green youth organisations from Central, Eastern and South Eastern Europe as well as the Caucasus.-History:...
, Young Volunteers for the Environment and others. GYG is a non-profit organisation under Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
law.
History
The first informal meeting of young greens from around the world was held in SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia prior to the 2001 Global Greens Conference,. Inspired by the Global Young Greens conference of 2001, in 2005 members of the Federation of Young European Greens
Federation of Young European Greens
The Federation of Young European Greens is a federation of Green youth organisations from all over Europe . It is the official youth wing of the European Green Party European political party...
(FYEG), Campus Greens USA, and many young Green groups and individuals began discussing via email holding another conference. In 2006 two persons began working out of the FYEG office in Brussels. The official founding congress of Global Young Greens was held from January 16–20, 2007 in Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
, Kenya. It was attended by 156 people, with 133 voting participants, all under 35. Despite efforts of the organisers, the gender balance was still 2:1 male to female. The numbers were approximately as follows: Africa: 89 (50 Kenyans), Americas: 5, Asia/Pacific: 31, Europe: 26.
Some of the countries that were represented included New Zealand, Germany, Austria, Finland, Sweden, Canada, France, Spain, Tunisia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgykstan, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, Nigeria, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Benin, Andorra, Czech Republic, Italy, Cyprus and Kenya.
The congress saw agreement on an organisational structure, a list of principals and also elected an organising committee featuring 16 young people from 4 regions: Africa, Americas, Asia Pacific and Europe.
Another informal, two-day GYG meeting was held in São Paulo, Brazil in April 2008, preceding the Global Greens Conference. Aroudn 60 young greens participated
The Second Congress of the GYG was held August 8–13, 2010 in the German capital Berlin. Over 100 delegates from 48 nations participated in the Congress which lasted for 6 days and included dozens of workshops, several high-level panel debates as well as alternative approaches to exchanging ideas and learning from each other. In Berlin, the structures of the network were revised.
Impressions
Principles
Membership is open to people 35 and under who identify as Green. Green principles are generally known as “the four principles”:- ecological sustainability
- social justice
- grassroots democracy
- peace
But this is merely the tip of the iceberg- for a full understanding of what it means to be Green, one and all should read the Global Greens Charter which is endorsed by GYG.
Additionally, the Global Young Greens are striving for the following principles on all levels (local, national, regional, global):
- Protection and restoration of the environment and respect towards animals
- Sustainable, equitable and just development
- Social Justice
- Grassroots, participatory and global democracy, and in particular empowering young people to participate and build more democratic societies
- Peaceful and non-military conflict resolution, arms control, disarmament
- Gender justice, empowerment of women
- Inter-generational justice, empowerment of youth and children
- Freedom from discrimination on any grounds whatsoever, and equality for all
- Empowerment of marginalised and disadvantaged people.
- Just globalisation and fair trade
- Personal freedom on the basis of universal human rights
- The right of all people to self-determination particularly indigenous people.
Objectives
The objectives of GYG are to:- Empower young people within the framework of participatory democracy
- Create a space for young people to be active without being dominated by older generations
- Address inequalities between organizations and individuals
- Forge strong links between sectors and organizations
- Further the Green principles on planet Earth
Steering Committee
Members of the SC elected in Berlin (until the next Congress) are:Adam Sommerfeld (Canada),
Alex Surace (Austrialia),
Ann Bulimu (Kenya),
Anna Kavalenka (Belarus),
Clarence Chollet (Switzerland),
Chung-Ming Wang
Chung-Ming Wang
Chung-Ming Wang is a Taiwan Wikipedian, politician, environmentalist and gay rights activist.-Politics:He is a member of Central Executive Committee of Green Party Taiwan. He was a candidate running for a councillor seat in the Xinbei City in 2010 and he is going to run for the district...
(Taiwan),
Jesùs López (Venezuela),
Kalpana Ambepitiya (Sri Lanka),
Kelvin Kaunda (Zambia),
Lukas Beiglböck (Austria),
Mareike Rehl (Germany),
Masami Muramatsu (Japan),
Roberta Morena Santos (Brazil),
Roselin Monogla (Benin),
Sandra Guzman (Mexico),