Report of the 1st International Youth and Environment Forum 21-25 August 2006.

Photos

On Monday 21st August 2006, in the convention room of the Marina Hotel in Benin, the 1st International Youth and Environment Forum hosting delegates from Germany, Belgium, Benin, Burkina-Faso, France, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Romania, Serbia and Togo was officially opened, chaired by Mrs Amelie HOUNDEKON ASSOGBA, representing the Environment Minister and co-chaired by the Vice-Chancellor of Calavi University, Mr Brice SINSIN.

After speeches by the President of the Benin Young Greens, Miss Marie-Madeleine BONI , Miss Marina BARBALATA of the FYEG (Federation of Young European Greens) and Mr Aleksandar JOVANOVIC of Green Forum, Sweden, Professor Brice SINSIN spoke on « the Challenges of Democracy and Natural Resource Conservation in Benin », followed by fruitful and satisfying exchanges. The Environment Minister's representative solemnly opened the 1st International Forum on Youth and the Environment. A cultural performance followed.

The President of Benin Nature, Mr Toussaint HINVI thanked all participants, the FYEG and the Global Greens and called on young people to be more dynamic in facing great environmental challenges. Cocktails and lunch ended the day.

The Forum continued in Bohicon at the headquarters of Benin Nature and in the forest of la Lama, beginning with self-introductions by all participants, to promote a sense of belonging. In an atmosphere of unparalleled friendship, greens delegates shared experiences of life, activities, successes and difficulties in their countries (see program in the annex).

Miss Marie-Madeleine BONI, current president of the Benin Young Greens spoke on behalf of our hosts, and then we sang the Benin Greens song. Mr Georges ADEYE, current vice-president of the Benin Young Greens explained practical details of the Forum. Each panel was chaired by a moderator and assisted by a scribe and a translator-interpreter. Delegates from each country gave speeches about the greens in their countries (see annex). Then, representatives of those organizing the Global Young Greens and African delegates gave speeches.

On the second day, Tuesday 22nd August there were workshops and a plenary session (see annex). The draft agreement attesting the establishment of the FYAG (Federation of Young African Greens) was read and signed, and a Coordinating Committee was set up.

Miss Aissata TRAORE asked Mr Maarten COERTJENS to talk about the young Belgian greens. They are fighting for equality in everything, despite individual differences and dealing with issues such as legalizing homosexual marriage and forest protection, destructive government policies and demanding the closure of all nuclear power plants over the next 20 years.

Miss Silke GEBEL spoke brilliantly about how young German greens constantly oppose the proliferation of nuclear energy and the consumption of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Miss Sarah TRICHET-ALLAIRE and Mr Yoann HENDRYCKX spoke about how the young French greens train young people to use computers as a management tool and to organize political chatlines.

Aleksandar JOVANOVIC told us how the young Serbian Greens are re-planting pine trees after they are cut for Christmas and about repeated campaigns to protect parks and educate people that combining work with educating children is possible.

After a coffee break, there was a question and answer session.

Miss Marina BARBALATA spoke about the greens in Romania. For Panel 2 the moderator was Akou NANEH from Togo and a delegate from Niger was scribe.

Miss Sarah TRICHET-ALLAIRE told us about the SPIP and the Linux system, both free operating systems set up with other people's welfare in mind.

Then Miss Marina BARBALATA and Mr Maarten COERTJENS talked about the FYEG, which has existed for 18 years and has about 40,000 members spread all over Europe. They focus on a platform where various countries collaborate and exchange via election.

As with everything, greens politics also includes leisure time, so we finished the day with a visit to the Archeological Site of Agongointo.

The 3rd day, Wednesday 23rd August began with breakfast and a chat. Then the participants were sent into the la LAMA for the day's work. At 11:58, Mr COERTJENS invited us to play one of the many games he uses in between activities, then Georges ADEYE started the day's work. Panel 3 was led by Mr COERTJENS, as moderator with Aleksandar JOVANOVIC as scribe.

Miss Aïssata TRAORE from Mali spoke about the disastrous environmental consequences of poverty in her country, which had led NGOs and CEGs to take control of the environmental issue, while young people are more interested in cleaning up the cities.

Miss Fatou BOUSSIM spoke about the greens party in Burkina-Faso. They face enormous difficulties running stable activities, for lack of funds.

Mr Victor K. TENU from Togo brilliantly spoke about their beginnings,various events and future projects.

King Roselin MONLOGLA from Benin spoke vehemently about the movement's early days, strategic action in the field, such as awareness campaigns in schools, open-air activities, environmental street campaigns, youth training and especially eco-shows. He mentioned events run in 8 out of 12 different districts, including Atlantic, Ouémé, Plateau, Zou, Coast, Mono, Couffo and the hills. After mentioning some of the problems they face, he talked about funding projects, such as odd jobs and community banks for women and other projects, such as the greens newsletter, a greens web site and especially how he hoped the next global greens meeting would be held in Benin.

Finally Georges ADEYE of Benin and Miss Lucy AGHARESE of Ghana mentioned how the young African greens would like to organize their effective participation in the 2007 Forum in Nairobi, Kenya. They talked of clean-up and reforestation campaigns, setting up an institution for young African greens, campaigns to protect endangered species, being taken seriously by government and setting up a web site to publicize group activities.

After a question and answer session, we had lunch for 45 minutes.

Panel 4 took over, with Français JUAAN as moderator and the German delegate, Silke GEBEL as scribe. The delegates from Nigeria talked about planting trees, combatting soil erosion, organizing health campaigns and teaching children in primary schools about environmental issues.

Then Mr Mohamed A. MURTALA equipped us with six recommendations to effectively fight desertification:

• 1- Governments and civil society should work happily together on projects to reduce the rate of desertification.
• 2- Developed countries should try to sign agreements with developing countries, to combat desertification together.
• 3- The government must formulate policies to include cities and numerous districts in control and protection measures for desertification.
• 4- Involve more young people in meetings about environmental degradation.
• 5- Think of a coalition between civil society and authorities concerened with environmental issues.
• 6- Empower farmers by training them, giving them vital tools and knowledge about environmental conservation and social projects.

Then Mr MURTALA spoke of reforestation following gold mining, funded by sales and training young people from a very young age. If they had more money they would like to organize regional and even international seminars.

The delegates from Niger spoke about Arbor (Tree) Day and awareness campaigns held on environmental issues since they were founded.

The Global Young Greens reps, Marie-Madeleine BONI and Maarten COERTJENS disclosed their project for Africans to participate in the 2007 Global Greens Youth meeting in Naïrobi, KENYA, and spoke of difficulties they are facing in managing this project, which has led them to ask us for a lot of advice. We made suggestions.

We returned to the centre for dinner. Finally the day ended with friendly cultural performances by each country.

The 4th day, Thursday 24th August began as usual with breakfast. Mr Aime PADONOU explained how to form 5 working groups around the 5 focal points.

• 1) The environmental education committee proposed to :
• - Organize conferences to reach all social classes.
• - Use media campaigns to inform rural people, plus magazines, stickers and signs.
• - Ask local governments to incorporate an environment course into the basic education system.
• - Organize annual training sessions for teachers of all levels on nature protection.
• - Organize games and competitions on environmental protection in districts and schools.
• - Give people first-hand experience of the positive impact of vegetation, by organizing forest excursions.
• - Organize a mobile environmental education sub-regional tour.
• 2) The regional network committee made recommendations under 3 headings: objectives, action and future plans.
• Objectives included :
• - Environmental protection
• - Organize meetings, forums,exhibitions and international camps.
• - National meetings of young people during the holidays.
• - Increase our participation in various forums, workshops, symposia and seminars.
• - Set up a network listserve and website.
• - Establish a partnership between young African greens and young greens around the world
• - Participate in the international meeting of young greens from around the world.
• - Support young greens from other countries in their struggle to protect the environment.
• Planned actions include:
• - Organize awareness campaigns against pollution, deforestation and especially promote re-planting after trees are destroyed.
• - Ensure African greens observe Arbor (Tree) Day.
• - Set up an institution for African youth
• - Lobby campaigns and pleas for environmental protection.
• - Public awareness campaign for environmental protection, with a special focus on the struggle against desertification and marine pollution.
• This group also plans to :
• - Set up and strengthen the greens movement all over Africa.
• - Work in partnership with our various governments to make our dreams a reality.
• - Produce a newsletter
• - Create some odd jobs
• - Act for justice and social peace through democracy and solidarity
• - Set up a school for greens politics, to provide training in social and political activism for future leaders.
• 3) The Federation of Young African Greens network will function with the organizing country as a focal point.
• - Network coordination will be on a rotational basis for a certain period in each of the participating countries.
• - The choice is left to each focal point to organize the management of the national network.
• - There will be a permanent non-rotational secretariat in Benin.
• - Every member country has the right to one delegate in this network. A draft agreement was signed, creating the "Federation of Young African Greens? (FYAG), with participants present at this forum as the founding members. The FYAG will function by relying on the support of regional networks. Our European hosts then showed their appreciation.
• 4) The Nairobi conference committee had to devise major themes for discussion. Their 2 objectives were:
• 1) Set up a Young Global Greens Network.
• 2) Share greens experiences, ideas and knowledge They would like all members to make suggestions, and so add colour to conferences.
• They also propose the following measures to support the environment Africa-wide:
• - Introduce sustainable environmental policies to get us back on the rails leading to irreversible development.
• - Reflect on youth's role in environmental protection in Africa.
• - Define roles, behaviour and missions of young African greens.
• - Promote regional diversity in African greens politics.
• - Define ways and means to ensure African greens autonomy.
• - Try to eradicate war and famine, the aftermath of drought.
• - Fight against genital mutilation and the exclusion of women.
• 5) The developed-developing countries cooperation committee discussed cooperation between youth in developed and developing countries:
• - Organize more meetings between developed and developing countries.
• - Identify and combat the causes of lack of cooperation between our states.
• - Set up a discussion forum on the Internet.
• - Set up a common Web site, with photos.
• - Propose a logo for the young African greens.

Then we went to the Abomey museum to see the rich culture left by our ancestors. We broke for lunch and an hour's rest and then resumed debate to clarify various points. Désiré AFFOGNON read out the general report on the forum and asked for comments. The day ended with a dinner and a colourful Eco Show. Thank you.