Global Young Greens EXISTS!!!

Yes! Today was an historic moment for young people all over the world – and for the future of all life on this planet.

We agreed 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.

It was a mammoth effort, concluding 3 days of discussions and practicing consensus decision-making to reach a common ground. While we often went to a vote (due to time constraints and frustration), it was awesome to watch young, passionate people working late into the night striving for solutions.

At the end of the day, a couple of “old” Greens shared their experiences, but the two speeches that stood out for me included one by a US Green with grey dreadlocks who hyped up the ground with an extrovert, gospal-like manner (a common for US public speakers). “Green and Growing” is the US campaign slogan. Another speaker touched my heart. From Japan, he spoke about being HIV positive after having a blood transfusion as he suffers haemaphilia. He is running as a candidate at the next election and is currently setting up a Greens Party in Japan. Fantastic!!

To celebrate, we had a party back at Camp with a live DJ and dreadful American hip hop music, but everyone had a HEAP of fun with dancing galore.

It’s hard to describe the experience at this global conference. Not many people in their lives get to experience what I have had the honour to experience and that is MULTICULTURAL SHOCK.

I use that term with endearment as all of us are in the same boat and we are constantly gobsmacked by the feelings of solidarity in purpose.

I have met an exceptionally intelligent, worldly, compassionate, sincere young man from Germany named Jo who – at the quite unbelievable age of 20 – is probably one of the most amazing people I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet.

I will no doubt leave some countries off this list, but follows are a couple of the countries that are represented at this conference:

Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Austria, Finland, Sweden, Canada, France, Spain, Tunisia, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanki, Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, Nigeria, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Benin, Angora, Czech Republic, Italy, Cyprus – AND THEN SOME! I will complete the list another day!!!!!

All is well here. Hakuna Mattata mate!!!!

Love to all in Australia. I hope Pacey finds his collar soon.

xx