Sustainable development youth network planned

11 November 2005

Sustainable development youth network planned

A network of tertiary students interested in sustainable development is being planned by New Zealand's delegates to the Eco-Minds Youth Forum in the Philippines.

The three delegates returned from the forum with the basis of a proposed network and are due to explain details at a presentation at the University of Auckland next week (Tuesday, 15 November).

Carl Chenery, one of New Zealand's three Eco-Minds delegates, said the idea of a youth network on sustainable development came out of discussions at the forum.

"We need something to bring tertiary students together to discuss sustainable development issues," he said.

"In the Philippines, we realised that although New Zealand is in a better situation than developing countries, these issues don't respect national boundaries. There is an opportunity for New Zealand to take the lead.

"We are looking to make contact with like-minded people. There are lots of others across many different disciplines interested in this apart from us three obviously."

Auckland delegates Carl and Soriya Em's 11 am presentation in the Mac 1 seminar room, Biology Building, 5 Symonds St, will cover outcomes from Eco-Minds and the prospect of Eco-Minds being held in New Zealand in 2009.

With Anne Molineux (Wellington), they won the New Zealand Eco-Minds Challenge, run by the NZ National Commission for UNESCO and Bayer New Zealand Ltd. They joined students from across Asia Pacific in Manila to address sustainable development issues and develop innovative solutions.

Bayer's support for the nine-nation Eco-Minds youth forum is part of a three-year global partnership between the health care, crop science and high tech materials company and the United Nations Environmental Programme.

Students can obtain further details about the Eco-Minds Forum or the proposed youth network, from carl@ecominds.co.nz, soriya@ecominds.co.nz or anne@ecominds.co.nz

ENDS

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