Junior 8 Summit 2009
The Junior 9 Summit in 2009 will tak place in Rome from the 5th - 12th of July, in parallel to the G8 meeting in L’Aquila, Italy. This year, the 32 young people from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russian Federation, UK and the USA will be joined by teams of four young people each from Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Mexico and South Africa. The focus of this year’s J8 will be climate change, the financial crisis, and poverty in Africa as they impact on the lives of children and young people. Previous J8 summits have been in Gleneagles 2005 (it was called the C8), St. Petersburg 2006, Heilingdam 2007 (Germany), Chitose 2008 (Japan). South Africa at the Junior 8 Summit In South Africa’s Western and Northern Cape and Free State provinces, four South African students are busy preparing for more than their annual winter exams. That’s because the four have been selected from a nationwide field of young people, ages 14-17 years old, to represent their country at the Junior 8 or ‘J8’. The students are: Yumnah Jackson, Bridgetown High, Western Cape, Refilwe Tsumane, Wrenchville High School, Northern Cape, Aletta Dhlamini, Brentpark High, Free State and Richmond Sajini, Alexander Bay High School in the Northern Cape. All four and their chaperones will soon be heading off for deliberations on issues affecting them and the entire world in the ancient city of Rome. “None of these children has ever traveled outside the country, let alone on an airplane to Europe, so there is huge amount of excitement on many levels,” said Lindiwe Nzutha, one of the chaperones accompanying the children to the Summit.
Read more Radio Workshop Podcast–August 15 with South African J8 delegates J8 meets G8: Climate change targets must be met, teachers’ standards improved Young people open Junior 8 Summit in Rome Education: Don't take it for granted J8 Participants are ready to give the world's leaders an "earful" Four South African youngsters to represent the country at ‘J8’ Summit Biographical data of the South African representatives
Impressions of the J8 and Rome Read the impressions and highlights by the South African delegates of the Junior 8 Summit in Rome: Make a donation
PHOTO ESSAY: South Africa at the Junior 8 Summit Experiences of the four young South Africans who represented the country at the J8 Summit in Rome. [View photo essay] South African representatives at the J8 Read their biographical data and watch short videos on their expectations of the J8 Summit:
Statement by Refilwe Tsumane to the Italian Parliament 9 July 2009 - Download and read Refilwe Tsumane's statement to Italian Parliament. [PDF] [Word] (PDF documents require Acrobat Reader to view.) |
