Getting to grips with the summit

Saturday 24 August / Sunday so far...

We left our report on Friday in a bus on the way back to Johannesburg. We should have guessed that things would not go so smoothly. After waiting 45 minutes in the middle of Johannesburg for the promised transport to the hotel to arrive, we gave in and ordered taxis. These, of course, did not arrive in sufficient numbers but, a mere eight hours after leaving Pilanesberg, we arrived at the hotel, tired from our trip and the trying events of the day.

The hotel is fantastic – huge rooms, friendly staff and a disco downstairs! We settled in and decided to have a bit of a lie in today after our adventures in the North West.

More negotiation of the transport system followed in the morning as we navigated our way through the UN buses to the Sandton Convention Centre, where the main governmental summit is being held. Fully revived, registration was swift and efficient, and we all now have security passes with dubious looking photographs on the front. Apparently, we are visible from a mile away when all wearing our Sust’n’Able t-shirts…

At Sandton with WSSD goodie bags

After exploring the centre, and a rather soggy lunch of sandwiches, we attended the first Youth Caucus meeting. This was mainly an information-sharing session, chaired by several members of the European Youth Forum and a representative from a Trade Union for Youth movement in Ireland. The structures of the summit were explained, and suggestions for where our efforts will be best placed during the summit were taken. It was a great feeling when an entire row of people wearing identical T-shirts introduced themselves as ‘Woodcraft Folk’ one after the other, much to the amusement of the rest of the caucus!

The Youth Caucus meeting

The meeting was very productive in other ways too – there was great deal of positive energy and ideas in the room, and we made some useful contacts from other organisations working in the same areas as us. Feeling enthused about the coming days, we headed off for dinner at a pizzeria and hatched a fantastic idea for a ‘Youth Challenge to Tony Blair’ press event – watch this space.

Heading to a bus, planning for an early night, we were advised to travel to the Emerald City in order to get back to Alberton. The road, however, was not yellow or brick – rather it was long, straight and dark. Four hours, a lost, stressed driver and some very tired Woodies later we emerged into a huge casino complex where a driver from the hotel was waiting to take us back.

We crawled into bed, vowing to work out the transport system in this city eventually.

Only joking...

...but there's no getting away from it here

Sunday

Sunday dawned with the arrival of the final member of our group. After a stress-free flight, Will was plied with coffee and dragged to Sandton along with 6 others. The remaining four have today gone to the Global People’s Forum at Nasrec to investigate what is happening there – more from them after we see them this evening – or during the chat tonight…

Sandton today is lively and exciting. There is so much going on. Tamsin has been involved with the drafting of the first two youth statements to the Plenary, which will take place on Thursday and Friday. She is part of the group working on the Sustainabile Development Education part of the statement – and it is fantastic that we are able to have an input to the main conference in this way.

BMW green wash - "BMW Clean Energy. Innovative technology for sustainable mobility."

Richard seems to have taken over the media and communications group for the Youth Caucus, and has spent the morning booking press conferences – both for the Youth Caucus as a whole, and for the Folk. Our ‘Challenge to Tony Blair’ will take place on Friday afternoon, and will give us a chance to talk about International Camp, the Sust’n’Able project, and our opinions on Blair’s attitude towards the summit. We are planning a zappy, all-singing-all-dancing event which will capture the press’s attention here and, with the help of Sust, Able, and our contacts in the media group, we are confident that the event will be a success.

Other members of the delegation have attended a general NGO session in the Plenary Hall – they’re still there so we’ll tell you all about it tomorrow. We are also lobbying, distributing our CDs and publicity material and attending as many side meetings as possible – such as the NGO Energy & Climate Group. A meeting with the UK government delegation is scheduled for tomorrow.

So – back to work and more running around, starting with the Youth Caucus meeting. We hope this has given you a flavour of what we’re doing here. We’d like to tell you more, but have run out of time in this crazy place – so come chat to us tonight at 8pm on-line.

Love from us all.

P.S. Here are some pictures from the first few days here which we haven't been able to send until now:

We're off...

Spot the frisbee

The Youth Summit litter pick

Even in the poorest areas of South Africa, Nestle and Coca Cola branding are everywhere

AND FINALLY...

The picture you've all been waiting for! Yes, we are delighted to report that Richard's designer stubble is a thing of the past.

• Fri 23 August
• Thur 22 August
• Wed 21 August

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to visit the official United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development website

Today's recommended Summit site is Friend's of the Earth's Radio Earth Summit. Masses of great audio including Tony Blair (Alexander McGowan)'s message to the summit. Also an invitationto record your own sounds and send them to Jo'burg.