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Common Future
André Bentsen, journalist, Rødovre Lokal Nyt
Young people from all over the world last week worked hard on finding alternative solutions to worldwide climate change. "It is our common future which is on the line, and the future is now, so something must be done. We cannot afford to wait for the politicians," said one of the young people very poignantly before cameras started rolling in the theatre hall of Ungdomsbyen (Youth Town).The future is in the hands of the young
If only the politicians of this world could get into step the same way as young people from all over the world, who on Friday presented the results of a week's work on climate change in Ungdomsbyen. Here the intense atmosphere and buzzing activities were abruptly replaced by respectful silence when Her Royal Highness Princess Marie came into the hall and the crowd rose to their feet.
As Patroness of UNESCO in Denmark, the Princess expressed her joy at seeing so many teachers and students from all over the world united in UNESCO's Associated Schools Project and participating in something so important, namely, how will this generation solve the challenges of climate change? Since September 2009 more than 350 young people from Canada, Columbia, Ghana, Jordan, Lithuania, Lebanon, Nepal, Norway, Serbia, South Africa, Germany and Denmark have worked together on the project COMMON FUTURE, which is about the consequences of climate change.
On Friday the whole thing reached a climax with exciting presentations, music and theatre performances in Ungdomsbyen in Rødovre, where 65 lucky members of the network got a chance to express their concerns about long-term climate change through sounds and pictures.
We are all winners
"The idea for this climate conference arose three years ago, and since then we have worked hard to raise enough money to realize the dream. When it became clear that it could be done, young people from all over the world started working on the project over the Internet, and they have all deserved to be here today," said Carsten Skjoldborg, who is the national ASP-coordinator, before he passed the microphone to a girl from Nepal, who, very much to the point, read aloud from a friend's blog:
"When I first found out that I was not going to Denmark, naturally I was disappointed, for it is not a small thing. Now, however, I know that the work we have already done, and which I shall continue on the Internet and in other places, is so important that I am not sad to have lost the draw. For we are all winners."
Royal praise
Even so the selected students were particularly recognized for their efforts when Princes Marie praised their work and encouraged them to continue work on their results.
"What you are showing us here, is what happens when you work together with a common purpose, and I am looking forward to seeing the results of your efforts to create a sustainable world for all of us," said the Princess. On the stage young people from different continents took turns at various presentations, and it was difficult to let go the thought that the future would be so much brighter if those who are to live in it, also get to shape it.
In a truly imposing set-up creative young people from many different countries showed what can be achieved if only you work together for just 12 hours, when they performed a play with original music that gave most of the audience a guilty climate conscience.