Junior 8 Summit: 7th July 2008; Chitose, Japan
Download the Action Plan PDF
As the J8 delegation, we believe that it is of the essence to follow up on the Chitose Declaration. We propose that, in order to address the Declaration, the most important action we can take is raising awareness and increasing the standard of education in our communities on these global issues. Young people must be innovative and creative in their methods to inspire others into action. As young people are interested in global issues, then governments must be interested in their opinions, this is our right.
Our ideas are as follows:
Young People Action Plan on Tackling Climate Change
- Global Treaty: It is imperative that the young people of today unite using the various forms of media we have available. Social networking sites can be used to maintain the links we create and ideas can be shared over the internet. A quarterly newsletter will be published by the J8 delegation, detailing the actions of individuals, this newsletter will grow as the J8 becomes more popular and we expect it to reach popular media outlets.
- Technology Development: Young people need to take an active interest and role in the actions of the government by joining young people’s organisations and making sure that they stay up to date with current topics of concern. This would ensure that we are able to influence the future to the best of our abilities. These young people’s organisations need to work together in order to make their actions effective and ideas heard.
- Alternative Energy: It is crucial that young people take the initiative to educate each other, both inside and outside school. Young people need to take up the challenges of tackling climate change when the governments and older generations do not. The school programs should use older, more educated students to inform younger generations of the importance of halting climate change and global warming.
- Children and Young People for Environmental Issues: Young people should aid in the search for more effective technologies by encouraging competition between schools and organisations to ensure progress. These competitions could vary from being able to create a green technology, to finding a more effective way of teaching.
Young People Action Plan on Poverty and Development with Focus on Africa
- Basic Rights of Children: We will use an Internet venue, where the entire J8 community, as well as committed members of the Voices of Youth forum, will discuss what has happened and what needs to be done to fully implement our recommendations. Letters against inaction and petitions will be drafted every three months, to address any inaction, until the next J8 summit where this action plan will be renewed.
- Economic Infrastructure: The J8 community will support and promote companies practicing corporate social responsibility by purchasing their products and/or using their services, promoting them within peer communities and participating in their campaigns – whether they be volunteering or advertising - that offer a positive contribution to this social responsibility.
- Conflict Resolution: Through the education and media outlets provided with our “Conflict Resolution” recommendations, young people from a variety of communities will be able to share “real stories” with young people around the world using blogging or social networking media. Facilitators will curb the communication barriers. Young people reading these stories will be inspired to take further action.
- Accountability of Aid and Funds: Young people from all developing and developed countries should demand that the government allow them to experience the aid process in developing nations, to ensure that it is transparent and effective. These ‘young ambassadors’ should, physically, witness the construction and development of infrastructure within these developing communities.
- Children and Young People Aiding the Fight against Poverty: Young people will monitor the progress of our recommendations by reading reports drafted by companies and countries yearly, keeping an eye on the media and news, and keeping in contact with the large young people’s community. We will share this information with one another, using resources much like the J8 Workspace.
Young People Action Plan on Global Health, Infectious Diseases Including HIV and AIDS
- Health Education: Young people can deliver, receive and utilise age appropriate life-skills on all platforms through a range of methods including social networking sites and workshops. It is important that young people are encouraged to prioritise their health in spite of their religious ideologies.
- Drug Patents: Young people can encourage local pharmaceutical companies to participate in the patent sharing programme. Young people in developing countries can also work in partnership with organisations to help monitor patent distribution by examining the supply of cheaper generic drugs in their communities.
- Healthcare Grants: Young people could fundraise to contribute to the government grants through schools or community programmes, thus participating in the efforts to fund care packages and sharing the responsibility with our governments.
- Children and Young People for Global Health: Young people can volunteer as ambassadors for local organisations to help raise awareness of health issues through creative methods. Additionally they can help organise events such as National Testing Days or health fairs.