The 40 were selected from a 200-strong pool of applicants. During the first sifting of candidates, the sponsor organizations, including CYCAN, looked at individuals’ language ability and professional background, but laid more stress on their views and attitudes towards climate change and their sense of responsibility. Those chosen were given all kinds of professional briefings – on the current grim climate situation, climate negotiations, how to attract and deal with the media, and how to show the world what young Chinese are thinking.
At the Copenhagen Conference, the delegation launched a variety of events, among them “Traditional Chinese Medicine – Writing a Prescription for the Planet” and “Green China, Youth in Action,” designed to show participating countries traditional Chinese concepts for development in harmony with nature. They also took an active part in events sponsored by other NGOs. On the day of the huge NGO-organized demonstration in the Danish capital, Zhan Yufeng and nine other members of the youth delegation marched for six hours, carrying a banner bearing their slogan “NO OTHER WAY! NOW.” “There were hardly any other Asian faces on the march, so I felt the weight of my responsibility was doubled,” recalls Zhan Yufeng, now a full-time coordinator for CYCAN.
Bridging the Communication Gap
The “China-US Youth Workshop,” an event sponsored by Golden Bridges, impressed Zhao Xiangyu deeply. About 50 attendees from each country took part, splitting into smaller groups to discuss the practices of their respective countries for coping with climate change. At the end, five young people from each side were singled out to meet with US Secretary of Commerce, Gary Faye Locke. “It was an equal and lively setting, and produced good results. We shared many creative ideas and useful experiences.” According to Zhao, some thorny issues which cannot be advanced through government-to-government dialogue seem to present no problem in exchanges between young people of both sides. “After all, youth represents the future. This kind of communication is really important.”
As a member of CYCAN, 26-year-old Li Lina is recruiting core members for China Youth COP16. At the time of COP15, she was the focal point of YOUNGO, the Youth Constituency of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Li told China Today that the delegation to Cancun will be smaller than last year, but will put greater emphasis on interaction with Chinese youth and NGOs. “We’ll keep pressing forward with the work of the Chinese youth delegation so that the voice of the younger generation may be heard louder in Cancun.”
Since 2008, Li Lina has been involved in several projects related to climate change, and has clearly defined views on young people’s responsibilities. “We need to think about what our generation can do. As citizens of China, young people can be a bridge, a channel for better understanding. As citizens of the world, we should never be silent when we see our peers from other countries striving for a better world.” Li reiterates that the Chinese youth delegation is not a temporary group with the brief lifespan of the Copenhagen summit, but would continue its activities between conferences.
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