First release - APEC Youth Forum

Imagine: A Paperless International Meeting...

Youth set an environmental challenge
for APEC leaders

June 7, 1997 -- Forty-seven young people from across Canada and other Asia Pacific Economies gathered for the first day of a paperless APEC Environment Youth Forum in Toronto, at the Royal York Hotel.

To set the stage for focusing on innovations to achieve sustainable development in cities, the delegates will attempt to take notes, draft recommendations and make presentations to the 18 Environment Ministers of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), on June 9 and 10, without using any paper.

"We think this will be a first, for an international government meeting," said Trudy Seri Samuel, Youth Forum Coordinator. "It is also the first time youth have been included in an APEC Environment Ministers Meeting." Youth have been invited to play an essential role in designing approaches to sustainable development.

Youth were chosen from "virtual" Internet forums to share their vision and experience with other environmentally aware and active youth. They will draft their ideas on sustainable development using a high-tech/low-tech combination of slate boards, chalk, and PowerPoint computer presentations.

Delegates spent their first day discussing how young people are participating in the sustainable development movement. Panel presentations and group discussions focused on the diverse experience and visions brought by youth from their communities from all parts of Canada, Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Philippines,Thailand, and Singapore.

A group of youth journalists will be posting stories and the recommendations here on the Internet at www.tgmag.ca, creating news releases, radio stories and video clips for release to the media. Youth from around the world are being invited to add their comments to the recommendations through the web site.

For more information or to arrange an interview, e-mail tgmag@tgmag.ca or call (416) 860-6940.

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