The fourth day of our congress started with a plenary meeting, some energizing games and a huge variety of workshops dealing with different issues from “Queer Theories” via “Global Energy Markets” through to “Global Trade”. All through the morning the participants of the congress have been debating on diverse topics which concerned them the most. The discussions went very vividly and controversially which contributed to the open-minded atmosphere the congress radiates to its participants and visitors.
“Different but equal at the same time”
Today’s workshop on “Queer Theories” invited its participants to exchange and reflect their own experiences of gender issues and the conflicts concerning coming-outs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people (LGBT) in their home countries. The exchange of experiences became pretty productive due to the differences concerning the legal status of LGBT in each country and the various cultural backgrounds of the participants.
All participants of the workshop agreed on the public relevancy of coming-outs, especially with regard to persons who are in the public eye. They stated that it must be very difficult and associated with enormous personal risks to come out for instance as a politician, musician or entertainer, but it is definitely unthinkable to have a coming-out as a soccer player nowadays.
“We are in dire need of a radical change regarding societal thought patterns”, said one participant. Another added: “Unfortunately it will be a long process until the last human being accepts that everybody is different but equal at the same time.”
INTERVIEW with Gesine Agena (spokeswoman, GRÜNE JUGEND Germany)
For the Green Youth Germany the congress in Berlin is quite a good way of getting in touch with the other green youth organisations. Gesine Agena, spokeswoman of GRÜNE JUGEND Germany, is also visiting the GLOBAL YOUNG GREENS in the Heinrich-Böll-Foundation in Berlin.
Gesine, nice having you here. Could you give us a classification of the congress,please.
It’ s just so so great. So many people from around the world are here, the atmosphere is incredible. What languages the participants speak does not matter, everyone approaches on everybody.
What are the GLOBAL YOUNG GREENS capable of?
There are so may crisis around the world. They are not local ones, they expand in a globalized world. So we can only solve them globally. I’m thinking of such problems the governments aren’t able to neogate like the imbalance of the South and the North, which can’t operate on the South’s charge.
What do you expect from the congress in general?
Climate protection and global justice are the main topic to discuss here. I think that is the task of the congress.
Are there any wishes you would like to send to the GLOBAL YOUNG GREENS?
I hope the GYG will have a louder voice in the upcoming climate negotiation. Therefore it would be best if the attendees kept contact. More congresses should be held, so the world can go greener. I wish that the GLOBAL YOUNG GREENS capture the energy of this congress and that their now expanded network will make global actions somewhat simpler. GO GREEN.
Linda Dertinger (web committee)
