OUR COMMON FUTURE - OVERVIEW

"Nothing is as powerful as an idea which time has come", Victor Huge once said.

These days this saying may be adopted for the idea of sustainability. It is the effort to contribute in creating an ecological, economical and social basis of live for the future generations.

The principle of sustainability was agreed upon in the "Earth summit" in Rio de Janeiro 1992 by 180 nations (Agenda 21), but most countries have not implemented it until now. Europe has not become a sustainable continent yet. The young generation should remind the political leaders of the promise made during the earth summit because it affects our common future.

The Foundation for the Rights of Future Generations, AEGEE, AIESEC, the Young European Federalists (JEF), Rotaract, the Student Initiative of the Club of Rome organise together with a lot more partners the project "Our common future - Realising sustainability". The project consists of three phases - the Internet University (2000-06-03 - 2000-12-01), the European Youth Congress (EYC) on the occasion of the EXPO in Hanover, Germany (2000-08-06 - 2000-08-12), and the "Rally of the Youth", a bike ride to all European capitals (2000-08-13 to 2000-09-25).

The project has three entire aims: First of all it is to sensitise the public opinion in Europe for a sustainable policy. Moreover it contributes to improve the political education of the young people. Finally the project facilitates the european integration, in bringing together hundreds of young europeans willing to create a sustainable future.

The project OCF should be a team effort of the youth of Europe and show how youth initiatives can work together as a network to achieve a common goal.

The three phases: The Internet University will be a first virtual meeting of most of the participants. At the congress in Hanover, 400 young people from all European countries will formulate a document entitled "Visions of Youth for a Sustainable Society" trying to find sustainable solutions for the most important future questions. The document's preamble (an resolution limited to 5 pages) will demand from the heads of the European states and governments to realise a society that no longer lives at the expense of its children. The participants will immediatly after the congress hand over the resolution personally to governments of 35 european countries in a so-called "Rally of the youth" (the final document "Visions of Youth" will be send afterwards).

The young people will travel by train and by bike in groups from Hanover, like the rays of a star, to the capitals of the european countries. There will be many conferences in the year 2000, but because of this unique event no other one will move the hearts of people like ours. (see: Rally of the youth)

How in sustainability defined in the project context? A sustainable society is one in which ecological and financial sustainability are achieved simultaneously with social justice. In an ecologically sustainable society, no generation produces more pollution than air, earth and water can take in. Renewable resources will not be used faster than they can be renewed. The needs of future generations will be considered in the use of non-renewable resources. In a financially sustainable society, no generation should live beyond its financial means and leave the bill to future generations. The state should not - at least in average and in the long term - spend more than it earns. In short, an ecologically and financially sustainable Europe will not live at the cost of its children, will not leave the future with an uncovered cheque. The Europe we want also commits itself to a fair distribution of resources between North and South, between the poor and the rich, between men and women.

We invited well known experts as speakers, e. g.: Romano Prodi (President of the EU Commission), Ricardo Diez Hochleitner (Chairman of the Club of Rome, Spain), Prof. Dr. Herman Daly (University of Maryland, USA) and Margot Wallström (Environmental Commissioner of the EU). An updated list of all experts who already agreed in joining the OCF-project can be found in the Schedule and the List of Study Groups (www.srzg.de).

The young participants in the age of 16 to 27 are selected through a questionnaire, assessing for instance their educational background, their language skills, their intercultural competence (see: V. Application Forms). Therefore it is guaranteed that applicants are motivated to really participate in the programme. To create an interesting atmosphere we will try to have a fair distribution of female and male participants from many European countries and will specially observe the needs of the handicapped.

The 400 young participants will do their substantial work in approximately 20 study groups. There are three general subjects for the study groups: ecological sustainability, financial sustainability and social justice. (see List of Study Groups). The study groups should have between 12 and 18 participants, except for the simulation game, which will allow up to 100 participants.

Serving the intercultural atmosphere, artistic workshops will carry out the participant's inspiration in the afternoon: sculpture, dance, drumming and board games are only a few examples.

The Foundation for the Rights of Future Generations and the partner organisations have developed a comprehensive strategy to achieve the project objectives in time, in scope and on budget. A task force, consisting out of about 100 young people from all over Europe, mainly young students and pupils is co-operating both from a head office (4 persons) and from all over Europe communicating via Internet.

The project's aim of intercultural understanding and european integration will be achieved by using new types of organisation, like discussion forums as you can see on <http://www.srzg.de.> In addition to the virtual co-operations regular meetings of all active organisers and those interested give the opportunity to report on the state of affairs and plan the next steps.

For the evaluation of the project a team was formed consisting out of well known professors and experts.

OCF-Coordination Office at the
Foundation for the Rights of Future Generations
Postfach 5115, 61422 Oberursel
Tel: +49-(0) 61 71 - 98 23 67
Fax: +49-(0) 61 71 - 95 25 66
E-Mail: info@srzg.de