Tunza: Creating Change

The UNEP TUNZA International Conference is held annually by UNEP and alternates between a children's conference and a youth conference. It is one of the largest and most consistent events for children and youth on environment and sustainable development issues.

The Tunza 2008 conference motto is "Creating Change". Each day will focus on a specific theme and the local and global environmental issues involved. The Millenium Goals will also be illuminated.

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in collaboration with the Young Agenda 21 Foundation of Norway will host the 2008 Tunza International Children’s Conference on the Environment which will bring together 1,000 people (700 children and 300 chaperones), between 10 and 14 years, from over 100 countries. The conference will be held from 17 to 21 June 2008 in Stavanger, Norway.

The Conference will increase the children’s understanding of environmental issues by providing them with a forum to share experiences and opinions and to collectively voice their concerns for the environment. It will also inspire them to initiate and implement community environmental projects in their school and community.

The Conference will offer a series of workshops organized by both local and international facilitators on the themes of the Conference (Energy, Biodiversity, Water and Production and Consumption). The Conference will culminate in a set of commitments to be implemented by the children.

The World Needs a Conference for Children

The 2008 Tunza International Children’s Conference will provide an arena for practical work and fun activities. New knowledge will be shared by children and converted into action. The goals of the conference are:

• to increase the children's understanding of environmental challenges by exchanging experiences and opinions
• to demonstrate new ideas and initiative for a better environment
• to provide participants with an opportunity to get to know each other and develop friendships across nationalities and other barriers
• to provide children with an opportunity to express their collective opinions and concerns for the environment
• to inspire the children to think globally and act locally
• to have fun together!

You can apply to participate at the conference if you:

• are interested in environmental challenges and actively involved in an environmental project
• will be between 10 and 14 years of age, on the 17 June 2008
• have been selected as a representative for a school or an organization.

Each group of children must have an adult leader who is at least 19 years of age.

The language of the conference will be English. Interpretation services will be offered during main discussions for French and Spanish speakers.

The daily themes are:

• Energy
• Water
• Biodiversity
• Production and Consumption.

Efforts are made to ensure that the themes coincide with the daily activities. "Learning by doing" is a basic principle for the conference. An overview of workshops and fieldtrips will be published in March 2008.

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