My cousin's even famous-er-er - therefore so am I

Kia ora whanua. I know it's been a little while since we last spoke, but I've been busy with university and Co-Convening the Young Greens you see, among other university shinanigans. However, I cannot honestly say I've been more busy than my cousin Phil.

No, that's not me on the unicycle, but yes he is a good looking guy. He's my Canadian equivilent, but is cooler than me. You see Phil Schleihauf is currently unicycling accross Canada for the charity Invisible Children which is dedicated to freeing the child soldiers who make up 90% of Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army in Uganda, who are fighting in the longest running war in Africa.

Now, for those of you who don't know, Canada is a small country above the United States of America. Small in population that is, but large in size - the second largest country on Earth, after Russia. So it's a massive distance Phil will be riding, a lot longer than riding the length of our fair nation of New Zealand. So freakin kudos to him.

So follow his website if that kinda of thing floats your boat, but most importantly read about the Invisible Children. I had no idea about them, and I bet most of you (as informed as you are) wouldn't have heard of them either! And, of course, if you can, give them money. But at the very least learn about their story, and tell others that even though our corporate media ignores them, we will not.

I'm famous-er!

This blog has been mentioned on another great blog by an awesome Global Young Green (GYG) from Deutschland called Georg (which has now appeared in the blogs that I like box to your right). I suggest you take a look, especially if your interested in active GYGs from around the world.

The GYGs will be having a meeting in Graz, Austria in August. This conference follows the founding conference in Nairobi in 2007, and the less official meeting in conjunction with the Global Greens Congress last year that I went to! Go to their website if you are interested in attending (and contact someone on the steering committee about it as there doesn't seem to be conference info up yet) to find out more. I wish I had the funding, time, and justification of the carbon emissions for a whirlwind trip to Europe to go...

Atleast I get to go to the exciting local Greens Policy conference all the way over in Silverstream this weekend - my first as the Co-Convenor of the Young Greens! Needless to say there will be plenty of discussion about economic issues.

Fantastic.

What I'm up to tomorrow in a formal sorta way

Youngest Greens to young workers: you CAN take a paid break to vote

Media Advisory 24 October 2008

The Green Party’s youngest candidates are teaming up this Saturday to tell young workers that they CAN take the most important break of their lives.

Zachary Dorner (Pakaranga) and Gareth Hughes (Ohariu) are visiting Hamilton to mobilise young people to vote on November 8.

On a tour through the CBD, they will be visiting young Saturday workers in food outlets, shops and cinemas to tell them that they have a right to take a paid break to go and vote, if they have to work on Election Day. The young Green duo will be at the Ward Street crossing, outside the Village Cinemas and Centreplace, in Hamilton, at 11:30am for about half an hour, before walking through to the Southend.

“It’s vitally important young people who work Saturdays know they are entitled to time off work on November 8, so they can have their say. Educating young workers about this little-known fact may boost the tragically low youth-voter turnout,” says Zachary Dorner, the Party’s youngest candidate at just 19.

“With the global financial crisis and the need for urgent action on climate change, this election is critical. This is especially true for young people, who will have to face the future consequences of how these challenges are handled,” says Gareth Hughes, who at No. 11 on the Green Party List, could make it into Parliament if enough young people Party Vote Green.

“The Green Party has a good range of quality young candidates, because we believe the Greens are the Party for the future, and for young people.”

All workers are entitled to be released no later than 3pm for the rest of the day if they have to work on November 8, if they have not had a reasonable chance to vote before they started their shift. If they have to work after 3pm for essential work, their employer must give them two hours paid leave to vote at a reasonable time earlier in the day.

Dorner and Hughes will be then speaking on Saturday evening at the start of the Greens' Party at Altitude at 8pm.

What: Young Green candidates Zachary Dorner and Gareth Hughes touring youth workplaces to inform young workers of their rights
When: THIS Saturday 25 October, from 11:30am
Where: Meet at Ward Street crossing, outside Village Cinemas and Centreplace in Hamilton
For further information contact: Zachary Dorner 027 374 5144

I guess Guelph's going Green

Well, what an inspiring weekend I had last weekend. I went to Guelph in Ontario, Canada to help out with the campaign to elect the Green Party Candidate Mike Nagy there, and what a pleasant surprise I got. It is a by-election campaign, and the Canadian Greens think it's their best shot ever at getting a Green MP elected under their First Past the Post (FPP) electoral system (the poor things). I must admit, I was skeptical about whether they actually had that good a chance before I got there, but now I'm sure they have a damn good one.

Firstly, the campaign has gotten off to the best start ever for a Green Party campaign in Canada. They've already had many volunteers, including about thirty Young Greens the weekend I was there, with four weeks of campaigning remaining. They've had many people getting Mike Nagy signs for their lawns, and a lot of support coming in.

Guelph is a green city anyway, with, most notably, a fantastic farmers market. It is also a university town which, as we all know, means plenty of Green supporters as the Green Party is the Party for young people. In a riding (electorate) in London Ontario (my birthplace), some polling booths at the last Canadian Federal Election in the University there polled as high as 80% Green. Furthermore, Guelph is on track to have the highest amount of Green support ever from Green Party canvasing.

Then there are the stories. Firstly - the campaign office. It is an ex-car rental lot on one of the most busy corners in Guelph, with excellent visibility. All the other major contenders for Guelph contacted the owner about leasing the now empty and awesome place, but the guy wanted Guelph to go Green, so he gave it to Mike Nagy. The other campaign offices were barely visible, so Guelphites know that the Greens are serious contenders. You can see the sweet location above, with it's sweet signs beneath the other sign - the beautiful rainbows on the Saturday night. Now, I've seen many rainbows in my time, but never one as full and vivid as that one, and it's second shadow rainbow. And they are rare in Guelph apparently. It seemed too coincidental to be just a coincidence...

The other thing I was very impressed with was the energy and excitement that was there. It feels like the Canadian Greens have momentum and are on the verge of breaking the deadlock that is created by being in an FPP environment. The best result they've ever had was in the Ontario Provincial Election last year by the awesome Shane Jolley (who I was lucky enough to hang with while in Guelph) who scored 33% of the vote and a disappointingly close second place. This is consistent with the upward trend they've been having in certain areas, and it's about time they break through. Once they get an MP, everything changes. They are no longer seen as unelectable, and their leader Elizabeth May gets to participate in the televised leaders debates in the next Federal Election (ie. shatter the old white guys who lead the other four parties in Parliament).

So from the weekend I was inspired by how the Canadian Greens are doing, and i will take their energy with me back to New Zealand to help with our election campaign. It also serves as a good reminder that New Zealand should never abandon proportional representation. A Party with as much support as the Greens in Canada should have fair representation.

So will Guelph go Green? Time will tell. Do Guelphites ever want me to return to their lovely township? Time will tell. I for one hope they do, because that would be fantastic. Mike Nagy has an excellent chance, and so do the Greens in Canada for their future. It is time.

I will be following the campaign and checking the results after September 8.

A video in which I partially explain myself

Here is a video from the Youth Campaign Launch that happened in Wellington on August 1. My insiders tell me it was awesome, but of course I knew that as I attended in spirit. It explains partially why I am running this election and I "made" it in my sister's apartment in Mexico (ie recorded the sound and someone way better than me made it look pretty).

I guess I'm going to green Guelph!

So, to update you on what I'm up to in Canada. Going to Guelph evidently. For my first few days in Canada I've been hanging out with family (and some Canadian Young Greens who I met at the Global Greens Congress in Sao Paulo). I still have many more things to do and people to see, but on Friday I'm going to Guelph.

Guelph? you may ask. Yes, Guelph. It is a city in Southern Ontario that is about to go Green. There is a by-election happening there on September 8, and a very strong Green Candidate is running there called Mike Nagy. There is a big push on to get him elected as the first Green Party Parliamentarian in Canada. They have FPP (First Past the Post) you see, so even though they have polled quite high in the past, they still have yet to break through in to Parliament. So, this Friday a bunch of Young Greens are heading that way to help with the campaign. My cousin and I are tagging along. It should be fun, hopefully will help, and maybe I'll be able to get some campaigning ideas well I'm there. So watch this space to see whether Guelph will make and name for itself and go Green.

Last night in SP, and first day in Rio

For my last night in São Paulo, a friend told me about what seems to be the premier Jazz bar, called Teta. I went there for dinner with some other friends - more people I met through the Global Young Greens - and there was quiet and live jazz playing. We waited around for who we were there to see, which were a really good Brazilian trio, with a promising, and happy young drummer:
Sorry I don't know any names, but they were good, and fushion-ish.

The next day I had a final lunch with a couple of friends - one Brazilian, one Sri Lankan. The place was a typical (but nicer than usual) self-serve weigh-and-pay Brazilian place. The downstairs area was very novel. You could watch the chefs make pasta and other pastries from scratch, and, if you so pleased, who take a nap on one of the lavish beds after your meal.

That night, after a very smooth bus trip, I arrived in Rio, at my hostel in Copacabana. The next morning, after sleeping in as usual, I discovered my cellphone had gone missing. I HATE loosing things, and that was number three, though easily the most expensive (number one being my Onslow leavers hoodie, and number two my plastic soap holder - very handy, and is being sorely missed). No luck with finding the phone yet, but the delay sorting it out allowed me to be around long enough to get a phone call (to the hostel) from yet another GYG who is still hanging around Brazil. The Green invasion is still not over.
Anyway, that ended me up in Santa Teresa, which is kinda like the Kelburn of Rio (for those of you that know Wellington). Very laid back, old houses (and very old tram), and really close to town. Fancy restaurants and nice shops dotted around too. It's a nice place.

That night I joined with more Aussie Greens, plus some other travellers and a local, to party in Lapa, the night club live music area. The main party nights here are Thursday, Friday and Saturday - so I better start working out how to party tonight. There were parties spilling onto the streets from venues, and a place that sold R$1 (about NZ$0.70, US$0.50) beers in the street. It was a very free, and slightly disorganised feeling. We also got to witness a fight about cocaine near the end of the night. Not pleasant, but it seems violence about drugs here is common, but doesn't cross over to general violence so much, luckily.

'Tis all for now, but there's so much to do in Rio I have lots more to tell.

Pictures! (Finally)

Good evening all. I finally managed to get some pictures for you - and there will be more to come in future. Though I am now in Rio, here are some retrospective shots that I promised you. Firstly, a shot of a (small) part of São Paulo from some big park which I don't remember the name of. It is looking towards the wealthy area of town, with the main business street, Av. Paulista, at the back. I stayed near there, to the left a bit, for my last week in SP in an area called Jardins.
Some Capoiera entertainment on the first night of Global Greens. It is a dance mixed with a martial art, developed by the African slaves in Brazil.
The powerful New Zealand delegation at the Global Greens.
Some intense thinking and discussion at the Global Young Greens meeting, on the second, more formal day. This is in the basement of a church on Av. Paulista.

And finally, one person from each country at the Global Greens doing a hello, and stading on stage. In this picture there are only about two thirds of the total countries on stage.

So there you have it, some pictures to satisfy your visual cravings. I am in Rio now, staying in Copacabana, but I have to go now, so I will leave it at that. Some more pics and updates to come.

Global Young Greens meeting!

Now for the first informal report about the important meetings.

The Global Young Greens were established in January 2007 with a founding congress in Nairobi, Kenya. We have our own charter, a sweet logo (above) and our own organisational structure. Official congresses are the only body that can make binding decisions, and they are held only once every three years - so the meeting on 29 and 30 April this year was more of an informal sharing of ideas - and contact details.

April 28 saw a lot of the Young Greens arriving in the São Paulo Hostel Downtown - run by the YHA, and near the defacto centre of São Paulo. It was great having everyone in the same place - and I knew straight away that I struck lucky with my roomie. We met a few of our new friends, had a few drinks, then slept off the jetlag.

The first day of planned activities was 29 April, and we got a room in some local Government building. We did introductions with those who were there - and quickly found out how many Taiwanese had come (over 20). There were people from Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Australia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and other places - but this was only the first group. There were more to arrive for the second day, and unfortunately not many Africans were there as they were having important African Greens meetings - though there were a couple represented. And of course we had lots of brilliant Brazilians showing us where to go. This day was really just workshops - sharing ideas, facts and thoughts on things such as Carbon Trading, deforestation, indigenous rights and so on. I took notes if anyone's interested.

That night about six foreigners, and like all the young Brazillians went to Bar Brahma, for dancing to live music and drinking.

Next day saw us move to the basement of some old church building on Ave Paulista (photos are ready to put up when I'm able). This day had more people and was more formal. We even got to start wearing the interpreter headphones, which magically translated any foreign languages. We shared what we are doing in our countries, our opinions on certain issues, and then crafted a draft point for the Global Greens 21 actions for the 21st Century about young people. It was a crash-course in consensus decision making (of which I have mental notes that I can share if anyone's interested) and we came up with something pretty good in the end.

After another fast and busy day, we went back to the hostel and then went to a Samba club, which I blogged about in my last post. It was on this day and night that friendships really started to be consolidated - after only about two days. It's so great that people from all over the world can become friends so quickly - and share a similar, but equally diverse view of the world. We were definitely a shining example for the older Greens.

Speaking of which, the next day we started to mingle with them. Some of us were delegates, others merely representatives supporting our delegates (such as myself) or people with other groups. But we always had each other to rely on for friendly conversation, and scheming plans. And to party with. And therefore to be late to the conference with the next day. We even shared a cold amongst most of us!

The Global Young Greens meeting itself wasn't the most organised affair in the world - but given the distances involved in communication, and the fact that it was all free and all organised with voluntary labour, those involved did an amazing job and I'm eternally grateful to them. However, any lack of organisation should be a cry out for those who are interested to get involved in a fledgling but immensely important group. You make amazing friendships, learn a lot, and most importantly can contribute to the change in the climate politics and the global paradigm shift we so desperately need. Just remember that "Nobody can do everything, but everybody can do something. Everyone must play a part." (Thanks Gil Scott Heron for that quote).

I will blog about the Global Greens side of things another day, as it's getting late and I'm hogging the computer.