Durban
Today was a very special day for youth, from all over the world, because today was the Youth Summit. Youth had the opportunity to be part of creating an International Youth Declaration Against Racism and a Plan of Action. But it was also sad for some youth because the time they needed for their voices to be heard, there wasn't even a chance. Youth were separated into groups, to go to different workshops to deal with different parts of the documents and discuss what they want to see changed. What upset some youth was the process they had to work with, that many youth didn't have the chance to voice their opinion.

I ended up in the larger meeting room, with the youth who couldn't go into the documentation rooms. Youth are defined by the U.N. as those under 30 years old. But throughout the Youth Summit some began to realize that almost everyone that spoke on the panels was over 30. Two of the questions they asked were, "If this is a youth summit, why aren't the youth speaking on the panel?" and "Why are elders coming in to speak about youth when youth want to speak FOR youth?"

Youth from different parts of the world started to go up and speak about their experiences from their countries and how racism had personally affected them. And this was a very emotional point in time for everybody. For instance, one young lady came up to speak about her experiences of racism in Guyana. Another youth, from the U.S., one from South Africa, and one from the middle east went up and said what racism is and how it affects their community. Even me - I stood up and shared my feelings to the whole entire group about how I felt about some kids not having the chance to express themselves. I also represented where I come from - St. Vincent - and how racism has affected me there and in Brooklyn.

Annie also expressed herself and how she was feeling at that point in time and it was a heart touching experience for all the youth present there.

Because of my speech, two other youth and I were nominated to speak and inform the other youth - once we all reconvened - about what had discussed and how we would like to involve all the youth in attendance in what we had planned to do about it, later in the Summit. We asked them to agree to stand with us in unity as youth from all over the world, and they did. Due to the speech, I was interviewed by a Canadian Journalist and I was commended by many people.

Doing this speech, kinda made me proud of who I am. It made me a better leader. And it showed the power and impact youth can have on other youth, and even on elder people. It did not make me powerful, in the form of being in control, but it made me powerful by my actually being able to tell that I was finally being heard. Afterwards, having people commend me on my speech, and keep coming up to me, made me know they had really listened.

Later that evening, we were gathered once more, to hand the declaration (as a working document, not a final, approved version) to Mary Robinson, the U.N. Commissioner on Human Rights. In the program for this panel, there were no youth or teenagers speaking for the youth (just delegates speaking about youth). So, as part of what we had organized, we had one youth go up - a thirteen year old - and represent everyone. And while she was up there, every youth in the congregation stood in unity, holding hands and holding then up high. To see youth from all over the world standing in unity knowing that everyone has a different culture and is from a different race, made me proud to be there at that moment, witnessing that youth really have power.

Annie's Journal Traveling Day Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 - 8 Day 9 Traveling Day

Dezroy's Journal Traveling Day Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 & 5 Day 6 Day 7 - 8 Day 9 Day 10 Traveling Day