Rio+20 Portal

Informal Strategy Development Workshop

“Thematic Priority ‘Innovation and Youth’ – Key to Success at Rio+20?!”

Co-sponsors of the Meeting:

• - IAAI – International Association for the Advancement of Innovative Approaches to Global Challenges
• - ACUNS – Academic Council on the United Nations System, Vienna Office
• - The Spiritual Council for Global Concerns Working Group of CSVCG – NGO Committee on Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns- NY

Background Info:

“Innovation for Sustainable Development” has been introduced recently by Brazilian government as additional thematic priority of Rio +20, to be dealt with at so called “Thematic days” before the official Rio+20 conference (see foot note on page 2 of ‘Rio+20 Participants info’).

This newly introduced (horizontal) thematic priority “Innovation” (especially with the non-technological aspects of social innovation, governance innovation, values innovations, etc.) opens up new possibilities for creative thinking on how Rio+20 outcomes can be something new and something special, helping UN system and Rio+20 to set a milestone in global systemic change towards effective sustainable development governance.

At International Association for the Advancement of Innovative Approaches to Global Challenges (IAAI) www.glocha.info we are delighted about these developments and offer some assistance in building the knowledge base for the process of mainstreaming “Innovation” as horizontal thematic priority of Rio+20.

Since Rio+20 preparatory process has demonstrated strong commitment to issues of intergenerational partnership and youth participation already but didn’t make this commitment to youth visible yet as a central aspect of Rio+20 in its list of thematic priorities, we suggest, to extend the new horizontal thematic priority to “Innovation and Youth” (horizontal as it is relevant for all official 7 thematic priorities).

As the topic “Innovation” has not been agreed upon by governments and as time is short, civil society can play a very constructive and positive role here by organizing an informal and swift informal effort which can enrich and inspire the official Rio+20 preparatory process on these important issues.

Therefore IAAI is calling with above listed partners a first open meeting of those who might be interested to work on structuring this topic (and outlining an (informal) “Innovation and Youth 4 Rio+20 Issues Brief”, similar to the ones on the official 7 topics: http://www.uncsd2012.org/rio20/index.php?menu=123 ).

Venue: Hardin Room in Church Center

at 777 UN Plaza (44th & 1st Avenue), New York

Tentative Agenda:

- Introduction – Tour de table

- Background info on Brazilian “Innovation for SD” proposal and Info on (if possible with video conference link) Rio+20 Thematic World Social Forum which starts on 24th January 2012

- Report from FAF UN Youth Assembly regarding the discussion with global youth on having “youth” as a thematic priority of Rio+20

- Discussion of “Innovation and Youth” related input to the Online Consultation of the Rio+20 Compilation document to the Zero Draft Outcome document, like e.g.

• Contribution of Major Group for Children and Youth (paradigm shifts/innovations in intergenerational relations)
• The STEPS Centre on Social, Technological and Environmental Pathways to Sustainability
• Advisory Group on International Environmental Governance (governance innovations!)
• International Association for the Advancement of Innovative Approaches to Global Challenges (IAAI) (social innovation, 15/15/15 global civil society Rio+20 resource mobilization aim etc.)
• International Council for Science (innovations regarding knowledge base for global governance)
• Global University network for Innovation (knowledge and higher education innovations)
• Earth Charter (value systems and ethics innovations)

- Presentation of input on “Innovation and Youth” contributed to Rio+20 preparatory process via social media channels:

• Rio+20 – The Future we Want
• Rio+20 Global Youth Music Contest etc.

- Discussion of ideas for an (informal) “Innovation and Youth 4 Rio+20 Issues Brief”

- Discussion of possibilities to organize a “Innovation and Youth 4 Rio+20” exploratory workshop/conference in the context of Third Intersessional (probably 24th or 25th of March)

Registration: please send an email with your name, institutional affiliation and areas of interest/expertise by January 20 to office(at)glocha.info

Contact:

Miroslav Polzer

• Secretary General, International Association for the Advancement of Innovative Approaches to Global Challenges IAAI
• www.glocha.info; polzer(at)glocha.info;  skype: miropolzer; twitter: glocha_mp
• Tel.: +386 (0) 1 5684168 (office); +43 (0) 664 4203648 (mobile) – Address: Dunajska 104, SI-1000 Ljubljana/Slovenia

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