YLT Candidates: Europe and Central Asia
Europe and Central Asia has produced four YLT Candidates from Armenia, France, Latvia, and Serbia. Three of the Candidates are female and one is male.
Voters, learn about your regional Candidates and ask them constructive questions by "posting a comment" after the last profile. Please include your name and country on each question or response. Submit your vote to dominic [@] earthcharterinaction.org by midnight (CET) on Sunday 23 September.
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Mr. Didier Gleyzes, France
Read Didier's CV
Born in the city of Annecy in the French Alpes in 1984, I will obtain my master’s degree in International Organizations at the end of October. Currently working as an intern at the United Nations Environment Programme on sustainable lifestyles and climate change communication campaign, I am looking for an employment in either NGOs/IGOs or CSR for November. Firmly committed to the cause of sustainability, my main hobbies are sport, traveling, philosophy and music.
2. What inspires you most about the Earth Charter?
The full potential of this document is unlimited; it is the first international declaration based on a ten-year civil society consultation, with a high consideration for diversity and an integrative and multidisciplinary approach. It is a great educational tool for individual to understand the ethics leading to sustainable lifestyles. It might also be an interesting set of principles for business aiming to adopt CSR practices and a powerful framework for nations while addressing crucial issues such as climate change.
3. What inspires you most about the ECYI?
The added value of the Earth Charter certainly resides in its educational feature and in the fact that it is a “living- tool”. In this sense, I am convinced that it constitutes for youth around the world a great framework for networking, sustainability projects and partnerships building. The ECYI has a great role to play in the development of national and international projects, especially on key sustainable lifestyles issues such as food, energy or transport, or on carbon neutrality, in order to really “move the Earth Charter into action”.
4. What innovative – and cost effective – ideas do you have for expanding ECYI membership and diversity in your region and creating a strong regional network?
To expand ECYI membership one could foresee to identify the main Youth organizations working on sustainability issues in the region (already affiliated or not) and organize meetings and workshops in order to create partnerships on common projects.
One could also think to events we could organize on Earth Day to raise awareness on the ECYI or also develop our website with a system of pledges, some actions to undertake and a blog with member’s stories as it is planned in the e-GLO project.
5. What special skills, knowledge, or experiences will you draw upon in this work?
I guess what I learned during my master in international organization – sociopolitical analysis could be of help while acting as a YLT member. Moreover, I certainly could bring some valuable inputs from my experience at UNEP, in term of knowledge of the sustainability sector and in term of communication/campaigning skills. Finally, as a member of the current ECYI I have the chance to know all the current members. I indeed met them in Amsterdam in November 2005 where I was assisting in the coordination of the EC+5 Youth event.
Finally, the topics of my two main dissertations at the Insitute of Political Studies are: Environmental Ethics and Diffusion of Values and Principles. A case study: the Earth Charter, and Sustainability Communications addressing Climate Change.
6. What challenges do you foresee encountering in your work as a YLT member?
I guess our main challenge will be the realization of very concrete regional projects. We will thus need to be creative and well organized.
7. Realistically, how much time do you have to dedicate to your YLT duties each week?
At least one hour a day.
8. When did you first learn about the Earth Charter?
It was at a conference with Bertrand Charier, former vice-president of Green Cross International.
9. When did you join the ECYI?
I joined the ECYI early 2004 prior to the European Youth Summit in Sarajevo where I was representing the ECYI.
10. What is your date of birth?
16/07/1984
11. Do you have good spoken and written English skills?
Yes.
12. Do you have good access to the Internet?
Yes, everyday.
13. Have you read the entire text of the “YLT Guidelines” carefully?
Yes.
14. Are you prepared and willing to fulfill all of the responsibilities required of YLT Representatives as detailed in the “YLT Guidelines?”
Definitely.
Ms. Ilona Ignatovich, Latvia
Read Ilona's CV
I was born in Daugavpils, Latvia. Now I’m studying in Daugavpils University, Education and Management Faculty, primary school teacher’s program IV course.
2. What inspires you most about the Earth Charter?
Principles of living in our society
3. What inspires you most about the ECYI?
Contacts all over the World
4. What innovative – and cost effective – ideas do you have for expanding ECYI membership and diversity in your region and creating a strong regional network?
I think, as much we’ll organize different conferences about EC, as better will be our network.
5. What special skills, knowledge, or experiences will you draw upon in this work?
Think creative and sustainably, make contacts with people.
6. What challenges do you foresee encountering in your work as a YLT member?
I hope, I’ll have more contacts and information about EC organizations in Europe and also in the World, their work, successes, future plans.
7. Realistically, how much time do you have to dedicate to your YLT duties each week?
About 5 hours.
8. When did you first learn about the Earth Charter?
In 2004, then I was first year student in our University.
9. When did you join the ECYI?
In September, 2006
10. What is your date of birth?
03.03.1985
11. Do you have good spoken and written English skills?
Yes
12. Do you have good access to the Internet?
Yes
13. Have you read the entire text of the “YLT Guidelines” carefully?
Yes
14. Are you prepared and willing to fulfill all of the responsibilities required of YLT Representatives as detailed in the “YLT Guidelines?”
I’ll try. Some situations and problems are not in my competence
Ms. Jana Kovandzic, Serbia
Read Jana's CV
My name is Jana Kovandzic. I am from Serbia. I am a fourth year student of Belgrade University, Faculty of Political Sciences. As one of the top students I attended program at Belgrade Open School, Department for Advanced Undergraduate Studies. Here I learned about EU and the Balkans. I did an internship program in Serbian European Integration Office (government’s body). I attended summer school of University of Graz - subject European Culture(s). I am a journalist for VOX – student's newspaper. In AntiCorruption Student Network in SEE I did a research of financial flows on Serbian Universities. I am member of Association for UN in Serbia. In this organization, I did a project - ,,Participation of young people in the UN bodies,,. In this organization I am also a coordinator of UNESCO club ,,Center,,
2. What inspires you most about the Earth Charter?
Every, but especially part II Ecological Integrity and part III Social and Economic Justice. Part II because it stresses that the Earth existed before us and that will exist after us. We have to ensure safe and healthy life for future generations, too. We have to try to build a better world (part III)– some live in commodity, others have known only for pain, hunger, disease… that is emphasized in Millennium Development Goals of the UN, and also stressed in Earth Charter.
3. What inspires you most about the ECYI?
There is so much positive energy among youth and willingness to change this world, to make it better. People who endorse the Earth Charter and are active in the ECYI firmly believe that some urgent changes are needed, that we need to act now in order to create safer, peaceful world. These are people who really believe that we can do something to save our planet, to achieve better chances for everyone, no matter where they come from.
4. What innovative – and cost effective – ideas do you have for expanding ECYI membership and diversity in your region and creating a strong regional network?
Organizing on-line seminars and workshops, media campaigning in local news, making connections with local NGO´s.
5. What special skills, knowledge, or experiences will you draw upon in this work?
Communicational, organizational, leadership skills, skills of policy paper writing, report analysis and report writing, computer skills, fundraising, team work, individual work.
6. What challenges do you foresee encountering in your work as a YLT member?
Enlarging number of supporters, creating global campaigns. Communicating with networks of members. Be available for questions and to inform new supporters. Promote Earth Charter in the regions where this kind of initiative is still unknown.
7. Realistically, how much time do you have to dedicate to your YLT duties each week?
10 hours, and clearly more always when needed and expected
8. When did you first learn about the Earth Charter?
March, 2007
9. When did you join the ECYI?
April, 2007
10. What is your date of birth?
1984. December 18th
11. Do you have good spoken and written English skills?
ITP TOEFL 613
12. Do you have good access to the Internet?
ADSL 512, at home
13. Have you read the entire text of the “YLT Guidelines” carefully?
Yes
14. Are you prepared and willing to fulfill all of the responsibilities required of YLT Representatives as detailed in the “YLT Guidelines?”
Yes
Ms. Liana Nersisian, Armenia
Read Liana's CV
Liana Nersisian (father's name - Razmik), Armenian, not married.
In 1987 entered Gogol’s school and graduated in 1997.
In 1998 entered Yerevan State University , the faculty of geography.
In 2002 graduated the baccalaurate , and presented the thesis for bachelor’s degree "Russia as a geopolitical force center".
In 2004 graduated the magistracy ,getting master degree.
The presented thesis , which got excellant mark, was: "Geopolitical importance of Russia – Armenia – Iran Association."
During master studies I combined teaching in "Artashat" University the following subjects:
- Economical geography of foreign world.
- Regional politics.
- Sustainable Development
- Since 2002 I have been working at NGO” Acossiation For Sustainable Development” as a volunteer and in 2006 I have been elected as a co-president of youth section.
- I am working as a teacher of geogtaphy at school# 78 in Yerevan.
- I am participated in different trainings ,seminars and camps.
2. What inspires you most about the Earth Charter?
The principles and ideas behind the Earth Charter. The chance that it gives to the youth to create their own future.
3. What inspires you most about the ECYI?
Possibility to intercultural cross- religious relations to embroaden my horizons and find global solutions to global questions.
4. What innovative and cost effective ideas do you have for expanding ECYI membership and diversity in your region and creating a strong regional network?
Our organization has 2 networks to expand information internal and external (as one of the former republics of Soviet Union, we will have access to almost all of the ex-republics of former Soviet Union). We can expand wihout much cost.
5. What special skills, knowledge, or experiences will you draw upon in this work?
Leadership and organizing skills; skills to unite young people around a topic, an idea (as a teacher, lecturer with 6 years of experience of dealing with young people ) MA degree.
6. What challenges do you foresee encountering in your work as a YLT member?
Dear friends I hope we will not have some challenges, I think we will have a vision and some missions to achiev the global vision.
7. Realistically, how much time do you have to dedicate to your YLT duties each week?
2 hours a day, 14 hours per week
8. When did you first learn about the Earth Charter?
Learnt about the Earth Charter through a publication.
9. When did you join the ECYI?
2007
10. What is your date of birth?
November 30, 1980
11. Do you have good spoken and written English skills?
Yes.
12. Do you have good access to the Internet?
Yes, I have.
13. Have you read the entire text of the YLT Guidelines carefully?
Yes, I have.
14. Are you prepared and willing to fulfill all of the responsibilities required of YLT Representatives as detailed in the YLT Guidelines?
Yes.
POST A COMMENT, BELOW!
Comments
G'day to all Fellow YLT Candidates,
I have enjoyed perusing all of your personal statements and CVs- quite the impressive bunch!
I just wanted to pose a general question to all candidates: quite a few of you have emphasized the potential role of ICT (e.g. Internet and radio) as an efficient and cost-effective means of raising ECYI awareness.
Do you disagree/agree? In the case of the latter, are there any specific projects or proposals that you would like to put forth if elected to the YLT?
Many thanks!
Lisa
Canada
Posted by: Lisa Jokivirta | September 20, 2007 8:04 AM
Dear Lisa,
Thanks for asking this question. Well, I actually did talk about internet usage in favor of ECYI. But, since there was so little space to elaborate on our ideas, it remained basically only a thesis.
In my opinion, organizing on-line seminars (workshops) is cost-effective, and relatively easy to manage. That is also something that a lot of young people like to do, because it does not take a lot of their time, they learn something new, and get a diploma.
If I was to discuss in more details on this subject, material is easy to find, and in the ECYI there is plenty of it. These seminars could be either regional or global. To advertise - we just use local websites that already do informing people about different events – such as TakingItGlobal, EastChance, or for example, in my country (Serbia), it would be Infostud. There really exist a wide net of these kinds of media.
Back to the workshop - it could be a workshop that could last a month, or a semester. It could be an event of no participation fee, or small - just to cover expenses. Here people will get good information on Earth Charter, what it stands for, what’s its purpose is, how can they help. This really means a possibility to shared ECYI membership for a greater number of people. In my opinion, this is the cheapest, easiest, and also most educative way of promoting and advocating for an idea. Of course, in the end, we would reward people who attended the on-line workshop with proper certificates, and other EC and ECYI material (posted to them via regular mail).
I, personally, am very fond of this kind of education, and I know that there are always a lot of people interested in that.
About radio, I guess it’s also a good idea, organizing radio shows to inform people about EC. I agree that it is also a cost-effective means.
Jana
Serbia
Posted by: Jana Kovandzic | September 20, 2007 10:28 AM
Hello everyone!
I'm Gabriela Monteiro, from Brazil, and a candidate for Latin America and Caribbean (vote for me! hehe!).
Well, I'd like to ask you all two questions:
1. Is environment an important topic in your government's agenda and; do citizens care about it? If not, do you think you can do anything to change it during your mandate?
2. How is the youth involvement regarding social/environmental issues in your country/community?
Thank you!
Warmest regards!
Gabi
Brazil
Posted by: Gabriela Monteiro | September 20, 2007 2:57 PM
G'day to all Fellow YLT Candidates,
I'm Anantdeep Singh Dhillon, from India, and a candidate for Asia and the Pacific (not here to demand any votes! hehe!).
I have enjoyed perusing all of your personal statements and CVs- quite impressive indeed!
I just wanted to pose a general question to fellow YLT aspirants:
Well I have a vision that faith groups can go a long way in assisting to play a potential role as effective means of raising ECYI awareness. We can work on peace & sustainable development.
Also other regional youth & human development NGO's can assist us.
What are your views about these ideas? Do give your inputs, and we need to have a balanced team.
Many thanks!
Anant
India
Posted by: Anantdeep Singh Dhillon | September 20, 2007 10:21 PM
To everyone (answers to Gabi + a question):
1. Serbia is currently trying very hard for EU membership. EU has a very strict environmental policy, so Serbian constitution and all regulations deeply correspond to the EU regulations. There are also severe punishments for people/factories that put nature in danger. But still, there are a few factories that pollute local rivers and forests.
Question: Regarding this issue, I have a question for everyone and I would really like an opinion from all of you about Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): – if a factory pollutes, and gets punished for that, but still calculates that it pays out less to pay these punishments than to install new, safe equipment, Q: - how to motivate this factory to care for the environment? And you still cannot shut this plant down, because there work hundreds and hundreds of people. I guess many countries in transition (and others as well) will come up on that problem. What solution would you suggest? How does your society and government deal with this problem?
2. To Gabi as well: Idea of being an active citizen is getting more and more supporters every day. It’s, how to put it, kind of a fashion, because here and now in Serbia, young people hope for much better life than it used to be in the past decade. So people are motivated and eager to get involved – ecological movements, gender equality, anti-trafficking, religious tolerance, basically every kind of NGO flourishes here.
Jana
Serbia
Posted by: Jana Kovandzic | September 20, 2007 11:17 PM
Dear all friends:
While I’m reading your feedback messages, I get really excited about your enormous potential and I’m sure all of you can fit perfectly on the 11 YLT. Also I get excited because I’m sure that after these presentations we can exchange many ideas to continue working our projects for the welfare of our lovely planet.
Didier I’m very happy to see you again and with all those skills around you!! :)
Cheers!! And I’m sure that the ECYI already won having you all great people inspiring such a great ideas for your communities and the entire planet.
Namir
Mexico
Posted by: Namir Nava | September 21, 2007 7:00 AM
To Anant,
I would agree with you (about faith groups) at some point. But in general, what I have learned through these discussions with all of you is that – there are no universal rules. Like, for some countries is better to use radio, for others internet. In some countries would be good if faith groups would be supportive to an idea, in others it would be considered like very inappropriate.
So, better than to make general conclusions and advices, it’s more effective to adapt to the local expectations and means of communication – to make a strategy for every regional or local group. What do you think?
Regards from Serbia,
Jana
Serbia
Posted by: Jana Kovandzic | September 21, 2007 12:20 PM
Dear all,
Apologies for the relatively late comment but I had to come to a McDonald's to get wifi and post it… I promise, I did not order anything other than an orange juice, so do not make me feel guilty! :-)
That is great to read all these valuable comments and questions. Let me take this opportunity to, first, address my sincere salutations to all of you who are going through this page (with a special hello to Namir and Anant) and second, to say that I am very glad to have so charming and competent “rivals” :-) (not sure the term is really appropriate, but still).
My first meeting with the Earth Charter was in Bosnia, and clearly, I agree that young people in the region are particularly enthusiastic in participating in any kind of social movements that contribute to build a more sustainable society. That was a wonderful and very inspiring experience for me to discuss post-conflict and peace-building issues at this meeting, with so much hope out there. And not only former Yugoslavia, but also Latvia and Armenia are countries which encountered tragic historical events and where there is certainly much to be achieved. So, it comes from the heart: Jana, Liana, Ilona: good luck girls!
Well, enough for an introduction! I will try to keep my answers short.
1. To Lisa: the potential role of ICT (e.g. Internet and radio) as an efficient and cost-effective means of raising ECYI awareness. Do you disagree/agree? In the case of the latter, are there any specific projects or proposals that you would like to put forth if elected to the YLT?
Actually, I think the ECI/YI since its beginning has always remarkably used ICTs and more particularly the Internet as a key tool to communicate and raise awareness. Without the Internet, I personally would not have known and then met all the wonderful people of the Youth initiative. I remember when Michael Slaby, a real mentor for me, opened his speech at the EC+5 conference by saying that he was so happy to finally meet all the persons he had been in contact with through the Internet for years.
I guess the current challenge for us is to cope with the evolution of new technologies such as what is called the web 2.0 or 3.0 (famous examples are Facebook, YouTube, etc.). In this sense, and I would like to notice here that the EC website is already very well designed, we should use these NICTs to make of the ECYI website a real “living tool”: e.g a website where ECYI members (individuals, schools, organizations…) could share their stories of sustainable lifestyles, their best practices and tips, by forming a real e-community through an interactive blog, with videos, debates and e-conferences…
Recently, I worked on a draft proposal for the creation of a website and basically the idea was for the user to calculate his/her ecological footprint and carbon emissions of the user through a questionnaire and then to improve his/her score by following advices, tips to adopt more sustainable lifestyles (for instance: simply by changing your light bulb for an eco-efficient one, or by walking to go to work… ). Many ecological footprint and carbon calculators already exist and I am sure this is something, for instance, which could be explored (with partners) on the EC website.
But whichever ideas we could have to fully use the opportunities given by NICTs, one should try to think to the following golden triangle: inform, involve, empower.
Besides, we should not forget than despite the fast explosion of ICTs, not every people on the planet has access to the new technologies. And because nothing compares a real gathering, we should also try to organize as frequent and significant meetings within the ECYI as cost and carbon (!) permits.
Finally, I would not conclude on this question without mentioning that I particularly liked Jana’s idea of having e-training or e-courses. I am sure that with the existing resources of the YI (maybe in partnership with UNESCO?) and with the work and creativity of people like Mike Sheehan, this is something which could be easily realized and very influential.
2. To Gabi: is environment an important topic in your government's agenda and; do citizens care about it? If not, do you think you can do anything to change it during your mandate? How is the youth involvement regarding social/environmental issues in your country/community?
Dear Gabi, to answer your question, as a young French (and global!) citizen, I would say that if good initiatives and policies exist in France, notably through EU directives, until now clearly not enough has been made on the environmental issue. But unambiguous signals are showing that this might change: the success of the famous green activist Nicolas Hulot at the presidential candidacy, Jacque Chirac future foundation for sustainable development and intercultural dialogue or even more recently what are called “les accords de Grenelle” where a dialogue has started between the government and civil society to come to concrete environmental policies.
There is currently a real window of opportunity in France for green activism with national association such as the alliance for the planet, Nicolas Hulot’s Fondation, etc; and if the Earth Charter is still not widely diffused here, there might be a great potential for networking and alliance building with other NGOs to lead unified actions and campaigns. Especially considering the global boom of sustainability issues in the media, at the political level and more and more for business through CSR. If this might be mainly due to the results of the Stern and IPCC reports or to Al Gore’s movie… there is an obvious momentum for the EC a meaningful ethical framework for dialogue and actions.
Regarding the youth involvement in itself, even if it may be a bit difficult for me to be fully objective, I would argue that the youth commitment to sustainability in France is more latent than really effective, and that if awareness has already been relatively broadly raised, a lot still need to be done concerning actions. Great initiatives from green campuses and young members of NGOs already exist but what often lack to my view are concrete and simple ideas to really change things. But that will be part of our job within the YLT and the ECYI to suggest innovative projects and to facilitate the exchange of information, don’t you think?
4. To Anant: Well I have a vision that faith groups can go a long way in assisting to play a potential role as effective means of raising ECYI awareness. We can work on peace & sustainable development. Also other regional youth & human development NGO's can assist us. What are your views about these ideas? Do give your inputs, and we need to have a balanced team.
Hey Anant, as for Namir, it is a pleasure to hear from you! I definitely agree with you on the role the EC should play regarding interfaith dialogue. Besides climate change, terrorism is an other crucial issue we as youth will have to address (and that might even be aggravated by the first one), and there could not be any solution to it through violence or reaction. In this sense, I believe that values such as love, compassion, respect and the principle of reverence towards our sacred Earth are key truths that need to be permanently reminded everywhere different cultures meet.
I would not discuss the question of faith groups as agents in raising awareness as my secular and agnostic background make it difficult for me to consider it.
5. To Jana: about Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): – if a factory pollutes, and gets punished for that, but still calculates that it pays out less to pay these punishments than to install new, safe equipment, Q: - how to motivate this factory to care for the environment? And you still cannot shut this plant down, because there work hundreds and hundreds of people. I guess many countries in transition (and others as well) will come up on that problem. What solution would you suggest? How does your society and government deal with this problem?
Dear Jana, basically, I guess there are two main ways to answer your question. Either from a legalistic point of view you consider that the cost of the damages to the environment are superior for the general interest than the price to pay for the polluting factory, and then you augment the incentives and punishments in order to fully internalize the environmental externalities. This can even lead to permits as it has been implemented through the Kyoto protocol.
Or, you make business understand that it is in its own interest to adopt more sustainable practices they would anyway have to adopt later at a higher cost. By doing that, the factory/firm will respond to a growing demand from consumers and civil society and in the same time compete with other adversaries which have already adopted CSR principles and which often are making much money thanks to CSR.
I you want to further explore the topic, I would suggest you to read the content of a UNEP CD-ROM that I am currently helping to disseminate through universities and business and that you can find at: www.unep.fr/sustain
And to conclude on this question: … Well, I really hope I will have the chance to meet you soon Jana!
I look forward to reading and post new comments,
Best regards and peace to all!
Ecologically yours,
Didier
France
Posted by: Didier | September 22, 2007 1:34 PM
Dear YLT Candidates and ECYI Voters,
Thank you for participating in our lively and insightful "Town Hall Meeting" discussion. The questions and ideas that were shared here and in the Candidate's Statements will inform the discussion that the YLT has in Ahmedabad, India at the end of November.
As you know, this brings to an end the "Voting Week" for the YLT. I will be verifying and counting your votes, and will announce the new Team by Wednesday, 26 September, on the ECYI Blog.
I warmly thank the current Core Group and the numerous ECYI Members who contributed to the conceptualization of the YLT and the design of this election process. I am grateful as well to all 21 Candidates who engaged so actively in this historic, democratic process. You are all exemplary ECYI Members!
And remember, this is just part of an ongoing ECYI discussion. Check this website frequently to comment on new posts - or send me your own ECYI updates, reports, and photos to create a blog entry on one of your recent ECYI-related successes.
Again, thanks to all.
Peace,
Dominic Stucker
International Youth Coordinator
Posted by: Dominic Stucker | September 24, 2007 7:10 AM