Pre-Event Meetings

[Pippa Gardner]

Pippa, spoke as an expert at a Rio+20 discussion attended by UK Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman and organised by the UK government, UNICEF UK and the British Youth Council. Maggie also attended and led a group discussion, and fellow Rio+20 delegate Miriam Otieno from Kenya gave a speech via Skype.

Pippa talks to Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman. Photo by UNICEF UK/2012/Robert Griffin

"I felt the event was really positive and was impressed by the engagement and knowledge of the young people.

"The audience was very receptive to the ideas I put forward in my talk – especially around the topics of non-formal education and grey water recycling – and the experts with years of experience of research in the field were very impressed at WAGGGS work and commitment to this field.

"One of the participants listed the Skype call with Miriam as their favourite part of the event, and her contribution of a Kenyan youth perspective was very much appreciated and well received by all.

"I wish that Caroline Spelman had come earlier in the day so that she could have heard some of the contributions and discussions in more detail, but it was great that she did come to listen to what we were saying and was taking in our requests (even if she didn’t completely respond to all of them). I hope we can keep her to her promise of a rendez-vous in Rio!"