It’s Getting Hot In Here

http://www.switchedon2007.com/

I used to think that organising conferences were a waste of activists’ time. I thought they were just a big talk-fest, with little or no real campaigning action emerging from an exhausting process of organising venue, speakers, registrations, transport, food, toilets, accommodation, parking, and a million other things. And then I went, in 2003, to my first ever Students of Sustainability (SoS) conference (the national Australian Student Environment Network conference), and even though I had already been involved in environmental and social justice organising, that conference changed my life.

That conference illustrated to me the value of a conference in connection – connecting me to people who would become life-long friends and fellow organisers in the struggle for climate justice. Connecting me to ideas about sustainability, development, globalisation, economics, and radical politics. Connecting me to organisations that would form the networks and backbones of many campaigns I was about to become involved in. And so I learnt that conferences – bringing together a bunch of amazing people together in one place to learn from and inspire each other – are an excellent use of activist time. At their best, they inspire, train, and connect new organisers, laying the foundation for a lifetime of effective social and environmental justice activism.

For the first time in Australia, students and youth have the opportunity to attend a large-scale youth climate conference. It’s called Switched On, and will be held on the 18th – 21st October in Katoomba (2 hours from Sydney by train). This four-day conference will be filled with forums and workshops about the root causes of climate change, the impacts and the solutions. It will be an honest look at the barriers to real action on climate change, and identifying the opportunities for action. There will be a big focus on both hands-on learning (like workshops to make solar-powered sound systems!) and skills training so you get the most out of the conference whether you’re already working on climate action campaigning or want to get started.

The conference is a joint project between the Australian Student Environment Network and one of its member groups, the Australian Youth Climate Coalition. For more information and to register go to www.switchedon2007.com.