Along with young people from the other G8 states and developing countries, the school pupils from Rheingau will be discussing the topics on the agenda of the G8 Summit. At the Junior 8 Summit they will be drawing up their own resolutions and will have an opportunity to present their concerns to the heads of state and government.
The team "8tention" comes from the Schloss Hansenberg boarding school in Geisenheim (Hesse). The four girls and four boys aged between 16 and 17 will now be travelling to Wismar to attend the Junior 8 Summit from 3 to 9 June.
The team from Hesse had to pass extremely strict selection procedures. Team members had to develop their own views and ideas. The essays they had to write dealt in detail with the topics that will be on the agenda of the G8 Summit. Their entry was of an exceptionally high standard, and convinced the jury to grant them the ticket to Wismar.
Discussions within an international framework
"We young people, who see the world from another angle, often have far too few opportunities to contribute our ideas to the political arena," they claim in their entry. Not only leading politicians, but every individual can do much to help solve problems such as HIV/AIDS and poverty in Africa, they continue.
A delegation from the J8 Summit, including one member of the German team, will then meet the heads of state and government in person. Alongside the Summit per se, a great many G8 ministerial level meetings will be taking place, and these will be observed by the young people.
In January Unicef and Morgan Stanley, along with the Chancellor Angela Merkel, invited young people to enter the competition to take part in the J8 Summit.
In January Unicef and Morgan Stanley, along with the Chancellor Angela Merkel, invited young people to enter the competition to take part in the J8 Summit.