Before the conference started, former President of Brazil Fernando Henrique Cardoso met a group of young activists from around the world to exchange ideas and discuss the plans for Rio+20.
The group included representatives from TckTckTck’s Adopt a Negotiator project and Oxfam International’s global network of young Action Partners.
Asked by the Elders how to get older people engaging with the issue of sustainable development, Marvin suggested that widening access to Twitter, Facebook, Sina Weibo (the largest Chinese micro-blogging website) and other social networking platforms could encourage members of the Elders’ generation to engage with these important issues.
Brazilian activist Pedro Telles joins former Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso to answer questions from The Elders’ supporters about Brazil’s role as an emerging economic power, the Rio+20 negotiations, and the impact of civil society mobilisation at the conference.
Watch the video Q&A - and find more Elders+Youngers Q&As
Read the press release: The success or failure of Rio+20 will be a defining moment for today’s youth
Gro Harlem Brundtland speaking at a United Nations Foundation dinner, where she received from Ted Turner an award marking 25 years since the seminal report of the World Commission on Environment – the ‘Brundtland Commission’ - and commemorating her work towards sustainable development.
Swedish activist Sara Svensson gives a speech at the dinner honouring Gro Harlem Brundtland’s contribution to sustainable development.
The event was organised by the Norwegian government and co-hosted by The Elders, UN Foundation and World Bank.
Speaking at the Women Leaders’ Summit on ‘the Future Women Want’, Mary Robinson emphasised the importance of ensuring reproductive rights were included in the draft of the Rio+20 Outcome Document.
Fellow Elder Gro Harlem Brundtland also spoke at the event, as did Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff, among other women leaders.
Read Mary Robinson’s opinion piece on Rio: Was Rio+20 a failure of political leadership?
“I know that far from becoming disillusioned, you and your peers will work harder than ever to drive the change we need,” Gro Harlem Brundtland told the Youngers.
In a final week of debate, they reflect on Rio+20 and ask ‘what next?’
<h3 class="post-title subpt">“You have not told us to 'calm down', that we don't need to be radical; you have instead told us that we have the power to make change happen – and that is what we need to hear!” Sara Svensson
In June 2012, following eight weeks of online debate, the Elders and ‘Youngers’ travelled to Brazil for Rio+20, the UN summit on sustainable development.</h3><div class="quoteblock"><div class="quotetext"></div></div><p><em>Photos: Cristina Lacerda | Manoela Ferreira | The Elders</em></p>