Prototype: Training for European campaigners for an ICJAO

Berlin, October 21 - 24 2021: 18 young campaigners from across Europe had crossed the north sea, weathered delayed trains and storm disruptions and heavy rain to make it to WYCJ’s first-ever in-person training. 

The training was organized by Fabi Gacon and Sophia Bachmann, the German UN Youth Delegates on Sustainable Development together with WYCJ’s Jule Schnakenberg, with generous support by the Naturfreunde and Jugendbank. 

We started off with introductory games, and a ground-setting activity on Thursday, before moving to more substantial content on Friday. Saturday was also dedicated to some more theoretical learning and then lots of practical collective thought-showering. 

Some of the workshops conducted were by H.E. Miss Maria Fernanda Espinosa (former Ecuadorian politician and diplomat, 73rd UN General Assembly President), Dr Fillippo Fontanelli (Senior Lecturer for International Law at Edinburgh University), Alyn Ware (former campaigner for the ICJ Advisory Opinion on Nuclear Weapons) and Prof. Dr. Hermann Ott (Director at ClientEarth Berlin). 

We are very grateful for the opportunity to meet in person, share thoughts and ideas and meals and songs around the bonfire. This meeting re-emphasized the need for in-person capacity-building and social, personal connection on this journey of building a global movement for the ICJ Advisory Opinion on Climate Change and Human Rights.