“Yes, I think I am getting a cold now as a result of some 15 hours outside blockading,” says JPA when we reach him in Berlin, and continues, “but it was worth it. Around 1200 people blockading the train of nuclear waste seriously managed to slow it down.”
Other burning issues so far for the new board, which contains plenty of FYEG-connected people, have included preparing statement proposals for the national assembly of the German Greens.
“One of our proposed resolutions is on climate change, another on the peace operation in Afghanistan. Basically we want the five years of war to be reviewed and that for it to continue there should be a renewal of the UN mandate. On environmental issues we are also making a proposal of the creation of a World Environmental Organisation, to model the WTO in a way.”
JPA also sees the main topics of next year for Grüne Jugend circling around European and global issues, since Germany will both have the EU presidency and host the next G8 meeting in Heiligendamm.
“We hope that a lot of other young Greens from all over Europe will join us for the actions and events that we are planning to protest the G8-meeting. Those will for sure be some of the central actions of next year!” he says.
JPA currently lives in Berlin, where he studies International and European Law.