About IYP 2000
What was IYP 2000?
OIYP was founded as the International Youth Parliament in 1999 by Brett Solomon.
A small team of staff and volunteers worked to convene 250 young activists from around the world in Sydney in October 2000.
An initiative of Community Aid Abroad Oxfam Australia and strongly linked to the Youth Workshop of the Alliance for a Responsible and United World, IYP2000 acted as a vehicle for young people around the world to develop the specific skills and action strategies needed to effect positive change. It brought together 250 delegates aged between 15 and 28 from more than 150 countries including a number of Indigenous delegates from around the world. It also brought delegates from each state and territory in Australia. Together, the delegates created a diverse reflection of the world's youth. They spoke as advocates for significant issues affecting their communities and regions. The agenda of IYP2000 focused on three significant areas: Breaking the Cycle of Poverty, Youth in Conflict and Cultural Activism.
Objectives of the IYP2000 event
1. To create a forum where young leaders, thinkers and activists can meet, establish an international network to complement existing youth networks and act as a catalyst for increased participation of young people and consideration of their issues in policy decisions.
2. To formulate Individual Action Plans (IAP) and global action plans during OIYP2000 to enable delegates to support their local agencies and implement appropriate change in their communities.
3. To exchange best practice between delegates and the organisations they may work with.
4. To enhance individual delegate's skills, knowledge and confidence to help realise their potential and to assist them in their pursuit of positive social change.
5. To consolidate networks providing information, access and support to local initiatives.
6. To attract the attention of the media both in Australia and overseas to youth-related issues.
7. To support and endorse conventions and initiatives that will empower young people around the world
The goals of OIYP2000 included the development of Individual Action Plans, exchange of best practice between and among delegates, the consolidation of networks providing information, access and support to local initiatives, the attraction of the media and the broader community to youth-related issues and support and endorsement for the conventions and initiatives which empower young people around the world. The outcomes of the OIYP2000 will be taken into other discussion forums. These include the UN World Youth Forum 2001 to be held in Senegal, the International Young Professionals Summit, part of CHOGM 2001, to be held in Brisbane and the Youth Employment Summit 2002
The Oxfam International Youth Parliament was set up to harness the energy and interests of young people involved in development and social action from OIYP2000 and high levels of support and interest have come from organisations in local communities and from the international community, particularly UNESCO and the United Nations Youth Unit.
