JAGs - 100 hours vigil before World Summit 2002, Berlin - News Access

Berlin, 24/8/2002: Some 50 Greenpeace teenagers (JAGs / Jugendarbeitsgruppen / Jugend - AGs) have gathered on the Alexanderplatz in Berlin to keep a 100 hours guard before the World Summit in Johannesburg (UN Umweltgipfel / WSSD / World Summit for Sustainable Development / Earth Summit) starts on 26/8/2002 (until 4/9/2002).With their vigil (Mahnwache) the young people call on the heads of states and governments to take their responsibility and tackle the problems such as poverty and climate change. They fill sacks with sand posing them around a huge inflated globe. On blackboards the question: 'Sandsäcke gegen Klimawandel?' (Sacks with sand against Climate Change?') is written and a banner says: 'Es reicht! Sandsäcke sind keine Lösung! Politiker auf dem Weltgipfel in Johannesburg: Tut endlich was!' ( Thats' the last straw! Sandsacks are not a solution. Politicians on the World Summit: Take action!'). In the evening respectively at night torches are lightened and posed around the globe. A female Greenpeace teenager speaks with megaphone appealing to the delegates of the World Summit not to let it fail for national and financial interests. Since the beginning of July these youth working groups - aged 14 to 20 - have been calling on the German government as well as the USA, Canada and Australia (the biggest countries blocking the way to environmental protection) to take decisive political action for the environment. Statements: Stephanie Weigel, Greenpeace Germany climate expert, Greenpeace JAGs members.