‘This is our generation’s number one challenge — do you expect us to sit and do nothing?’ asks Kate Shayler, 23, a young woman working to build a powerful youth movement to fight climate change.
Young people from all over the country are coming together this weekend for ‘Power Shift’, an unprecedented event at the Institute of Education in London.

During the four day conference, Power Shift will present fresh perspectives and common sense ideas to tackle the single biggest issue facing our generation. It will be jam-packed with top speakers from all walks of life, practical workshops, and cutting-edge live bands. Long-term action will be kick-started with a ‘Take-off’ on the Monday, which will give participants the chance to put their newly-learned skills into practice and make a real impact at the very heart of UK decision making.

Power Shift UK is the first event of its kind to happen in Europe and is organised entirely by a team of more than 30 young people. It follows the major successes of Power Shift USA, which took place in Washington DC with 12,000 young people last February, and Power Shift Australia, in Sydney this August.

‘There are loads of young people in the UK who know climate change is a massive issue but aren’t sure what to do about it. This is a hugely exciting opportunity for us to get together and turn our shared values into action’ says Alex Farrow, 20, another Power Shifter.

The Power Shift team feel this is a crucial point in time for young people to raise their voices on climate change. Kate Shayler explains: ‘We’re hoping Power Shift will spark off youth-organised actions up and down the country, waking people up to the fact that in December, the most important international negotiations of our time will be taking place in Copenhagen — aimed at building a new global deal on climate change.‘
Power Shift aims to bring together young people from diverse backgrounds from all over the UK, and in order to encourage this, National Express have agreed to give all young people traveling to Power Shift a 30% discount.
The event takes place from 9th — 12th October at the Institute of Education in central London. It is open to young people aged 16 and over.
Speakers lined up include:

• Ian Katz, (Deputy Editor of the Guardian)
• George Marshall (the only person to be banned from a UN climate change conference)
• Peter Tatchell, (tried to arrest Mugabe!)

For more information and to bag yourself a place, visit www​.powershift09​.co​.uk
Positive News readers can receive 40% off and get a reduced price ticket for ¬£15 — click this link to get your reduced ticket