The UNU RCE of Grand Rapids, Michigan USA has created a virtual conference for the world’s next

leaders to dialogue around the regional and universal issues facing their communities as it relates to topics of sustainability such as water, food and energy.

The world’s dilemmas of tomorrow will be faced by the youth of today and it is imperative that we equip

them with the tools to communicate, collaborate, innovate, and problem‐solve in order to begin to

address these complex issues of sustainability with regard to food, water, energy, etc.

This multi-sector, annual educational project seeks to give students the perspective and practice of a global dialogue, in hopes that they will better understand the unique food systems dilemmas facing the regions of the world and in turn reveal and embrace the universal themes of sustainable development through dialogue, empathy, and collaboration.

Students stemming from multiple RCEs come together virtually through teleconferencing technology to participate in a youth conference (secondary educational level /approximate ages 14‐18) which

provides a forum for students and educators to present on sustainability‐related systems issues of

their communities/regions.

Higher education institutions collaborate with local public education schools to provide teleconferencing support and organization in order to bring together RCEs from around the world for this annual conference exchange.

http://www.grandrapidsrce.org/vyc2013/