Young. Green. Spiny.

We want to change something! We want to shape the challenges of tomorrow and fight for our vision of a better world. Briefly: We stand up for better politics! We do not take it for granted that others decide about our future over our heads. Especially we as young people are affected by the decisions of today‘s politics. We have to pay tomorrow for what is being done today – as different our lives and goals may be. But politics are not “those up there”; we all have the possibility to make politics and shape it the way we want it to be.

We make fresh and young politics in our own sophisticated and critical way. This requires lots of new ideas and creativity, bold impulses and modern methods. We fight for topics that are important for us instead of focussing on show and cronyism. Everybody has the chance to participate within Green Youth – as long as they relate to our principles.

What we fight for

Green Youth is ecological, social, critical of the globalisation, grass-root democratic, emancipated, anti-racist, international, and non-violent.

We want:

• the abandonment of all nuclear and coal powered power plants as fast as possible and the change to environmentally friendly renewable energies

• to take the priority of ecological sustainability over any profit interests

• a peaceful future with the non-violent solution of conflicts

• the promotion and participation of children and adolescents from birth on

• a humane integration of immigrants, refugees, and people without documents

• a new school system that is not based on selection but has equal opportunities for all students

• free universities without any artificial obstacles

• at least half of the power for women

• a globalisation that is not led by geopolitical interests of the mighty

• an open and multicultural society without discrimination and racism

• a just distribution/allocation of work and wages

• a fair, interrelated and sustainable welfare and health system

• the protection of civil and basic rights instead of their reduction

• and, of course, a lot more

 

Who we are

Green Youth NRW (Green Youth of North-Rhine-Westfalia) – more than two and a half thousand young people who are committed to green goals and green politics. Our members are between 14 and 28 years of age and stand up for a better world. Thus our organisation is “young” in two ways: The majority of our members is under the age of 21 – unlike in other party youth organisations, where you sometimes are not taken seriously under the age of 30. Also our foundation in 1999 shows that we are one of the youngest youth organisations.
Especially the new and unfinished gives you lots of opportunities to get involved and be active – we do not have stagnant structures and no “Because it has always been like this...”. Perfectly to get involved!
We are the youth organisation of BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN (The German Greens), but we see ourselves as a critical and independent organisation. If necessary, we passionately like to criticise the “Old Greens”.
With our numerous local groups we are the largest member within the federal Green Youth.

What we do

A lot – we host seminars, have our own newspaper, fight at the Landesmitgliederversammlungen (assemblies) about our political direction. Locally, we stand up for our beliefs. Several times a year, we produce materials for big and small campaigns.