By Andrew Furness and Federica Pisi Between the 20^th-22^nd June, Río de Janeiro will host a United Nations summit to discuss a green economy and world social development. The idea is to develop a “global model” and on the 11^th June in Buenos Aires, members of the Red Social Argentina met to discuss how Argentina should present themselves and what should hope to be gained for South America from the meetings. This year’s official United Nations document explaining the summit tells us that the name comes from the fact that a similar world summit was held in Río in 1992 (20 years ago). The conference is due to be attended by Governments and heads of state from member nations, as well as relevant NGOs and crucially; social movements and “civil society”, i.e. artists, journalists and urban-syndicates but to name a few. This final addition to the invited list has caused great excitement in Latin America as it means a potentially ‘environmental’ conference can be used to discuss a wider range of issues and indeed at the conference myself and Federica attended, one of the speakers was a representative from the indigenous community. In terms of this conference, the introduction was a clear sign of the attitude of the group. I should explain that the ‘Red Social Argentina’ is a group made up of leading figures from the government and social organisations. Both their introductory document and the Ambassador’s opening discourse called for the “Sustainable Development” conference to include more than just ecologists and environmentalists but political and academic interests too. It was stressed that a sustainable social development model must include what they consider the 3 pillars of development: The Economy, Social Work and Care for the environment. This meeting took place in the Cancillería Argentina and all of the speakers told us what an honour it was to be presenting in such a prestigious location that for so long “was closed to la voz de los pueblos” but now directly represents this voice which is speaking clearly for a summit with wider interests and a slight shift in focus. For Argentina, social dynamic will be the most important factor. The presenters spoke one after the other to talk about their specific points of views from the perspective of their organisations. They were: Hugo Yasky, Secretary General of the CTA (Worker’s Association), Government Members Edgardo Depetri, Claudia Giaccone, Mara Brawer, the junior secretary of Environmental policy Silvia Révora, the network’s ambassador: Oscar Laborde and the junior secretary of foreign policy María del Carmen Squeff. Below is a brief summary of each speaker’s presentation which followed Ambassador Laborde’s introduction: 1) María del Carmen Squeff -Mentioned again the 3 pillars of Economy, Social work and Environmental care and added that these are the key for not only a better environment but for the fight against poverty. -She said she was happy to see the importance placed on social inclusion and participation in the decision making process. 2)Indigenous Towns representative -Spoke of how the indigenous are important to this summit and these projects as they give a perfect example of how to live in harmony with nature. -Expressed gratitude for being recognised in various constitutional laws and hopes this can be continued into a universal trait. 3)Claudia Giaccone -Climate Change co-ordinator: spoke of vital statistics that needed to be addressed in Río this summer, ¾ of the world population doesn’t have enough food or resources -Brought a positive perspective in the sense that since Río 1992 the level of interest has raised and there are now more projects regarding education, health and food worldwide. Said there are opportunities here for a gran avanza 4)Silvia Révora -Talked about the political theory behind these talks; the government does not want to accept a supranational power and thinks the UN has the potential to be controlled by a small number of countries -Agrees with a global venture such as this but primarily wants to ensure the defence of the countries agriculture industry and identity. (Joked that she wasn’t used to applause when her speech received a very positive response) 5) Mara Brawer -Spoke of the human element; a healthy environment is the only way to enable those in poverty to live well -Made reference to Europe’s involvement: “The E.U. sees this as a platform to convert the world to their models but there needs to be a compromise” 6)Edgardo Depetri - Made a very passionate and patriotic speech; Argentina should give examples to the conference -His main points were that Argentina must protect its natural resources because America and Europe are trying to control key international areas in order to recover the damages from their economic crises. 7)Hugo Yasky -Took the position that a global model could be beneficial; the world has a tension between the Northern and Southern hemisphere but this inequality happens inside individual nations too. -Delighted with the progress shown in 20 years (cited example of the original town representative speaking after a government minister) and pushed for policies that would continue benefiting Argentina after the Río meeting. There is one more similar event happening on the 11th and 12th May which will include specific workshops to finish preparation, we hope some future VG volunteers will be able to see what developments occur at this. But overall the objective for Argentina remains to use the ‘important opportunity’ of Río+20 to establish a new global model that will overcome the challenges of existing regulations.

By April Bohnert I arrived in Buenos Aires at the beginning of January, excited and unsure of what to expect. I had come to travel and explore, improve my Spanish, and of course, volunteer, but what exactly I’d be doing or what it all would mean to me, I didn’t know. Upon arrival to the volunteer house, any anxieties or apprehensions I may have had, vanished. Each new person I met was friendly and welcoming. There was, distinctly, a buena onda, or good vibe, to this place. In a matter of a couple hours, I was out with some fellow volunteers, exploring the famous Caminito in La Boca and getting to know one another. Now it is nearly three months later. My time in Buenos Aires has flown by so quickly it hardly seems real. In that time, I have met so many wonderful people and experienced so many incredible things. So for my final blog, I want to look back on these past few months and share a bit about the life of one volunteer in Buenos Aires.

The Volunteer Work: Working with and getting to know everyone at Voluntario Global has been such a rewarding experience. The people here care so much about one another, about the organizations that we work with and about the people that we help. In the few months that I have been here, I’ve come to feel like part of a big, diverse family. My particular position has been in the communications team at VG, working to improve and promote the organization. I was immediately drawn to this placement because I had just recently graduated with a degree in journalism, communications and Spanish. Foregoing the job hunt awhile longer, I wanted to travel while still doing something meaningful. Working on the communications team has given me a glimpse into the public relations and marketing world, has allowed me to continue developing my writing and editing skills, and has given me the opportunity to continue working toward my goal of Spanish fluency. All of these have been valuable experiences for me both personally and professionally.

The Experiences: Of course, my time here has not been all work. My volunteer schedule has been flexible enough to allow plenty of time for play as well. In my free time, I have thoroughly enjoyed all that Buenos Aires has to offer. I’ve hit all the main tourist attractions; from the many famous parks, plazas, and palaces to the cemetery in Recoleta and the Obelisco. I’ve also frequented the bustling artisan markets and the amazing parillas, where you can eat steak like you’ve never tasted (pairs very nicely with malbec and good company). Additionally, the nightlife in Buenos Aires is unbeatable. I’ve spent many nights dancing until sunrise at one of the local boliches or tucking into a quiet, dimly lit bar for some good cocktails and conversation. In the past two and a half months I have also traveled to the stunning Iguazú Falls, saw the beginning of Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro, wandered the historic cobblestone streets of Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay and enjoyed a relaxing afternoon in the nearby delta town of Tigre. Now, as I end my time in Buenos Aires, I’ll be setting off on a month-long journey through Patagonia.  

What I Wish I’d Known: Buenos Aires is a massive city by any standards. With well over 13 million inhabitants and an endless list of things to do, there’s never an excuse for boredom. The city can be overwhelming though, and getting to know your way around takes time. Looking back, there are a few things I wish I’d have known when I first arrived. - First of all, carry a map with you everywhere you go. A good city map can easily fit in a purse or wallet and, I promise, will come in handy on more than one occasion. It will not only save you a lot frustration but also a lot of time wandering around. - Mapa Interactiva is one of the greatest resources for navigating public transportation in Buenos Aires. As long as you know where you’re going and from where you’re leaving, this website will give you step by step instructions on how to get there. It also lists the many bus and metro options and even tells you how to find the stops and stations. -Guia Oleo and Whats Up Buenos Aires are two great guides to culture and dining in the city. Look here for ideas and reviews on restaurants, bars, concerts and events happening around the city. The best part of living in Buenos Aires is experiencing the culture here, and these are a couple good places to start.