Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Sunday Morning

U.N. Summit of World Leaders Gets Under Way in South Africa

Aired September 01, 2002 - 11:31   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: In South Africa, the United Nations summit of world leaders is getting under way in earnest. The conference has a -- has two lofty goals -- fighting poverty and solving earth's environmental woes. CNN's Jeff Koinange is in Johannesburg with more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE CHILD: I am here to speak on behalf of the starving children around...

JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): She was only 12 when she brought conference goers at the Rio summit to tears with her moving speech. A decade later, Severin Cullis-Suzuki is all grown up, and still speaking out to a generation growing up in a fast-changing world. She's also a member of U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan's advisory panel and is at the World Summit in Johannesburg, adding her voice to thousands of others, in helping bring about sustainable development.

SEVERIN CULLIS-SUZUKI, UNITED NATIONS SUMMIT: These are the people who actually feel all the problems and the issues that we've been discussing and debating, and writing documents about. I mean this is the reality of the sustainable development and poverty and all these issues.

KOINANGE: A group of children born around the time of the real conference has had their contrasting lives documented over the past 10 years. Three of them were able to make it to the summit. Even at this tender age, they're already aware of the challenges facing their world.

JUSTIN, CHILDREN OF RIO: I know that we should make the world a better place and people should get more education.

KOINANGE: But not everyone feels the youth are being properly empowered. Life Quest, an organization that builds character and leadership through numerous outdoor activities, says more action is needed by both world leaders and themselves.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't see youth doing workshops or having rallies or showing videos or doing anything that is truly active.

KOINANGE: The two generations may not have the means or the muscle to tackle everything from pollution to world hunger, but they feel this summit could be a start. CULLIS-SUZUKI: It makes me think that maybe this time, maybe -- maybe after this second World Summit, the people will hold their governments accountable. We will take responsibility and we will remind our governments of the promises they made, not only -- they make, not only here in Johannesburg but the promises they made 10 years ago.

KOINANGE: Encouraging words from a generation speaking out for a better world.

Jeff Koinange, CNN, Johannesburg.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com