We want to hear from you

Poverty, the lack of educational opportunities and ongoing climate change are just some of the problems facing people around the world in 2012. Of course, now is not the first time the international community has tried to deal with these issues. In 1992, countries met at the UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where they agreed on goals for protecting the planet and fighting poverty. Twenty years after that summit, another meeting is taking place in Rio - with little change to the questions and problems facing leaders since then.

What do you think can be done to address poverty, climate change, educational problems and other issues on a global level? How do you think individuals can contribute to a better future? And what do you want to see politicians and economists do?

How it works

Send your thoughts to [email protected]. We're especially looking for photo or video submissions, but text is always welcome, too. We're going to compile your submissions for a special "Voices of Today, Ideas for Tomorrow" page on our Facebook fan page and right here on dw.de. Expect to see an interactive world map with all of your submissions by the start of the Rio+20 Conference. We'll also post some of your submissions to our Facbeook wall as we receive them.

Feel free to be creative with your entries. Perhaps you could take a photo of something you would like to see improved in your part of the world, and then explain what you would do to fix it. Or set up a video camera and give a speech as an ambassador to the Rio+20 summit. Then again, you could write a couple of paragraphs with your ideas or dreams for a better future.

You can also chime in via SoundCloud. Just open the link underneath this article and click the "share a track" button. You'll have to sign up for the free service if you're not already on it, but after that, just click the organge record button to share your thoughts with your desktop microphone. Whatever you do, we're eager to hear your voice!

High hopes

The first Rio conference yielded a plan of attack known as Agenda 21. It called for thorough action from the local to global level on every area where people have an impact on the environment. But 20 years later, it is hard to see any progress. Moreover, the growing world population has only compounded the difficulties of implementing the plan.

The upcoming UN conference on sustainable development is drawing a range of players, including heads of state, politicians, economists, civil society representatives, NGO workers and journalists. They are hoping for a new start toward fair policies around the world—and expectations are high.

What course can the Rio+20 participants chart for a more equitable world? How can we reach the point where everyone can find a livelihood and get enough to eat?

Let us know what you think. Along with our reporting on the conference, we will be collecting your thoughts. The presentation will be online in early June, but you can start sending your submission to [email protected] right away. To learn more about the Rio+20 Conference, you can click on the link to the official website below. Thanks for your participation!

Author: Mirjam Gehrke / srs
Editor: Andreas Illmer / sgb