Two innovative and progressive-thinking organizations serving youth are teaming up to host Youth Environmental Summit 2005 ('YES 05') in Salem, Oregon USA on July 2-9, 2005. The week-long event will provide youth participants the opportunity to develop necessary leadership skills as they relate to Agenda 21, the global environmental program adopted in 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. Additionally, summit participants will explore topics relating to biodiversity, economic stability, workforce training and education, the environment in our cultural heritage, and environmental stewardship.

Caretakers of the Environmental International and the Oregon State University Extension Service are collaborating to present 'YES 05.' The two organizations hold strong to the belief that youth are the future stakeholders and stewards of our earth. Their previous conferences have demonstrated the power of bringing together youth from different nations to develop viable solutions to important environmental issues.

The collective mission and goals of 'YES 05' and its collaborators are:

• to provide an interactive educational forum for the growth and advancement of social equity, ecological integrity and economic prosperity;
• to develop a worldwide network of secondary school students and teachers who share environmental concerns and who face environmental challenges;
• to provide education and information based on timely research to help citizens solve problems and develop skills related to youth, family, community, farm, forest, energy, and marine resources;
• to facilitate joint educational projects that encourage international data exchange and interdisciplinary activities;
• to promote economic development, youth and family development, natural resource conservation and management, and leadership development; and
• to encourage the building of trust, friendship and cooperation among people of different cultural backgrounds.