I’m in London at a briefing day as a part of a project called G20 Voice. With an inspired idea and a lot of work, the core group running this project have gotten 50 bloggers, from across the globe, accredited for the official media room at tomorrow’s G20 Summit. It will be the first time that civil society has ever been admitted into a global summit of this size.

The briefing began with an introduction by Karina Brisby of Oxfam GB who spoke of the origin of this project.

She told us that last summer she watched YouTube videos of the bloggers tent at the Democratic National Convention and she was inspired by the bloggers’ abilities to cover so many issues at the DNC that were being passed over by the mainstream media.

Next, Karina watched the November 2008 G20 in Wahsington, DC, on the news, and was worried that the press was not covering how the fiscal crisis was affecting those living in poverty.

So, then Karina got to work, getting buy-in from Oxfam GB, and then submitting lots and lots of forms to the UK government. Over time, Save the Children, Blue State Digital and ONE joined as partners.

Today- 50 bloggers are sitting in this briefing room, bloggers from each of the G20 countries and 15 from the developing world. Tomorrow, we’ll pass through all of the security and barricades to enter the G20 Summit.

OK- I’m getting back to listening to the briefing.

-Virginia Simmons