IN a bid to empower young people in the North, the YouthSpeak Forum held in Labasa last Saturday drew 40 youths from the Labasa area to a discussion on climate change. Youths used the forum as a platform to voice their ideas about the effects of climate change and their experiences in their respective communities. AIESEC managing director Ginny Do said the forum focused on SDG13 (Climate Change) and SDG14 (Life below Water).
“It is a space for youths to talk about the effects of climate change in their communities and ways of addressing them,” she said.
“The forum is aimed at empowering young people to be more aware, to take actions towards the achievement of the SDGs by 2030 as per the targets of the countries part of the agreement. “We had speeches and exchanges with youths who attended the forum and learnt from each other’s experiences, including their thoughts on strategies to address climate change. “Youths were reminded of the roles of youths in climate change resilience and mitigation.”
Ms Do said the forum was a platform for building climate resilience through youth entrepreneurship. Participant Sepesa Duanitoko said the forum was an inspiration for youths in sustainable agriculture.
Mr Daunitoko said the workshop was a great platform for youths like him to voice their opinions and create awareness. “It is a good platform for young people to talk about issues relating to climate change,” he said.
Another participant, Peni Drauna, said identifying issues at the workshop helped youths realise the reality and impact of climate change. The forum was organised by AIESEC, a global platform for young people to explore and develop their leadership potential.
