A two-day training for youth titled “Empowering next generation, climate leadership training for youth” took place at Hotel Agrabad, Chattogram from 9th to 10th May, 2023. The training was organized by Save the Children and YPSA in partnership with Fridays for Future, Brighters for Bangladesh, Eco Network, BAY, Lal Sobuj Soceity, Youth Net for Climate Justice and ENV Action.
The objective of the training was to provide a brief understanding on climate justice among next generation youth. In the event, Nayoka Martinez-Backstom, First Secretary, Embassy of Sweden in Dhaka, Bangladesh, S.M Mehedi Ahsan, Country Manager, Global Center on Adaptation, Marianne Oehlers, Programme Manager, generation Unlimited Bangladesh, UNICEF, Nauman Haque, Senior Climate Change Advisor, Save the Children, Sheemtana Shameem, Director-Advocacy, Campaigns, Communications & Media and Simon Rahman, Manager-Urban resilience were present as guests.
At the beginning of the training event S.M Mehedi Ahsan, Country Manager, Global Center on Adaptation emphasized on bringing the global citizenship concept on climate change and importance of local leaders’ involvement for highest action to change. Marianne Oehlers, Programme Manager, generation Unlimited Bangladesh, UNICEF said we need to start thinking climate change as opportunity for next generation to involve to green economy. We are running green rising campaign aiming to involve around 28 million people before next COP 28. In support to her opinion Nayoka Martinez-Backstom, First Secretary, Embassy of Sweden in Dhaka said an youth agent for climate change need to be skilled in 3 points, knowledge on climate change, negotiating and convincing and adaptability.
The session was lead by the trainers from Fariha S. Aumi, Chief of Operations, Brighters Society Bangladesh, Amanullah Porag, National Programme Manager at Lal Sabuj Soceity, Zuhair Ahmed Kowshik, Global Focal Point at Children and Youth Major Group to UN Environment Programe, Farzana Faruk Jhumu, Youth Advocate, UNICEF Bangladesh, Shamim Ahmed Mridha, Founder and CEO, Eco-network and Sohanur Rahman, Coordinator-Youth Net for Climate Justice.
The sessions included introduction to climate change and climate science, impact of climate change, climate adaptation and mitigation strategies, climate policy: national and global initiative, youth climate action: climate justice, intersectionality, and national to global climate movement, clean air act and renewable energy policy, youth led climate solutions for Bangladesh including urban context, youth climate actions :Strategies on funding for youth led organizations, loss and damage, climate diplomacy and youth action and lastly advocacy and leadership.
In closing remarks, Simon Rahman, Manager-Urban Resilience, Save the Children call youth for action to make people believe the real impact of climate change, because once our stakeholders believe the impact they will come forward and start working on it with finance and technical support. Sheemtana Shameem, Director-Advocacy, Campaigns, Communications & Media of Save the Children agreed with Simon Rahman for awareness building and to do that she emphasized on the importance of ownership. She said the more youth can own the importance of climate justice and leverage each others’ strength for strategic advocacy, the more they can take their voice for climate justice forward.
The training ended with the oath to friend raise for united voice for better implementation of climate justice for all.