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Since the impacts of climate change are set to worsen over time, the new generation has much at stake. The Global Humanitarian Forum created the Youth Forum to boost the engagement of young adults on this issue, as well as to provide a conduit for youth inputs to the annual forum.
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The Forum believes youth should be actively involved in paving the way toward countering the effects of this major global problem. Moreover, since climate change is already impacting upon the daily lives of thousands of people, it is crucial that young adults - one of the planet’s key stakeholder groups - have an opportunity to express their views on this global challenge.
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Following the inaugural event in 2009, the Youth Forum, entitled Young Adults 4 New Results, will unite young adults from all over the world each year in Geneva in order to learn, experience and develop new and innovative ideas for youth action in regard to the human impact of climate change and other Forum issues. Outcomes and results of the Youth Forum will be presented to leaders from all sectors of the global society at the annual forum, the Global Humanitarian Forum’s annual centerpiece event, also held in Geneva.
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> Make the voice of a new generation heard: Empower young adults in expressing their views on humanitarian issues, such as climate change, and provide opportunities for voicing their opinions to leaders and decision-makers.
> Develop new ideas and solutions: Provide a platform for young people to generate new ideas and solutions for youth action to address humanitarian issues, starting with climate change.
> Establish a network of action: Encourage the implementation of ideas and solutions created by the Youth Forum.
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From 17 – 19 June 2009 100 young adults from over 40 nationalities attended the inaugural Youth Forum in Geneva. Over the three days, the programme of the Youth Forum included:
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10 remarkable and successful young adults from business, science, communications, media and other sectors visiting as guest speakers |
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Four UNFCCC simulations facilitated by GIMUN (Geneva International Model United Nations) |
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An interreligious plenary discussion on climate change – including representatives of Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism |
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Five discussion groups on the human impact of climate change |
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An Idea Fair with 12 international organizations, private companies and NGOs presenting their projects and efforts |
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A question and answer session with Kofi Annan, President of the Global Humanitarian Forum |
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Several high-tech brainstorming sessions facilitated by Nextpractice, an innovative Bremen, Germany based company specializing in the collection and mapping of ideas |
Key outcomes
3 days of brainstorming and interactive debate between the one hundred youths led to the development of five initiatives for implementation by the Youth Forum’s participants in follow-up to the event:
- The Alternative Green Algae Based Energy Initiative
- The Radio Information for Women and Children Initiative
- The Seeds of Change Initiative
- The Raising Climate Change Awareness in Primary Schools Initiative
- The IDEAS Initiative
The Youth Forum also introduced a Copenhagen Manifesto, which states the participants’ expectations regarding the UN Climate Conference to be held in Copenhagen in December 2009 (COP-15).