Event, Aug 27: Youth Initiatives for Climate Justice and Sustainable Livelihoods

Mark your calendar for the upcoming Sapan webinar, Sunday 27 August 2023, Youth Initiatives for Climate Justice and Sustainable Livelihoods, with dynamic youth activists from around the region. The discussion will take forward UN International Youth Day commemorated this month, themed on ‘green skills and sustainable development’.

Event Title: Youth Initiatives for Climate Justice and Sustainable Livelihoods

Day/date: Sunday, 27 August 2023

Time: 10 am ET / 3 pm UKT / 4 pm CET / 7 pm PKT / 7.30 pm IST / 7.45 PM NPT / 8 pm BDT

Register to get the Zoom link in your email inbox.

We acknowledge youth as a potent force for positive change in today’s world. According to UNICEF, with nearly half of its population of 1.8 billion below the age of 24, primarily led by India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, Southasia is hovering to retain the world’s most substantial youth labor force by 2040. This demographic shift will strengthen the proportion of the independent population in the region and add significantly to the potential for driving dynamic and productive economies. 

Identifying the impact of the ‘Youth Bulge’ on Southasia and recognising the crucial role of youth in the decision-making process, rather than being passive recipients, Sapan’s webinar lays an emphasis on Southasia. The event aims to provide a platform for young minds to convene, share ideas, and deliberate on innovative strategies to tackle climate challenges while advancing sustainable livelihoods in the region.

The primary objective of this webinar is to foster dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration among young individuals passionate about climate justice and sustainable livelihoods in Southasia and their communities. The discussion will highlight youth-led initiatives, projects, success stories, challenges, innovation and technology.

Panelists:

• Anusha Fatima, zero-waste advocate, entrepreneur, and founder of TrashIt, Karachi

• Bareesh H. Chowdhury, human-rights lawyer, environmentalist, Dhaka; served at UN Foundation’s Energy Access and Climate programme in Washington DC, Amnesty International and Essex Human Rights Centre in the UK; regional facilitator for Friends of the Earth Asia Pacific

• Binod Deuba, civil-rights activist and co-founder of Harin Nepal, a youth-led intersectional climate-justice organisation, Kathmandu

• Hafiz Jawad Sohail, sustainability professional with WWF-Pakistan’s Freshwater Programme, Lahore; is part of the UN Sustainable Solutions Development Network and the official UN Climate Change (YOUNGO) youth constituency

• Karthik Gunasekar, climate-justice activist working on rural sustainable livelihoods with the Non-Violent Economy Network; volunteer with the Chennai Climate Action Group
• Shamla Saleem, small business entrepreneur, young changemaker, and climate activist from Sri Lanka

• Mitranshu Gamit, Adivasi rights, social and environmental activist in south Gujarat, associated with the Adivasi Ekta Manch, Fridays for Future Gujarat, and National Alliance of People’s Movements India

The session will be joined by more young leaders including Durlabh Ashok, community organiser from Karachi, Nelam Pari, from the Ghizer Valley in Gilgit Baltistan, and more.

Youth activist Sarita Bartaula will host the event and journalist Maysoon Khan will moderate the discussion.

Read more about the participants here.

Register to get the Zoom link in your email inbox. Or tune into YouTube Live. The video will also be shared on Facebook.

This will be the 19th in the Sapan last-Sunday-of-month series ‘Imagine! Neighbours in Peace’ highlighting the importance of regional cooperation.

Past discussions have focused on issues ranging from climate justice and rights of the incarcerated, to gender-based violence, public health, resistance culture, and human rights in Southasia.

The Sapan Founding Charter – translated in various Southasian languages – affirms a commitment to peace and justice in the region and calls for a visa-free Southasia, or at least soft borders, ease of visa, or visa on arrival. 

Sapan is a volunteer-driven organisation. Please contribute to help us take our work forward. Any amount is welcome.