A Pakistani youth delegation attended the Second South Asian Youth Summit on Climate Change (SAYSoCC) in Colombo , Sri Lanka which formally concluded on 1st November 2010. The summit brought together 30 youth from across South Asia to create a unified platform to act collectively global effort to redress the climate crisis and highlight the need for adaptation in the region.
The Pakistan Youth Climate Network was initiated at SDPI last year and has since expanded to include members from across Pakistan . The network has been designated as Pakistan ’s focal point in the South Asian Youth Climate Action Network [SAYCAN], a platform established at the conclusion of the summit to allow the sharing of best practices, collaboration on projects and represent the region of South Asia in the Global community.
Four talented Pakistani youth - Fatima Rasheed, Zeeshan Hyder, Farrukh Zaman and Sabina Rizwan - were selected by the Pakistan Youth Climate Network [PYCN] to attend the summit after a competitive application process.
The Pakistani delegation used the forum to highlight the devastation caused by the recent floods in Pakistan and solicit suggestions for strategies to adapt and mitigate the impact of similar disasters in the region.
Participants of the summit included students, young professionals, researchers and activists. The participants got a chance to interact and learn from the professionals, experts and officials that were invited to conduct workshops and plenary sessions.
At the summit, the delegates were equipped with the inspiration and knowledge required to solve issues related to climate change in their respective communities, and to highlight the local issues being faced in their countries with their South Asian counterparts.
“By supporting and aligning the myriad efforts of young people around the South Asian Region - be it through policy, advocacy, action campaigns, clean energy projects, outreach, science, communications, arts and culture, cleaner consumerism or other means - and mobilising the synergies across them, we will unleash a powerful force acting on a noble cause: an entire generation mobilized for a healthier climate and a more sustainable future”, said Shakeel Ahmed, Head, Climate Change Study Centre, Sustainable Development Policy Institute.
The summit not only succeeded in imparting practical information and knowledge to the participants, but also inspired the South Asian youth to reconcile their differences and celebrate their collective commitment to respond to climate change.
SAYSoCC debuted last year in Dulikhel , Nepal , where South Asian youth participated in the summit and dealt with topics like sustainable development in South Asia , regional cooperation and local climate issues. SAYSoCC is a joint-project of Pakistan Youth Climate Network (PYCN), Sri Lankan Youth Climate Action Network, Indian Youth Climate Network and Maldives Youth Climate Network. Through this year’s SAYSoCC, the region’s youth networks have come together to form South Asian Youth Climate Action Network, a consortium of youth-driven organizations in South Asia that work to address climate change in the region and raise the South Asian concerns in the international arena.
