On Monday 19 October 2020, YMCA’s Youth-Led Solutions Summit: Climate Action will launch with the first of two live virtual events, and we invite you to join us. Inspiring young leaders, the thinkers and doers of today, will begin an international dialogue on creating solutions to address the climate crisis.
A second event on Friday 23 October will look to the future, equipping young leaders to be multipliers of change who can empower others.
PARTNERS
WHO IS INVITED?
Young leaders, educators, activists, business leaders, policymakers, indigenous communities, philanthropists, artists, influencers, NGO staff and volunteers and community members are all invited to join YMCA for these two unique events. These events are for anyone passionate about addressing the climate crisis and committed to taking action in their community.
WHAT TO EXPECT
The live event will be primarily in English, and translated into French and Spanish.
Conversations, panels and keynotes
Featuring dialogues with young people at different stages of their journey to take action, panel discussions, and specially curated talks, keynotes and conversations with young leaders and world-leading agencies addressing the climate emergency.
Discover the Youth-Led Solutions initiative
The Summit will also explore the essence of the Youth-Led Solutions initiative, with the launch of seed funding for participating Solution Teams from every continent.
Hopin, our event platform
Focusing on connections as well as talks and panels, Hopin allows attendees to watch and react together to the content as it happens live, and take a deeper dive into the content post-event. Attendees will have the chance to meet others and stay connected. Plus unique post-Summit connection opportunities for small group conversations and networking with other attendees, participants and speakers.
THE PROGRAMME
World YMCA is excited to welcome eclectic and dynamic contributors from different backgrounds in the area of youth leadership, activism and climate. Interactive panel discussions and Q&A sessions, keynote speeches, conversations and dialogues all form part of the programme.
Hosted by:
Winner of the International Children’s Peace Prize, L'Oreal Paris Women of Worth Honouree and Canada's Top25 Women of Influence Awardee, 19-year old youth icon Kehkashan Basu, has been impacting the global fraternity with her work on children’s rights, promoting gender equality, mitigating climate change and social upliftment. A United Nations Human Rights Champion and a National Geographic Explorer, Kehkashan is the Founder President of social innovation enterprise, Green Hope Foundation which has 2,038 youth ambassadors working in 15 countries.
Kehkashan Basu
One Young World Ambassador
Kehkashan has spoken at over 125 United Nations and other global forums including the World Bank, St Louis Climate Summit, Parliament of World's Religions, One Young World, Globe Forum and has been awarded the 2019 Innovator of the Year award for her path-breaking work on engaging marginalised children in the implementation of the SDGs. In 2013 at the age of 12, she was elected for a two-year term to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as the Global Coordinator for Children & Youth and a member of its Major Groups Facilitating Committee making her the youngest person and first minor, ever, to be elected into this position in the history of UNEP. A passionate advocate of children’s rights, Kehkashan is a One Young World Ambassador, Climate Reality Leader, the Youth Ambassador of World Future Council & Honorary Advisor for the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development – New York.
Scroll for more speakers and contributors
More to be announced
Stefanie Tornow
Political Science Student, Climate Activist
Currently studying a Masters in Political Science, Stefanie, 24-years-old from Germany, has been an instrumental protagonist in YMCA’s Resource Group on Environment since 2015 and its UN Advocacy Group. She has attended United Nations ECOSOC Forums in New York, and COP events as part of YMCA’s delegation.
Dahni-El Giles
Founder, Uprhizer
Presenting ‘The Optimist’s Guide To The Climate Crisis: How To Do More Than Hope’ Dahni-El conveys what you need to know, what makes a difference, and what you can do. Co-founder of the Global Regeneration CoLab, and DonorsChoose.org, a crowdfunding platform that has directed over $875 million to US public school classrooms.
Hemant Ya-u-thai
Volunteer, Teacher, Chiang Mai YMCA
With a PhD in Educational Administration from the North Chiang Mai University, he has been taking action on climate through YMCA Asia Pacific Alliance's Green Ambassadors programme. He has helped to build dams, encourage the use of biofuels on campuses, and helped to save mangroves through the Sao Hin YMCA.
Oliviah Tawarar
Head of Communications, Africa Youth for Nature Network
A communication specialist passionate about environmental conservation and empowering the youth to take action. She worked at WWF Africa for a period of 8 Months and during her stay at WWF she was part of a team able to organise a successful youth conference which gave birth to Africa Youth for Nature Network.
Simangele Msweli
Co-Founder, South African Youth Biodiversity Network
A conservationist with experience in scientific research, policy and community engagement with a Master of Science in Biological Sciences, currently serves in the steering committee of the Global Youth Biodiversity Network (a youth constituency in the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity).
Bertine Lakjohn
Environmental Studies student, Marshall Islands
To the Marshall Islands and Kosrae the climate emergency poses severe threats to its security, human rights and way of life. Something Bertine is acutely aware of, having taken part in and led youth leadership camps and dialogues on the subject, which inspired her into taking Environmental Studies at college.
Mathilde Emilie Thue
COO, Norwegian-African Business Association
Serving as World YMCA's Strategy Committee Chair, Mathilde also led the creation of its first global environment initiative. She has taken part in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and to the UNFCCC representing Norwegian Children and Youth Council (LNU) in the Official Norwegian Delegation to the climate negotiations.
Brónach Reilly
Student, Scotland
From Edinburgh, in Scotland, Bónach attends the George Watson’s College in Edinburgh where he is currently studying for her school exams. As well as being involved in YMCA, Brónach is a girl guide, having taken part in the International Poacher camp as well as spending summer 2019 in Switzerland with the Guides. With COP26 taking place in Glasgow next year, Brónach understands the importance of Scotlands role as host.
MONDAY 19
All times in Central European Summer Time. All times are subject to change.
Join the Youth-Led Solutions team on Hopin for a pre-show session from 3:30pm, and post-show session roundup at 5:45pm.
4:10pm
CEST
Welcome
From World YMCA Secretary General, Carlos Madjri Sanvee, as he takes a look at how we got here, and why now is the time for the Youth-Led Solutions initiative.
4:15pm
CEST
Meet our Host
Introducing Kehkashan Basu, One Young World Ambassador, here to guide you through everything!
4:20pm
CEST
What is the Youth-Led Solutions initiative?
Our motion graphic explainer aims to share how it works!
4:25pm
CEST
The SDGs
Underpinning everything is the United Nations Sustainable Development goals. What are they and why are they so important?
4:30pm
CEST
Indigenous Voices
People and planet have a unique connection, and our indigenous communities share culutral background that provokes reflection.
4:35pm
CEST
WWF: New Deal for Nature & People
We hear about from Marco Lambertini, WWF International Director General and inspirng young leader Oliviah Tawarar, Head of Communication at the Africa Youth for Nature Network about the importance of youth leadership now and ongoing from the largest nature NGO on the planet.
4:55pm
CEST
In conversation: Youth Leadership - why this is important now?
To the Marshall Islands and Kosrae the climate emergency poses severe threats to its security, human rights and way of life. Something our speaker, Bertine Lakjohn, is acutely aware of, having taken part in and led youth leadership camps and dialogues on the subject, she's now reading Environmental Studies.
5:05pm
CEST
The Optimist’s Guide To The Climate Crisis: How To Do More Than Hope
Dahni-El conveys what you need to know, what makes a difference, and what you can do in this interactive session.
5:20pm
CEST
Keynote
From Anna Luísa Santos, young scientist and social entrepreneur that developed Aqualuz, the first technology to treat rainwater from harvesting systems using sunlight in the world, the youngest Brazilian graduate in Leadership for New Enterprises from MIT. She won the UN Young Champions of the Earth award, and is listed as one of “20 inspiring young people in her 20" in Brazil by McKinsey & Company (2019).
5:40pm
A future with funding
Looking ahead to what future Youth-Led Solutions Summits might look like, and what it will take to get there. Plus, for participating Solution Teams, a special announcement about seed funding.
FRIDAY 23
All times in Central European Summer Time. All times are subject to change.
Join the Youth-Led Solutions team on Hopin for a pre-show session from 3:30pm, and post-show session roundup at 5:45pm.
4:10pm
CEST
Welcome
From World YMCA President, Patricia Pelton, as she looks ahead at a different future, and a world filled with youth-driven ideas and solutions.
4:15pm
CEST
Meet our Host
Welcome back to Kehkashan Basu, One Young World Ambassador, here to guide you through everything!
4:20pm
CEST
Keynote
We're extremely proud to welcome the United Nations Envoy on Youth, after her inaugral YMCA keynote at YMCA175, Jayathma has gone on to visit a number of YMCA initiatives around the world.
4:35pm
CEST
Live Q&A
Following her keynote talk, Jayathma will be available to take audience questions, moderated by UN Advocacy Group member Stefanie Tornow.
4:50pm
CEST
Panel: Youth Leadership
and Climate Action
Our flagship panel will bring together bright young minds from Norway, Marshall Islands, South Africa, Chiang Mai and Brazil. All our speakers are at different stages of their leadership journey, but have taken the first steps to take action in creating a more just and equitable world for all.
Following the panel discussion, questions are invited from the audience.
5:20pm
CEST
Behind the scenes
For two weeks to this point, hundreds of young leaders have been meeting in-person or virtually around the world, discussing problems, creating solutions, participating in workshops and online forums to cultivate ideas to address critical issues in their community. We take a look into some of the beind the scenes conbersations that have been taking place.
5:23pm
CEST
In conversation: Meet the Solution Teams
Meet two participants from Solution Teams around the world, and hear about the work they have been progressing.
4:40pm
CEST
Looking ahead
The next 12 months are critical. Not just for young people, for solutions and ideas, to problem solve and create change, but for our planet. Big decisions, and bigger commitments need to be made by our world leaders.
We round out the Summit - with a look ahead at whats to come in the next 12 months.