By Lisa Tuck, Australian Youth Climate Coalition
Imagine bringing thousands of young people together in 50 locations across the world to focus on global sustainability challenges, vibrant goal setting and action planning for change… It’s happening!
From the 27 – 29th of November, youth from the Albury – Wodonga region will come together to participate in OzGreen’s annual 3 day ‘Youth Leading the World’ congress which is set to be held in various locations in Australia and internationally. The congress was piloted in 2009 in 7 localities across Australia and has grown significantly to become a large and successful international youth movement in 2012.
The ‘Youth Leading the World’ (YLTW) congress aims to educate young people in Australia and across the globe about climate change and the wider issues of global development and environmental and cultural degradation. In addition, the YLTW congress endeavours to inspire youth and give them the opportunity to make positive changes in their local community.
This initiative allows local youth to discuss issues regarding climate change and sustainability, empowering them to develop action plans to be implemented in their own lives as well as in the community. Examples of action plans developed in previous years include school gardens, compost systems and the establishment of local environmental groups.
As congresses will be held simultaneously across the world and streamed via social media, YLTW is a chance to develop international connections, leadership skills and discover the environmental challenges that are faced in South America, Europe, Asia and the Pacific.
The congress aims to work with youth from local high schools as well as university and TAFE students and other members of the community aged from around 15 – 25. Participants will work through a process of ‘Focus, Vision, Change and Action’ and on the last day of the congress, a forum will be run by the participants in order for them to present their ideas and action plans to parents, teachers and esteemed members of the local community.
The YLTW congress will be held at The Cube at 188 Hovell Street Wodonga with the forum happening at 1pm on the 29th of November.
To register your interest please visit www.ozgreen.org and follow the links to the Albury – Wodonga section. For more information please contact lmtuck@students.latrobe.edu.au.