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CEE in partnership with UNEP TUNZA and Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF), Government of India organized a three day conference from 6th to 8th February, 2012 in Ahmedabad, India. Around 80 children and youth from Asia-Pacific Region gathered together to learn about issues and initiatives for sustainable lifestyles for a green economy. 

The Children and Youth draft declaration presented at Asia pacific UNEP TUNZA concluding session. Youth and Children are invited to send their comments / suggestions/inputs by the 22nd February 2012.

The conference, provided youth and children, a platform to share their perspectives and also understand the decision-making process by participating in a MOCK UN Session designed under this conference.  A group of 80 committed children and youth worked together to develop a draft charter/declaration of recommendations and named it the Ahmedabad Declaration.

The recommendations included involving youth in policy making and advocacy structure of the government, eco-labeling of products to strengthen consumer responsibility, inclusion of environment quality indicator as parameter of the human development index promotion of sustainable tourism and safeguard intellectual property rights of the local communities and also promote research and development amongst youth and provide a platform for them to share their innovative ideas and project on global corporate scale.

At the concluding plenary the draft charter was shared and it was informed that the same would remain open for comments on the SAYEN website www.sayen.org.

Ms. Sindhushree Khullar, Secretary, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports informed that ‘it was essential to plan the world on the basis of the future that we want’ while Mr. Kartikeya Sarabhai, Director, CEE highlighted that ‘every ministry, every political party, corporate targeted the youth, who are at an impressionable age’. Ms. Satwant Kaur informed that ‘it was interesting to see these children and youth deliberating and discussing issues during the three days of the conference’ while Ms. Adelaida B. Roman, AIT-UNEP RRC.AP shared that ‘the recommendations shared were very innovative and called for enhancing capacities of the youth’

The final recommendations will be presented at the Rio +20 or the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) to be held in Brazil and the Conference of Parties on Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP11) in India, both of it will be organized in 2012.

The exhibition that displayed thrilling action projects by around 40 schools across India, provided children, teachers and parents the opportunity to share and learn from one another. Over the three days of the conference over 1120 children from 28 schools across Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar visited the exhibition.

 

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