We are excited to share with you our engaging Rise World Summit, which took place at the Wisdom Ways Academy in Accra on 1st February, 2023. The summit was organized by the Strategic Youth Network for Development as part of the Children for Climate Action Initiative, as a side event under the 2023 Rise World Summit.
The event was a unique opportunity for school children between the ages of 12-15 years to learn about the various global challenges, particularly with regards to the environment, and how they can make a difference by contributing to finding solutions in their own small ways. The summit brought together young minds from Junior High School 1, 2 and 3 to engage in interactive group discussions focused on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.The sessions were designed to be interactive, engaging and thought-provoking, encouraging the children to think critically about the world around them. Deepali Bhagatwe, Impact Lead for Projects at Idobro Impact Solutions, shared how children are contributing to achieving the SDGs in India and how activities of some companies are negatively affecting a portion of India’s biodiversity. The pupils of Wisdom Ways Academy shared with her insights on how they take their own individual action towards achieving a clean and sustainable environment.
There were break-out sessions where children were grouped together to brainstorm ways to achieve the targets of SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation, SDG 7 – Energy Access, SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 13 – Climate Action and SDG 15 – Life on Land in their homes, schools, and community as climate champions. Afterward, they had the opportunity to choose amongst themselves group leaders to report back to their colleagues.
The event was a fantastic success and a testament to the commitment of young people to make a difference in the world. It is essential that we continue to educate and empower our children to be responsible global citizens who are passionate about protecting the environment and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
