The UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) was undoubtedly a major turning point in the history of international negotiations and is thus for young people an opportunity to seize in order to play a role in future negotiations. Rio +20 was an opportunity to assess twenty years of sustainable development building, and also an opportunity to glimpse a green development for years to come.This conference came at a time the world is witnessing an alarming climate and at a point where the world calendar tells us that we are approaching the deadline for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (2015). The struggle for the implementation of sustainable development at local and regional levels by the international community has paved the way for the development of the countries in global south, as highlighted in the Kyoto protocol. Hence, there is a growing need to increase participation and involvement of the youths in sustainable development negotiations and implementation. One of the most effective ways of achieving this objective is by including youth agenda in the developmental plans of countries and ensuring their efficient participation in decision-making processes while getting them involved in negotiations concerning sustainable development at regional and international forums, Although, all around the world youth are not happy with the outcome document of the Rio+20 which was titled as ‘The Future We Want’.
“Considering the inter-generational and intra-generational solidarity principle propounded by the sustainable development process, Sri Lanka youth also need to be part of the decision making process; furthermore their voices should be heard. Given that youth can ‘Be the change’, they are the ones to implement any decision taken at any summit given that they are the future leaders of the nations. They then have to recognize themselves into the outcomes of these summits. Opportunities such as RIO+20 can come once in a life time; and decisions that will be taken there will determine the future of the planet,” said the Chairman of the National Youth Services Council Sri Lanka, Lalith Piyum Perera.
Non-other than youth stress the urgency into finding smart solutions to address sustainable development. Rio+20 were an opportunity to think globally, but we have to first act locally to implement what the member states have committed in this historic summit.
‘Colombo + 20: The Future We Want’, is an advocacy campaign that will reflect this year's conference’s theme ‘The Future We Want’, in a Sri Lankan context and is organized by three different renowned youth networks, the V-Force (National Voluntary Taskforce), Youth for a Greener Sri Lanka (YGSL) and the National Youth Services Council (NYSC), bringing in youth from every corner of Sri Lanka. This initiative is further supported and endorsed by several UN agencies, including the United Nations Volunteers. This event emphasize the importance of the Rio+20 (United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development) Conference and its outcomes towards sustainable development in Sri Lanka.
One of the main events of this collaborative effort of all school children, university students, and the general public was held at the Independence Square on 1 July, from 3:00 pm onwards. The occasion was graced by several well-known persons such as the Western Province Environmental Minister UdayaGammanpila, cricket idol Chamara Kapugedera and Chairman of National Youth Service Council (NYSC).The public were sensitized on various issues brought up at the stalls, and in addition to this, flash mobs from ISAAC, together with several talented dancers from NYSC provided entertainment and glamourto the evening. There were also several activities for the youth including the amazing race which hadseveral tests to answer on sustainable development, and made exciting through hidden clues and riddles.
Together, all these events contributed towards the event being an informative and fun filled one for the general public- adults and kids alike. However, the highlight of the Colombo+20 event were the two buses being painted in collaboration with the Academy of Design. It portrayed the ideas for the future we want through the use of tri-lingual typographic messages on the future we want. Keep an eye out for these buses on routes 155 and 138 on your daily journey to school or work. This occasion was used to sensitize the public through the various activities and volunteers engaging them in conversations on actions that we, as citizens could undertake to shape the future we want. This was our call out to the society to join us and take a stand united as a force for ‘The Future We Want”. Come out and we together can be part of the change you want to see in our country. This change does not merely end at the end of Rio+20 conferences but carries on into the future. It is our turn to reduce our carbon footprint through simple means such as planting trees, switching off lights or even using the reduce, reuse, recycle philosophy. Even the smallest of things can change the bigger picture.
“With the rich biodiversity, high natural resource base including the large exclusive economic zone more than five times of the land area, potential renewable energy sources such as hydro, biomass, wind, solar, wave energy and so on, and relatively high level of trained human capital including more than 20% of the population comprising of youth, Sri Lanka has the ideal enabling environment to aim at a sustainable future. Sri Lanka youth including the ‘Youth for Greener Sri Lanka’ can play a catalytic role in sensitizing public on the potential, needs and benefits in sustainability and resilience, opportunity and advantage of green growth and green jobs.” Team Leader, Ananda Mallawatantri (Environment, Energy and Disaster Risk Reduction), UNDP Sri Lanka. | |
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