Young Ambassadors witness #ClimateOfChange in Cyprus

Oftentimes on-site activities are a good way to address young people's interest in exploring what climate justice and mobility justice are all about. Thanks to the DEAR project #ClimateOfChange and the University of Nicosia Research Foundation, school students from across Europe directly witnessed how environmental crises have affected Cyprus: fires, coastal change, impact on lakes and rivers, biodiversity. And what all this translates into. 

Last July, 13 “ambassadors”, high school students aged 15-19, took part in a field trip to Cyprus. The #ClimateOfChange DEAR project led by WeWorld, selected them through a long-term educational activity, as they were the winners of a European Debate Contest in Brussels in November 2021.

What really impressed the #ClimateOfChange consortium was the high interest and motivation of students: even after returning home, the debate in their WhatsApp group continues as students are sharing their news on forest fires around Europe. “The effects of the Climate crisis are very clear and even in Italy we are suffering from them. In other parts of the world, however, the impacts are deeper and the burden on the populations is far greater” (Pasquale, 17 years old). 

Young ambassadors are also participating in some advocacy activities such as a UNESCO survey on Education for Sustainable Development and climate change.