A group of vacation campers returned to the UNIC on August 22 for a briefing that explored the UN’s engagement with youth, especially within the context of their role as agents and activists for change in the future we want.
The SDG Goal of the month “Climate Action” (SDG 13) sparked several discussions on the different ways in which young people are inspiring change and taking action to address climate-related issues, including participation in the upcoming inaugural UN Youth Climate Summit in September. The youth-oriented UNICEF U-Report programme also stimulated interest as another way in which young people could tell their stories on a wide variety of issues and topics.
The UNHCR office in Port of Spain presented a video showcase on its youth ambassadors for refugees and the exciting ways I which young people have been using “spoken word” and other forms of poetry to tell stories. Using what they learnt, the campers created and performed spoken word story, titled "Welcome to Trinidad", using different words to describe social and cultural life in Trinidad and Tobago to a refugee. The on the spot creation was a collection of some of the things that the country is famous for including its food, music and culture as well as some less well-known facts.
Another aspect of the visit was that the young people became engrossed in was a local climate change game - "Clima Quest", that was created by youth from Trinidad and Tobago in partnership with the UN in Trinidad and Tobago, global environment fund (GEF). The game takes the player through an eco-journey across the country while confronting them with challenging decisions based on risks and other challenges.