Over 150 young people call for climate action at major online event hosted by National Youth Council of Ireland
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Young people of Ireland want climate justice and that requires unity: pointing fingers at each other will not solve the climate crisis. That’s according to young people attending the launch of the Youth Climate Justice Manifesto today (22.07.20) at a major online event organised by the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) – which represents groups working with over 380,000 young people nationwide.
Over 150 young people from around Ireland met to hear from climate justice advocates including former President of Ireland Mary Robinson and Grace O’Sullivan, MEP as well as other young activists including Selina Neirok, Youth Ambassador for the Marshall Islands.
Speaking ahead of the event Mary Robinson said: “The climate crisis affects us all, and young people as the generation set to suffer the most have a vital role to play in finding just solutions.
I am proud to launch this manifesto on behalf of the young people that created it and encourage everyone to sign up to the pledge to take action on climate justice.”
At the event, led by the NYCI’s Youth 2030 Young People’s Committee, attendees also pledged to take action to support climate justice, lending their voices to a manifesto which calls for unity: “Finger pointing will not help us solve the climate crisis. Whether we are young or old, rich or poor, from urban or rural areas, climate change will impact us all. Standing in unity while recognising our different realities is how we must tackle this challenge,” explained NYCI Youth 2030 member Alicia Joy O’Sullivan (19).
This event follows on from last year’s Climate Revolution Youth Summit, which saw 400 young people come together at the RDS, Dublin. Based on the summit findings, the NYCI Youth 2030 Young People’s Committee created the Youth Manifesto on Climate Justice launched at this event. The manifesto outlines the group’s call for:
- Unity and avoidance of finger pointing
- a Green Check on new policy
- a transition that is just and a
- social justice lens to the climate crisis.
This initiative is supported by Youth 2030, a partnership between NYCI and Irish Aid, working in consortia with Concern Worldwide, Maynooth University and Trócaire to support action on the Sustainable Development Goals.
Find out more or sign the pledge here: https://www.youth.ie/young-people-of-ireland-want-climate-justice/
ENDS
Contact:
Daniel Meister, Communications Manager at NYCI on 087 781 4903 or e-mail communications@nyci.ie
Notes to Editors:
National Youth Council of Ireland
The National Youth Council of Ireland is a membership-led umbrella organisation that represents and supports the interests of 55 voluntary youth organisations and uses its collective experience to act on issues that impact on young people.
Youth 2030 is a partnership between NYCI and Irish Aid, working in consortia with Concern Worldwide, Maynooth University and Trócaire to deliver Global Youth Work and Development Education to the youth sector.
Youth Climate Justice – Manifesto Launch
Weds July 22. 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm. Online.
2:00pm Welcome
Valery Molay – National Youth Council of Ireland, Ireland’s UN Youth Delegate
2:10pm Opening Session – Unpacking the Manifesto and Climate Justice
Alicia Joy O’Sullivan & Caillum Hedderman – Youth 2030 Young Peoples Committee
3:00pm Panel Discussion – Climate Justice and the Global World
Mair Kelly – Young Peoples Committee
Mary Robinson – former President of Ireland and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Selena Neirok – Youth Ambassador for the Marshall Islands
Grace O’Sullivan – MEP – Green Party
3:30pm Launch of the Manifesto and pledge
Elisabeth Doherty – Young Peoples Committee
Mary Robinson – former President of Ireland and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
4:00pm Closing Message
Alicia Joy O’Sullivan & Caillum Hedderman – Youth 2030 Young Peoples Committee