On July 7, 2023, a Youth & Young Adult Climate Summit will be hosted by Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) in collaboration with other organizations. The conference will be held at the Kansas City (Missouri) Convention Center for $49 per person, including lunch.
According to Mennonite Church USA, at the event, specialists in the fields of spiritual activism, climate change, and social justice will discuss how young people between the ages of 14 and 25 can put their faith to work to resolve the spiritual and human crisis caused by climate change.
Youth & Young Adult Climate Summit
Aside from the Mennonite Church USA, Mennonite Creation Care Network and Anabaptist Climate Collaborative will also be joining the event to give the attendees a thorough understanding of the crisis posed by climate change, as well as how they can cope with it and become involved. The MC USA's denominational minister for peace and justice, Lorraine Stutzman Amstutz, stated that they are aware of the excessive effects of climate change on people, especially on low-income communities all over the globe bear the least responsibility for causing the climate crisis. As mentioned, it is essential for an individual to be concerned about the justice problem of addressing the underlying causes by concentrating on and putting into action solutions that provide renewable energy and manage land use. "I have no doubt our youth and young adults will be leading us as we move forward," Amstutz added.
On the other hand, the Youth Climate Summit is also held in other countries, such as Skopje in North Macedonia. A report from UNICEF, North Macedonia, stated that young people adopted a Youth Climate Declaration urging policymakers to take concrete climate action and requesting more opportunities and space to drive climate solutions.
UNICEF, along with the Embassies of Italy, Sweden, and the United Kingdom in North Macedonia, provided assistance for the Youth Climate Summit, which young people organized. It was organized after the global "Youth4Climate - Driving ambition" event that took place in Milan and before the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP) that was held in Glasgow. It expands on the "Reimagine the Future" initiative launched by the Cabinet of President Pendarovski and UNICEF. "Reimagine the Future" is a youth consultation initiative that allows children and young people to participate in determining the vision they want for their future.
Youth Summit for Young people
Based on an article from the University of Illinois at Chicago, a Youth Summit is a public gathering that allows young people to organize themselves, make professional connections, expand their knowledge, and voice their aspirations and concerns. At the search institute, they observe youth addressing the issues that matter most to them and frequently affect them directly. This may occur in their institutions, communities, or youth-serving organizations. It was also noticed that young people actively address problems and contribute to the development of solutions. The creation of this resource was inspired by the wisdom and insight gained from these young people.
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