Asia-Pacific Youth Forum on Climate Actions and Mountain Issues

Following the great success of youth focused events in recent years, including the Café Climate series, Graduate Conference 2010, and publication of the special issue of the Asia Pacific Mountain Courier on Youth and Climate Change, we are now pleased to announce the Youth Forum 2011 on Climate Actions and Mountain Issues.

Objective

The Youth Forum 2011 is being held to celebrate the International Year of Youth 2011/12 and International Youth Day 12 August. The Forum is another event in the series of youth activities designed to help build the next generation of leadership in sustainable mountain development and climate change adaptation in ICIMOD’s regional member countries. The event will take place in the context of the upcoming UNFCCC COP 17 meeting in December 2011 and Rio+20 meeting in 2012.

We offer a unique? opportunity for students and speakers from across the Asia Pacific region to engage? each other in addressing the challenges of applying and adapting broader principles of sustainability, climate change, and mountain development to locale-specific ?solutions. The emphasis will be on issues specific to mountain development in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region and beyond, especially in the context of ICIMOD’s work and ongoing and planned regional and global processes on relevant topics

Who should apply?

The Forum is open to young climate change enthusiasts, media persons, youth activists, development professionals, and others. You don’t have to be an expert on climate actions and mountain issues, but you should be familiar with the environmental issues faced by mountain regions and have a strong commitment to contributing towards a problem-solving process using modern tools and approaches, engagement in development debates, and local actions.

Young professionals of 18 to 29 years of age (on 1 August 2011) from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan are eligible to apply. Some seats are available for young people from other Asia Pacific countries.

Please use the form to apply to take part in the Youth Forum. Applications will be reviewed by a committee. About 40 participants will be selected on the basis of the quality of the applications and the need to have a balanced group in terms of scientific discipline, geographical background, and gender.