What's happeningYouth appeal to decision makers at COP17 GEM/BEM member Mokgadi Seemola delivered a powerful testimony during the COP17 conference in Durban on December 1, 2011. Mogadi and 42 other GEM/BEM members attended a week long workshop parallel to the COP17 to learn more about climate change and to appeal to leaders and decision-makers to act now to preserve their futures. Courtesy: Lauren Ressler (Videography), Editing by Angela Wiley.
Youth take the lead on climate change Members of GEM/BEM clubs from across the country attended a week-long workshop parallel to the COP17 where they learned about the causes of climate change, environmental degradation and designing their own action plans. View the photos:
Young people have their say on climate change Children have the right to be heard on climate change and to be involved in the discussions and planning of mitigation and adaptation strategies, policies and plans. Hear the voices of a group of young people from KwaZulu-Natal about climate change and the COP 17 conference. Read more and watch video>>
Technology for Change Have you always though that mobile phones and social networks are just for fun? The Digital Citizenship and Safety project from UNICEF aims at empowering children, adolescents and young people in using Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) optimally and safely. This video shows just one example of the power of ICTs and social media to bring about positive change. Do you have any other ideas? Share them with us on our Facebook page or via Twitter
High School Musical Star Champions for Youth
11 May 2011 - US actress and first-ever UN Youth Champion Monique Coleman began her tour of South Africa with a visit to Simunye High School in Bekkersdal, west of Johannesburg. Ms. Coleman has been touring the world since the beginning of the year to speak to young people and raise awareness about their issues as the world observes the International Year of Youth. Ms. Coleman met Simunye High School's energetic youth club which forms part of the Girls and Boys Education Movement initiated by the Department of Education, with support from UNICEF. Club members had the opportunity to showcase how they are dealing with social issues in their community - through peer counselling, campaigns on issues like trafficking and teenage pregnancy, and collections for disadvantaged learners. Ms. Coleman was deeply impressed by the efforts of the club at Simunye and congratulated the members on being the drivers of change. Her message to young people about reaching their dreams highlighted the commitment, sacrifice and hard work that is involved, "If you want to be a master of something you have to take the time and energy that you would spend doing other things and apply it to your craft."
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PHOTO ESSAY: South Africa at the Junior 8 Summit Experiences of the four young South Africans who represented the country at the J8 Summit in Rome. [View photo essay] |
