"Guardians for Life" children promoting environmental awareness
Francisco Vera and other 400 children are part of the movement in Latin America
The ‘Guardians for Life’ movement was founded by 12-year-old Colombian child activist Francisco Vera Manzanares and comprised children and adolescents from differents countries in Latin America. Created to promote environmental awareness, encouragee new leadership, not only in climate and environmental issues, but also in diverse topics, and advocate on issues they consider relevant, all under the premise that children are also citizens. Currently, there are 400 children from different Latin American countries who are part of the movement, Colombia being the leading country, but Francisco hopes that more children will join the movement.
When Francisco learned that he was going to COP26, he invited some children to follow a whirlwind climate training, the result of which would be to write letters asking governments and world leaders to work on policies for life and climate action. UNICEF, a partner for children and adolescents, received the letters at COP26 with a commitment to continue working for children in the face of the climate crisis.
“Please change your attitude to save endangered species from dying.”
Giselle (10 years old)
“You have the resources to support us with your money, power, contacts and, businesses to build a better future for all.”
Danna (11 years old) and Hellen (10 years old)
"We, the children and youth of this world, are not the future; we are the present. We ask you for the necessary actions to counteract the environmental deterioration expressed in climate change."
Hannah (13 years old)
"Let's remember that a key part of starting raising awareness is education; that's why we need an education that trains us to take care of our planet from a young age, that we are informed about the problems and the solutions."
Sofia (12 years old)
“Governments and leaders, to combat climate change, we must end poverty.”
Santiago (12 years old)
“Think about your actions, not only about what increases your money scale, destroying fields and wildlife areas for companies that are already overextended like oil companies.”
Andres (14 years old)
“I ask you to please help us to recover the forests so that we, even you yourselves, can breathe.”
Jean (10 years old)
“You are polluting the forests, taking out oil and polluting the waters: I ask you to listen to me.”
Weiner (10 years old)
“As a child I am worried what is going to happen in the future of us children, save the planet which is the home of all people.”
Lesly (10 years old)
“Let's also give the opportunity to young people with great ideas.”
Andres (14 years old)
“As a Latin American, Colombian and leader, is that they give us confidence and security to be able to go out to the streets and social networks without fear of being murdered or violated, we are also part of the people who are daily murdered and silenced with threats, agreements like Escazú are needed, which is very important for the world, but especially for Latin America.”
Sofia (12 years old)
“It is essential to move towards clean energies to overcome extractives that cause strapping on the earth’s surface and impoverish the soils by exploitation of coal, oil and gas.”
Hannah (13 years old)
