Vincentian youth representatives to attend pre-COP26 event in Italy

Youth Advocates Nafesha Richardson and Deaney Gellizeau have been selected to represent St Vincent and the Grenadines(SVG) at the landmark Youth4Climate: Driving Ambition event in Milan, Italy.

This event will be convened by Italy’s Ministry of Ecological Transition and partners in Milan from September 28-30, 2021, immediately preceding the Pre-COP26 meetings.

The Vincentian delegates will join close to 400 other young climate leaders from around the world for an unprecedented opportunity to put forward ideas and concrete proposals on some of the most pressing issues on the climate agenda, a release states.

The Youth4Climate event will focus on developing proposals across four thematic areas and will feature the presence of climate activist Greta Thurnberg and Vanessa Nakete as well as the Ministers attending PreCOP26 and COP26.

The thematic areas are:

1.Climate Ambition- Particular ways young people can contribute meaningfully to climate action at the international, national and local levels.

2.Sustainable Recovery- Energy transition and green jobs as well as adaptation and resilience and nature-based solutions.

3.Non-State Actors’ Engagement- How individuals and businesses from disparate sectors: food, entrepreneurship, sport, fashion and more, can each do their part to support the goals of the Global Climate Action Agenda.

4.Building a Climate-Conscious Society. A reflection on the Action for Climate Empowerment focus areas, in particular how to raise awareness and mobilise the public to act.

Deaney Gellizeau volunteers as the Secretary General of JCI St Vincent (Jaycees). The 18 year old is an aspiring youth leader who has extensive involvement in the areas of Holistic Youth Development and advocacy, climate change, sustainable living, and nature- based solutions.

Nafesha Richardson is the founder of Spark SVG, a youth organisation aimed at inspiring and empowering young people to ignite positive change. Spark SVG has five focus areas: People, Peace, Planet,Prosperity and Partnership. She also serves as the Co-ordinator of the Commonwealth Youth Gender & Equality Network (CYGEN), is a Youth Champion of the Escazu Agreement, a Women Deliver Young Leader 2020, and a One Young World Ambassador.

The 23 year old has completed her Bachelor of Laws (Hons.) at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill campus and is pursuing her Legal Education Certificate at the Hugh Wooding Law School, Trinidad and Tobago.