Raising High the YPARD flag at the World Forestry Congress

Nearly 4000 participants from 142 countries met at XIV WFC World Forestry Congress on 7-11 September 2015 at Durban, South Africa. This congress, gathered professionals from diverse sector from every corner of the world and whose 2050 vision for forests and forestry was made through the active participation of youths.

Youth are dynamic and powerful agents of change with the ability to circulate the message of sustainable development of forest dependent economic and social livelihood. The peculiar bit of this congress is that it emphasized youths participation in policy making and considered youths as a good resource for conserving forest to a sustainable future.

In addition, young people got special positions during the whole congress to identify innovative ways of forest related development challenges and their role in problem solving through better policy formulation, governance and educational opportunities. These events include ; the youth side events, youth speaker special event , youth flash mobs, mentor and mentee program along with a significant role in different sessions discussing various subthemes.

The youth side event raised 4 critical questions to the youth. These were

• How young people are driving forest loss and how young people are affected by forest loss
• How should the future forest look like
• What are the key elements of “innovative “education to support achievement of the vision and to build bridges across sectors, stake holders, regions and generations
• How to strengthen the meaningful engagement of people

Youth vision at the event saw forests as sustainable resources managed with multi-stake holder engagement and acceptance with forests serving  people-provision of food, shelter, energy and employment while protecting the climate, nature and ultimately sustaining life.

Youth defined innovative education as education that goes beyond developing technical skills but develops social awareness which goes beyond the question; education that serves a common good as well as sustainable development and peaceful co-existence on earth. Elements of innovative education must include social awareness and cultural competence, intercultural knowledge and problem solving skills, cross sectorial education, effective communication and negotiation skills; Acknowledgement of the great knowledge of local communities and indigenous people.

Youths believe in strengthening innovative education as most critical global challenges are complex interaction of processes and global by nature .Progress on complex issues such as halting deforestation or combating dangerous climate change,is dependent on holistic perspectives and on overcoming barriers between sectors,interests,stakeholders,regions and generations.

The youth flash mob showcased that youth are committed to and are united to conserve forests. The youth special event was very lively and pitched different issues that youth are facing and provided feasible recommendation for meaningful engagement and empowerment. The Forests for the Future event was organized by the young people for the young people with the objective of bringing youth perspective in World Forestry Congress. Youth speakers  Ms Tshilidzi Netshidzivhe, Mr Jossio Guillén, Dr Charles Batte, Mr Paolo Gbadebo, Ms Sekar Ayu Woro Yunita  debated on youth and forestry related issues.

The speaker and  the WFC Youth Liaison, Yemi Adeyeye, also a member of YPARD made a very inspiring speech on  Inspiring solutions for a sustainable future during the  plenary session. He focussed on why forestry issues are important to youth and put forward the forestry issues of greater concern to youth. All youth speakers requested for the stakeholders present to include youth in any kind of policy making  as well as  focus on the responsible mentorship, the mentor and mentee in details. At the end, the youth delegates compiled  the notes of every subthemes discussion and drafted a youth vision.

Ypard actively participated in the congress and played a pivotal role from side events to plenary sessions. Together with  Mina Esteqamat the YPARD Iran representative we participated in the congress proceedings and i was pleased to represent  Nepal in the capacity of YPARD Nepal and AgriYouthNepal members putting forward the landscapes issues of forest after the devastating earthquake of Nepal in April, 2015. I emphasized mainly on following issues.

•  What could be the role of youth to protect forest that is destroyed for cultivation?
•  Human –wildlife conflict is increasing , What could be the suggestions for it?
• What is the role of youth to replenish our green cities after earthquake in Nepal?
• How can we make our practical study  efficient through new innovative system?
• What is the role of youths for conserving forests for sustainable future?

I am thankful towards Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations for providing this excellent opportunity to represent the issues of forest and disaster during the congress. Additionally, I am thankful towards Mr.  Yemi Adeyeye, Ms. Marina Cherbonnier, Mr. Madan Poudel for facilitating and pitching to make the best of this opportunity.