What is a Youth Climate Dialogue?
The Youth Climate Dialogue is an online videoconference exchange between young participants from all over the world who come together to discuss climate change issues and solutions from their personal perspectives. This multicultural exchange allows young people to meet others from different countries increasing their understanding of each other’s perspectives and realities concerning climate change.
The first Youth Climate Dialogue was launched in 2015, in the run-up to COP21 and since then, we have facilitated more than 50 dialogues worldwide. The dialogues have brought together students at school and university levels from countries as diverse as Switzerland and Malawi, Sweden and Mongolia, Bolivia and France, and Zambia and China.
Youth Climate Dialogue between Ethiopia and France
How can you participate?
To organize a Youth Climate Dialogue in collaboration with us, teachers, educators, or young leaders are required to fill out the short form below. Once you are selected, we’ll assign a counterpart youth group to hold the Dialogue with your group or classroom. We’ll get in touch to provide further information on preparing the participants for the dialogue, logistical setups, and more. At the end of the dialogue, all participants will receive an official United Nations certificate. Your participation is free of charge.
To start getting acquainted with the programme and how to prepare yourself, check out our guide below:
What are the advantages of participating in a Youth Climate Dialogue?
The dialogue provides a space for young people to voice their views, perspectives and experiences on climate change, based on what happens in their communities. This enriches and expands the ‘one model-one science’ climate science.
It offers a platform for exchange and exploring how young people in different parts of the world are affected by climate change. In addition, the peer-to-peer format creates a space for interaction on an equal footing. Instead of the usual ‘top-down’ transmission of information, this format helps break down walls and fosters better interactions. Despite cultural differences and vast distances between them, participants can learn from each other.
Taking part allows students to reflect more deeply on the link between climate learning and climate action. Past participants have said that they felt motivated to change their habits following a dialogue. Many have also become agents of influence and change in their families and among their friends.
What does a Youth Climate Dialogue look like?
Read our short summaries of past dialogues and check out our playlist of videos made by Youth Climate Dialogue participants.
