Jake Kamerman, Communication and Information Assistant at World Renew joined the Youth pre-Assembly in Yogyakarta. We have asked him to share five exciting highlights from this experience.
- The youth pre-assembly provided an opportunity to meet many new faces from around the globe who share the same passion for making a positive impact in the world. It is also a chance to grow and learn together, sharing cultures, faiths, beliefs, as well as the struggles and hardships we face in our respective countries. Hosting the youth assembly is a step in the right direction, offering an opportunity to address the changes needed in global youth engagement. This space highlights the need for change in ACT’s structure. Youth are the leaders of both today and tomorrow, making our involvement critical in building a better future.
- We had the opportunity to break out and visit different sites around Yogyakarta for a peer learning session. One group discussed decolonization in public health and community-based health empowerment at Bethesda Hospital, another group learned about inclusivity and barriers in the public transportation system, while others explored nature-based solutions for addressing climate change at Langensari Reservoir, and education and mental health at the Health Science Institute Bethesda YAKKUM.
- We heard from Erik Lysen, the ACT Alliance Moderator, about youth involvement with ACT Alliance and the assembly, and we had the opportunity to ask questions and push for more engagement opportunities. Following this, we also heard from Charlotte Belot, the ACT Assembly coordinator, who explained the flow of the ACT General Assembly and how everyone can participate.
- Linda Lunqvist walked us through the history of youth involvement in ACT, highlighting the major strides made since our first participation in 2018. We then took some time to discuss our hopes for future youth participation and representation in ACT Alliance.
- During a climate campaign activity, we created poster boards highlighting the important issues surrounding climate change. We then went outside to share these points through collective statements and marching.
