APYTF Dedicated Blog: Overview of National Youth Forum on Green Solutions, Pakistan.

Asia Pacific Youth Task Force on Rio+20 (APYTF) formed under the ‘Youth for Sustainable Mountain Development’ (Y4SMD) International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) initiative, by the ICIMOD Alumni in 2011, with the purpose to advocate Mountain Agenda and mobilize the youth for Rio+20 (United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development). Since then, APYTF is active in taking the messages and raising Youth Voice by organizing and participating in important environmental events at national, regional and global level.

In this connection, APYTF organized two days National Youth Forum on Green Solutions- Mountain Issues and Sustainable Actions on 5th-6th November, 2012, with the support of ICIMOD and local host organization Peace & Development Organization, at National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad.

NYF aims to give young people the chance to express their ideas, opinions and needs for sustainable development, build youth capacity for identifying locale specific green economy initiatives, and develop two outcome documents i.e. Youth Appeal for COP18 and Post 2015 Agenda.

Eminent experts from ICIMOD Nepal and Pakistan, Ministry of Climate Change Pakistan, Pakistan Agriculture Research Council, development sector specialists and youth representatives addressed youth forum. NYF was supported by Minister of State for Ministry of Education and Training, Mr Sardar Shahjehan Yousaf, DG Environment Dr Jawed Ali Khan, and ICIMOD Pakistan representative Dr Abdul Wahid Jasra by being present in the youth forum. They committed firm support for youth activities aiming raising environmental awareness, and sustainable mountain development by promoting green solutions to environmental problems. Mr Tek Jung Mahat, Asia Pacific Mountain Network Node manager, ICIMOD, who started youth initiative (Y4SMD) at ICIMOD platform and supported the APYTF event in Pakistan, encouraged young participants to take lead at local and national level for promoting and addressing mountain issues, and highlighted the need for recognizing youth participation in the national and international policies. He also shared the ICIMOD youth initiatives at regional and global level. Mr Ashiq Ahmad Khan, ICIMOD Technical Adviser, Dr Pirdaza Moshibber, Director PARC, Dr. Wajid Pirzada, CEO Agrisol Pakistan, Mr Utsav Maden, Associate IKM ICIMOD, and Mr Kamran Hussain, ICIMOD Alumni and Phd Scholor also addressed the youth forum.

The major attractions were presentations, green excursion to National Agriculture Research Council and Satrameel Watershed Islamabad, group exercise and virtual consultation. During the two days event two outcome documents were drafted that were later shared and finalized via virtual consultation, these are ‘Post 2015 Agenda’ and ‘Youth Appeal for COP18’. Youth Appeal for UNFCCC COP18 was presented during Global Youth Forum on Mountain Issue and Green Solutions- from Rio de Janerio to Doha, organized by APYTF in UNFCCC COP18/CMP8 at Qatar National Convention Centre, Doha, on 1st December, 2012.

NYF has provided confidence and build capacity of young participants to take lead in their communities. Inspired by NYF one of the young participants is organizing Gilgit Baltistan youth forum to impart knowledge gained and skills developed. NYF concluded with commitment to take Sustainable Mountain Development messages at the grass root level, however there is a need for continuous mentoring and capacity building of youth to enable them to raise their voice and streamline in the policy formulation at national, regional and global level.

Group photo woith DG Environemnt, Dr Jawed Ali Khan, ICIMOD country representative Dr Abdul Wahid Jasra and APMN Node manager (ICIMOD) Mr Tek Jung Mahat.