Youth and Climate Change – Time for Action, is the theme of International Youth Day, being celebrated today. Jamaican Youth are being encouraged to plant trees to preserve their environment.

International Youth Day came out of the United Nations General Assembly on December 17, 1999 in its Resolution 54/120, which endorsed the recommendation made by the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth, that August 12 be declared International Youth Day. 

The Assembly recommended that public information activities be organised to support the Day, as a way to promote better awareness of the World Programme of Action for Youth to the year 2000 and beyond. And of course Jamaica is in there big time with the celebrations. Speaking at the launch held recently in St. Andrew, Jamaica’s Youth Ambassador to the United Nations, Traci-Ann Johns, called on young Jamaicans to become more environmentally conscious and play a more active role in protecting and preserving the earth for the current and future generations.    

She highlighted the fact that International Youth Day gives the world an opportunity to recognize the potential of youth, to celebrate their achievements, and plan for ways to better engage them to successfully take action in the development of their societies. In recognition of the day and to celebrate the theme, the Youth Ambassador encouraged young Jamaicans to wear something green, in symbolizing the  environment, and to plant a tree in their backyards.

There is heavy emphasis on public education geared towards preparedness, risk reduction, mitigation and adaptation, in light of the global impact of that climate change. To ensure the perpetuity of the activities, the Jamaica Youth Ambassadors’ Programme (JAYAP), will be launching a tree-planting campaign dubbed: ‘More Wood, More Water’, in September. The goal is to plant 500 trees across the island, while educating young people on safe environmental practices.                                                                                   

                      Source: http://www.jis.gov.jm/