Pacific young people are building momentum to ensure
their voices are heard in regional and global climate
discussions, as registrations open for the second event in
the Pacific Youth Talanoa Series.
Taking place in Suva
on 15 July, as well as being open to participants from
outside of Fiji who can join online, the Talanoa serves as
another key engagement for Pacific youth ahead of Pre-COP31
in Fiji and Tuvalu, and COP31 in Türkiye later this
year.
More
than 100 young people from across the Pacific participated
in the first Talanoa earlier this month, sharing experiences
from their communities and identifying priorities for
climate action.
Discussions highlighted the need for
stronger support for community-led solutions, greater youth
participation in decision-making, and approaches that
protect cultural identity and indigenous knowledge and
recognise the interconnected nature of climate change,
oceans, biodiversity, health, food security, livelihoods and
sustainable development.
Participants also explored
the Pacific’s agreed key priorities ahead of COP31, with the
Pacific Youth Talanoa Series helping to ensure young
people’s perspectives shape regional climate discussions
ahead of Pre-COP31.
Talanoa 2, themed “Understanding
Systems that Shape Decisions”, will help participants deepen
their understanding of climate governance, policy processes
and pathways for influence, from national advocacy to
international negotiations. Participants will gain skills in
communication, negotiation and climate advocacy while
contributing to the development of a Pacific Youth
Communiqué ahead of Pre-COP31 and COP31.
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The dialogue
will also feature direct engagement with the COP31
Presidency Youth Climate Champion, Sally Higgins, serving as
an opportunity to connect with established global youth
climate processes and leadership.
To maximise peer
knowledge exchange, Talanoa 2 will be co-facilitated by
Pacific alumni from the Youth Empowerment in Climate Action
Platform, a UNDP-managed initiative in partnership with the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and
UNICEF.
The three-part Talanoa Series is co-designed
and co-delivered by the Pacific Youth Council and the United
Nations, in partnership with Pasifika Communities University
and Pacific regional organisations. It aims to create
meaningful opportunities for young people to engage in
climate dialogue, strengthen leadership, and contribute to
conversations that will shape the future of the Blue
Pacific.
Young people aged 18 to 35 from across the
Pacific, including diaspora, are invited to participate.
Pacific youth residing outside of Fiji can join the Talanoa
online, with those in Fiji encouraged to join in-person at
the Pasifika Communities University on 15
July.
Interested youth can register by completing the
online application form here – Registration Form – Talanoa
#2: Pacific Youth Talanoa
Series.
