Local Conference of Youth on Climate Change - (Virtually LCOY 2024)
Yemen, Palestine, Sudan, Syria, Oman, and Iraq – October 26-27, 2024 – The activities of the Local Conference of Youth on Climate Change (LCOY Online) virtually launched via the Zoom platform, with unprecedented participation from six Arab countries organizing LCOY conferences: Yemen, Palestine, Sudan, Syria, Oman, and Iraq, and organized by the Arab Youth Green Voices Network (AYGVN). This edition aimed to unify the efforts of a group of Arab conferences under one umbrella, with the goal of gathering Arab youth who suffer from common climate challenges, and discussing climate change issues and their pivotal role in addressing them in their countries. More than 200 young men and women from across the Arab world participated in the conference, passionately interacting with 14 experts and speakers from various environmental and climate fields, to deeply discuss climate change issues and the role of Arab youth in building a sustainable future. The first day of the virtual conference included enriching discussion sessions and workshops; in a pivotal discussion session on "Climate Justice," the focus was on addressing inequalities in the impacts of climate change, ensuring everyone's participation in solutions, and supporting the most affected communities. This was followed by specialized training workshops on "Sustainable Agriculture and its Importance in Facing Climate Change" and "Drought and Water Resources Management in Facing Climate Change," through which participants learned about environmentally friendly agricultural practices, water rationalization techniques, and strategies for adapting to water scarcity. The conference continued its knowledge journey on the second day, where participants discussed pressing issues in important discussion sessions such as "Climate Migration: Addressing Displacement Caused by Natural Disasters and Conflicts" and "Enhancing Community Resilience: Facing the Challenges of Floods and Natural Disasters." The conference did not overlook the empowerment aspect, offering valuable training sessions on "Media as a Tool for Influencing Climate Policies" and "Empowering Youth to Participate in Decision-Making and Climate Policies." Through these, participants learned how to formulate effective media messages, use various media platforms, and acquired skills in advocacy, effective lobbying, and understanding policy-making mechanisms.