Healthy and Environmentally Friendly Youth campaign launches

Young people have been challenged by the Prime Minister to address issues such as climate change that will have an impact on their generation’s future.

Speaking at the virtual launch of a Caribbean-initiated climate change campaign on Friday, she said if the youth sit back and do nothing to fight issues such as climate change, then they would live in a world that will continue to deteriorate.

She issued the reminder that the quality of life lived tomorrow can be better influenced by the way it is lived today.

Prime Minister Mottley said: “Will it be a world categorized by increasingly catastrophic storms and floods or droughts and famines, sargassum seaweed, rising sea levels? Destroyed coral reefs?

“Or will it be a world overrun by chronic illnesses, new diseases and debilitating pandemics, inequitable access to food and essential medicines, shortage of water, or even a greater divide between rich and poor nations or poor people?

“Your activism on these issues can only lead to improved awareness and engagement by millions of other young people whom you have the potential to reach through HEY.”

The Healthy and Environmentally Friendly Youth (HEY) Campaign, founded by Miss Barbados World 2018 Ashley Lashley’s foundation, was launched in partnership with UNICEF Eastern Caribbean Office.

The HEY campaign seeks to build bridges between the region’s youth and the wider global community.

The campaign joins 40 active climate activists between the ages of nine and 26-years-old from Afghanistan, Aruba, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Bhutan, Brazil, Cameroon, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Ghana, Haiti, Jamaica, India, Mexico, Nepal and Nigeria.

Mottley, who endorsed the campaign’s objectives, saluted the organizers for embarking on the bold conscious journey to change the hearts and minds of a world that for too long has ignored the consequences of its actions.

“You are never too young to start,” the Prime Minister told the assembled youth. “I salute you because while your generation has not created the problems you now seek to correct, you have chosen not to distance yourself from the solutions that are critical if we are to make this world better.

“And I salute you because clearly, you understand that this is the inheritance for your generation to hold on and for those who follow you, and you have determined that you will be an integral participant in shaping it for the better by putting in your actions now to make that world that you want to make different to live in.”

During the launch, Lashley said she founded the campaign in 2020 with the hope that it contributes to building bridges between young people from around the world about the important issues of the impacts of climate change on health.

Declaring that global leaders are not doing enough that is required to stop climate change, she said there is a need for bolder climate action and climate justice. The founder said youth are the key drivers in the fight against climate change.

“We want to make a difference,” Lashley said. “Climate change affects each and every one of us. We want real change. No more talking, but more action being taken. We are not prepared to sit back and allow these issues to be placed on the backburner of the government’s list of priorities. As youth, we are prepared to take proactive measures to avert a global environmental and health catastrophe.”

The campaign intends to get its message across the world through a youth summit and other activities.Ambassadors including 21-year-old Olympian and top swimmer from Barbados Alex Sobers will also be the driving force of the campaign.

UNICEF Representative for the Eastern Caribbean Dr Aloys Kamuragiye officially welcomed Lashley as a new UNICEF Youth Ambassador.

(anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb)