Youth to raise voices on climate change

Ten-year-old Layla Licorish will cycle from St John to the Wildey Gymnasium on Thursday to kickstart the Student Climate Action March that will see the youth and other groups calling for action to stop climate change.

It will be the first event of the three-day Barbados Youth Climate Action Summit and Expo being staged by the Ashley Lashley Foundation, a registered charity that focuses on bringing greater awareness to some of the world’s major social, environmental, and health issues, such as the health impacts of climate change, particularly in Small Island Developing States.

Lashley, founder of the charity, told Barbados TODAY the climate crisis is a serious issue, especially for youth, and they intend to send a clear message.

“The main idea behind this activity is to amplify the voices of our children and youth on environmental issues in Barbados, regionally, and internationally and also bring about that national sensitisation and awareness the climate crisis is having on our lives,” the Barbadian UNICEF Youth Advocate said.

“This summit and expo is extremely important since the climate crisis is a child rights crisis and we as young persons are at the forefront of the climate crisis. Our country Barbados is also a small island developing state,” she added.

Licorish, who will be met by Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment Charles Griffith at the start of her ride at the St John Parish Church, will move off at 6 a.m. She will travel along Highway 3B, passing Four Roads and Gun Hill, onto Charles Rowe Bridge and Salters Main Road towards Norman Niles Roundabout, across to the Bussa Roundabout along the Barrow Highway, before turning left onto Upton Road and making a right turn to finish in the car park of the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex.

Licorish is expected to complete the ride by 7:55 a.m.

The march will move off from the car park at 9 a.m. and head to the Barbados Community College via Upton Road, Wildey Road, and Upper Collymore Rock. It will be followed by the opening of the summit and expo on Friday.

Lashley said the event will feature intergenerational discussions between ministers, experts, and youth on different issues related to the environment.

The summit and expo, being held under the theme Beyond Talk, More Action, features three thematic sessions relating to youth accelerating action, building a climate-conscious community, and resilient recovery.