Monday, 21 December 2015

COP21 Portraits: Clément and Marion, volunteers for the COY11




By Alexis Gillet

 

At the Climate Generations Area at Le Bourget, I spoke with Marion and Clément, two young French people who have volunteered for the COY11.

Marion is a young person who entered active life recently. Working as a professional consultant in the public domain, she was not predestined to work for the defence of the planet. But little by little, being sensitive to the impact of climate change, she decided to apply as a volunteer in her free time and help out in this event.

She therefore applied on the Internet and as the door to saving our planet is open to all, she was selected. She found this to be an enriching experience as it allowed her to meet other people like her, sensitive to issues that are being discussed right now and participate in a dynamic space for exchange and sharing.

It was a good experience for her and she would be willing to repeat it next year in Marrakech.

Clément, a member of CliMates, (co-organizer organization of COY) has followed the startup of this gathering since February.

He himself was more focused on the organization of writing the manifesto issued to heads of state. Prior to the COY, a first manifesto was realised by the host association for this event. This first manifesto was made to lay the foundations of the second manifesto (the largest) and show the first youth commitments to climate change.

During the COY, work on the manifesto was produced in partnership with YOUNGO (the youth group officially represented at the negotiations for the climate). The drafting of this manifesto was made during the 3 day running of the COY and different working groups were active in drafting it.

Moreover, a room was opened to the public so that everyone could state their opinions on what would be written in the manifesto and so contribute to it.

Therefore, people of different nationalities (about 150) were active in its drafting.
Alongside the COY in Paris, COYs were organized locally (in 8 other cities in the world) and could interact with people on the spot and give their opinions on the content of the document.



This event helped to launch different dynamics, the 5,000 participants present in Paris during those three days were mainly interested in what will happen after this gathering, starting with the presentation of the manifesto to the heads of state and of continuing the projects that were created or merged through this gathering.



More information here.

No comments:

Post a Comment