Young people from all over the world are building bridges between communities, societies, cultures and other areas of life, Leyla Hasanova, head of the Secretariat at the Non-Aligned Movement Youth Organization and Azerbaijan’s “Youth Climate Champion” for COP29, said during the event titled “Youth and Civil Society Leadership in the Development of Sustainable and Inclusive Cities” organized within the framework of WUF13 in Baku, APA reports.
“That is why we must first and foremost engage young people at the earliest stage. Because once decisions have already been made and policies approved, it becomes too late. When we try to involve young people in the process, it is important not only to listen to them, but to genuinely take their views and ideas into account, consult with them and jointly shape everything we build specifically for them,” Leyla Hasanova noted.
She emphasized that merely inviting young people to events is not enough for their real participation in decision-making processes.
Leyla Hasanova stated that broad consultations were held with young people from various countries around the world within the framework of COP29, and one of the main challenges concerned how they could effectively participate in the processes. Awareness-raising and preparation are important to ensure that youth participation is not merely formal, but that young people can make a real contribution.
According to Leyla Hasanova, Azerbaijan’s COP29 presidency was not limited only to the conference period and has continued through various legacy projects. Within the framework of these initiatives, the COP29 Climate Change Summer Camp has already been organized for two consecutive years, and it is planned to continue the project jointly with Türkiye’s presidency in the future.
