Youth empowerment advocated for sustainable development

Islamabad:Chairman of the Prime Minister's Youth Programme Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan called for better youth involvement in environmental advocacy as well as their empowerment to take a leading role in sustainable development.

He was speaking to the winners of the ‘Climate in My Community’ competition at the Prime Minister’s Office during a function held to celebrate their creativity and efforts to raise awareness of climate change.

Earlier in the week, the contest winners were honoured at a special ‘Iftar’-dinner hosted by the British High Commission in Islamabad to mark Commonwealth Day. The event was organised by the British High Commission in partnership with the British Council and Aawaz II.

The competition, which encouraged young people from across Pakistan to submit art that expressed their views on climate change, saw over 550 entries, and six outstanding winners were chosen. At the British High Commission’s ‘Iftar’ celebration, the winners had the chance to showcase their works, and their creativity was celebrated in the presence of various dignitaries, including Rana Mashhood.

Impressed by their dedication and the impact of their art, Rana Mashhood expressed his admiration at the PM House for the winners' exceptional talent and commitment to addressing climate change through creative expression.

He emphasised the importance of youth involvement in environmental advocacy and the need for empowering young people to take a leading role in sustainable development. In recognition of their outstanding contributions, the chairman announced the nomination of the six climate change champions as Green Youth Movement (GYM) Ambassadors.

He said by appointing them as ambassadors, he aimed to give them a platform to amplify their voices and engage even more young people across Pakistan in meaningful climate action. "I hope that their leadership would inspire others to become active participants in building a greener and more sustainable future."

He said the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme looked forward to continued collaboration with these remarkable young individuals and was committed to providing them with the necessary support to advance their work.

GYM ambassadors Rahma Mudassar, Khadija Chaudhary, Gulshan Fatima and Roha Arshad expressed enthusiasm for this new responsibility, decided to continue their work and inspire their peers to take action for a greener future.