Svalbard inspiring Youth Climate Activists

During a one-week-long cruise along the Western and Northern coasts of Spitsbergen, the participants underwent an intensive program combining seminars, networking, and observation of the Arctic wildlife.

How can we most effectively communicate about climate change? How do governments cooperate to protect the unique and fragile Arctic environment? These two questions formed the core of the program of the training. The wide range of backgrounds and geographic origins among the members of the group (with eleven countries represented) enabled a particularly constructive atmosphere for the sharing of knowledge and best practices.

- Svalbard was the ‘ultimate classroom experience’ for 17 young climate activists eager to learn about climate impacts in the Arctic and the relationships between human and global environmental systems. Thanks to the training programme, the international group left with increased inspiration, motivation and greater knowledge of climate change effects and will share their personal stories and develop collaborative projects to address climate issues across Europe, says Julia Rawlins, who co-organized the project on behalf of the British Council.

Reflecting on their own footprint in the Arctic, the 17 youth also reflected on the contribution of sustainable tourism as a tool to raise environmental awareness. On board of the passenger vessel Antarctic Dream, the presence of this group of passionate young people fostered additional conversations among the passengers and with the crew.

Besides learning from the organizers of the project, the group also widely benefited from their first-person experience in the Arctic. - With the peace that I have seen in the Arctic, I can now inspire others. I am sure that this Arctic dream will stay with me - and hope that humans will be wide enough to save this beauty, says Ieva Lace from Latvia.

Samuel Lee-Gammage from UK emphasized the particular value that Svalbard can add to the organization of such a project. - To organize this activity in the Arctic is also fantastic because of the way in which such landscapes move you deeply, and it is from this emotional well that we can draw inspiration and determination to make change happen, says Samuel Lee-Gammage.

The participants to this project have now returned their home communities. But the project is not over as the seventeen are now working on concrete plans to share their experience and passion within their local communities. - After witnessing how much inspiration and motivation I have drawn from this week spent in Svalbard, I would like to create opportunities for more young people to experience wilderness and feel a stronger connection with nature, says Sébastien Duyck from Finland.

The project was organized jointly by the British Council, the European Commission through its Youth in Action program and UNEP/Grid-Arendal.

Text: Sébastien Duyck