Programme launched to upskill Pakistani youth on climate change
Agreement to upskill some 2900,000 Pakistani men and women signed at 11th WISE Summit in Doha
November 29, 2023
The British Council Pakistan and Education Above All Tuesday inked an agreement to upskill the country's youth via a programme titled 'Pakistan Youth Leadership Initiative (PYLI)'.
The three-year initiative — signed at the 11th WISE Summit in Doha, Qatar — aims to bring awareness to 290,000 young Pakistani men and women regarding social and ethical values so that they influence local, national, and global sustainable development agenda on climate action.
The programme stresses that working on higher quality youth education is fundamental to creating a solid foundation and creation of a more prosperous and eco-friendly society.
Led by the Pakistan British Council, the PYLI — co-funded by Education Above All Foundation’s programme “Reach Out to Asia” (ROTA) under their “Global Citizenship Education for Climate Action” (GCED) initiative — will be implemented in partnership with the government's Youth Development Programme, UNDP Pakistan, local CSOs and public universities.
"Our partners in Pakistan for the project include the government of Pakistan’s Prime Minister Youth Programme and Higher Education Commission. Other partners include UNDP, WaterAid, Viamo and ISD UK," read the press release issued by the British Council.
Furthermore, the event also featured a panel discussion addressing the concerns of Pakistani youth, the opportunities provided by the Pakistani government and EAA, and the ways in which artificial intelligence can help to realise these opportunities.
Expressing his views on the development, James Hampson, Country Director of British Council Pakistan said: “The Pakistan Youth Leadership Initiative will help young people shape their future as leaders of tomorrow in the face of today’s climate crisis. The British Council is honoured to partner once again with Education Above All and Reach Out to Asia.”
Meanwhile, Mr Abdullah Al Abdulla — Reach Out to Asia Executive Director — highlighted that the innovative project will build the capacity of Pakistani youth to take inclusive climate actions in their communities.
"Climate issues extend beyond Pakistan, affecting the entire world. We are actively engaging the youth through various initiatives, with the British Council collaborating on these efforts," Professor Dr Zia Ul Qayyum, Executive Director, Higher Education Commission Pakistan said while highlighting the establishment of Green Youth Movement clubs in 137 universities.
