Towards the enforcement of the right to peace and World's Youth for Climate Justice are the two exciting projects that last night won the Peace, nuclear Abolition and Climate Engaged Youth (PACEY) 2021 Awards, a global prize supporting youth-led initiatives for peace, nuclear abolition and climate action.
“Young people around the world are standing up to demand policy progress on the climate crisis, nuclear abolition and ending war,’ says Prof (em) Andreas Nidecker MD, President of the Basel Peace Office and founder of the PACEY Award. ‘They clearly see the threats to current and future generations and are taking action.”
Towards the enforcement of the right to peace is a project of the Platform for Peace and Humanity (Slovakia) to establish a Global Coalition of Youth Ambassadors for the Right to Peace, which will advocate in countries of the ambassadors as well as at the UN to strengthen the Right to Peace as a human and legal right.
World's Youth for Climate Justice (Global) is a youth-led campaign to achieve an advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on obligations to reduce carbon emissions to protect current and future generations.
Excerpt from the video presentation of the Platform for Peace and Humanity.
The two projects were chosen from six finalists whose projects were presented in a dynamic Intergenerational forum on peace, the climate, nuclear disarmament and the pandemic, held yesterday (January 19, 2021).
Over 250 youth activists and civil society representatives from 45 countries, covering all continents except Antarctica, participated in the forum. Participants voted on their choices in two categories – a European based project and a Beyond Europe project – to determine the winners. The winning projects will receive €5000 each for their project development, plus other implementation support from the Basel Peace Office and Youth Fusion.
“We received nominations of many inspiring youth projects and project proposals from around the world,’ says Ms Marzhan Nurzhan, Deputy-Director of the Basel Peace Office and Co-convenor of Youth Fusion. “The six finalists are just a sample of the quality and level of youth action on these important issues for humanity and the planet.”
Excerpt from the video promotion of the World's Youth for Climate Justice project.
Intergenerational Forum
The Intergenerational Forum, organised by the Basel Peace Office, Youth Fusion and the President’s Department of the Basel-Stadt Canton, was held to facilitate dialogue and build cooperation between youth activists, legislators (parliamentarians and city officials), academics/experts and UN officials.
A key theme of the Intergenerational Forum was the importance of youth engaging in democratic processes. Despite many difficulties getting effective policies adopted by cities, parliaments, governments and the United Nations, and many politicians/officials who are negatively influenced by vested interests like the fossil fuel and arms industries, there are also many politicians/officials who are dedicated to making a difference and ready to work with youth and civil society to make a real difference. Indeed, the forum speakers and participants offered many examples of success in getting effective policies and initiatives adopted at all levels of government.
“The COVID pandemic has reaffirmed that in different perspectives nuclear weapons and armed conflict are detrimental to public health, meeting human security needs and securing a sustainable future,” says Mr Lukas Ott, Head of Cantonal and City Development Unit in the President’s Department of the Basel-Stadt Canton. “City leaders, parliamentarians and governments need to engage with youth in order to ensure the development and implementation of effective policies at local, national and international levels.”
Basel Peace Office and Youth Fusion will in the future post further information about the PACEY Award winners and finalists, and how youth and others can become active in these exciting initiatives.
Infographics from PACEY Award finalists
The Basel PACEY Award is made possible by the support of the President’s Office of the Basel-Stadt Kanton and the personal support of Prof. Andreas Nidecker, MD, President of the Basel Peace Office.