The Jamaica Youth Council on Climate Change (JCCYC) will be hosting a week of activities April 19-24 in recognition of Earth Day 2021.
Earth Day, celebrated annually on April 22 in more than 190 countries, is celebrated this year under the theme “Restore the Earthâ€.
Young people across Jamaica will have several opportunities to engage in climate action through the week-long activities that the group aims to use to raise awareness about the global event and encourage greater stakeholder participation in the issues. climate related.
Planned activities include an open mic virtual concert on Tuesday April 20, with a special appearance by poet Laurette Olive Senior; a “Climatic Ribbon†Reflection Ritual on Wednesday April 21; Down to earth tree planting day on Thursday April 22; Game night on Friday April 23; and a round table on “Thinking sustainably†on Saturday 24 April.
JCCYC associate director and coordinator of the week’s events, Emme Christie, said the climate ribbon ritual is the equivalent of the AIDS quilt – a mass-distributed ritual focusing on potential losses due to climate change and affirming solidarity in the fight against it.
“Earth Week represents a period of reflection and calls to action for the protection of our natural resources and the resilience of our people. We are one with the earth, and it is important for efforts to mitigate climate change and protect the environment that we see ourselves through these lenses, â€said the associate director.
The JCCYC underlined the importance of diversity in the offering of events, noting that “environmentalism is not just for scientists and those with nature assignmentsâ€.
“It’s for economists, digital artists, market vendors, gardeners, the unemployed, and employees. We all risk losing something precious during this climate crisis, and the JCCYC advocacy platform represents grassroots efforts with a strong focus on justice, equity and inclusion, â€the Council stressed. .
In this context, the JCCYC stressed the importance of ensuring that “we bring Earth Week to the Jamaican people in culturally relevant ways, even if we have to do so behind a screen during a pandemic”.
The activities also mark the fourth anniversary of the Council and its work on youth climate engagement.
The JCCYC invites young people and others interested to connect with the organization to our imprint on social networks or visit https://ourfootprintja.org.