Youth Dialogue on Climate and Education

On 4 September 2023, in partnership with the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture's Continuing Education Programme (IVS CEP), PCE organised a Youth Dialogue in Karachi to facilitate a comprehensive discussion on climate-related challenges, particularly within education, and to explore ways to make education more resilient to climate change in communities.

Objectives:

• Engage youth in meaningful discussions about climate-related challenges in Pakistan.

• Mobilise young people to take action and create a more climate-resilient education system.

• Encourage open dialogue and the exchange of ideas among participants.

Ameema Sayeed (Director, IVS CEP, and former Chairperson, PCE) opened by welcoming participants and underscoring collective action, youth involvement, and the power of art to carry a message. Ayman Babar (Program Coordinator, Advocacy & Research, PCE) moderated, highlighting how inadequately current education systems address climate. Muhammad Faheem (Founder, Mehrdar Art & Production) spoke to the challenges facing marginalised youth, their disconnection from history and identity, and his own work using local languages and documentary film to teach communities about climate, stressing the need to link students practically with their communities. Amna (Joint Faculty, IVS, and member of the Center for Social Innovation in Developing Countries), drawing on education psychology, noted that the National Climate Policy did not prioritise education, and called for incorporating indigenous knowledge, engaging students directly in climate action, and addressing post-flood trauma among schoolchildren.

Key takeaways:

• Students must be engaged in climate issues and mobilised for climate action.

• Indigenous knowledge and local languages should be incorporated into the education system.

• Community engagement and active participation are crucial to addressing climate challenges.

• Climate education should focus on practical aspects and engagement with local communities.

• A sense of agency among youth is essential to motivate climate action.

• Language plays a central role in conveying climate-related messages effectively.