“Together WE Change the WORLD” is a project that propose activities to young people of Lombardy region that actively involve them in the protection of the environment and in the construction of sustainable development. The ultimate aim is to promote actions that have an impact not only locally, i.e. in the municipalities where the project is realised, but have positive spill-over effects on the whole regional, national and European territory.
Current systems of production and consumption and their environmental and social unsustainability - by now internationally recognised - have posed challenges that are more urgent than ever to face today. In recent years many movements have spread and consolidated and proposals and initiatives have been put forward by young people, who have been able to prove themselves as the true promoters of a possible change.
WeWorld, through the project “Together WE Change the WORLD. The boys and girls of Lombardy protagonists for a fairer and more sustainable world", therefore aims to further promote the protagonism of young people, specifically Lombardy youth between the ages of 20 and 34 years old, ultimately fostering their dialogue with policy makers, in order to make their demands and sustainable development models known to those who define local policies. Young people will first of all be involved in training activities aimed primarily at increasing their critical spirit, awareness of global interconnections, civic-mindness and propensity for change, but also at fostering the acquisition of transversal skills such as public speaking, team working, etc. Only afterwards, and especially with the support of WeWorld, an organisation with years of experience in lobbying and advocacy actions on these issues, the participants will be encouraged to activate awareness-raising initiatives in their own territories and to open a channel of communication with local decision-makers so that the latter know and take into consideration their requests. The project, therefore, starts with young people, but intends to call upon and fully involve also Lombardy's universities, Third Sector associations, policy makers and local authorities.
Planned activities:
- Intra-university Debate in Lombardy Universities. Realisation of a Debate contest between students from different Lombardy universities (Università degli studi di Bergamo, Università degli studi di Pavia, LIUC- Università Carlo Cattaneo e Università degli studi di Milano) on global issues such as human rights, inclusion and participation, environmental protection, non-discrimination, migration, youth policies. Students will be accompanied by tutors trained in the debate methodology until the end of the contest, which will take place between June and July 2023 in Milan.
- Communicating Climate Crises - Training seminar for journalists and activists. Realisation, within the framework of WeWorld Festival (Milan), of a seminar aimed at raising awareness and training young people on the links between the issues of climate change and social and human rights and their representation in the media. The meeting will be attended by journalists, speakers, activists and human rights defenders from the global South.
- Environmental activism in the Global North and Global South - youth exchange. Realisation of an exchange in Milan between young people from the local area and activists from the Global North and Global South (Tunisia, Mozambique, Italy and Germany). Before this, 5 preliminary online meetings will be organised during which the participants will acquire skills on climate change, migration and communication strategies.
- Be a Changemaker - Participatory process for the elaboration of a Manifesto addressed to policy-makers. Realisation of co-design meetings, based on the design-thinking methodology, which will aim to lead the young people to identify needs and solutions to the current global challenges posed by climate change. Participatory reflection will lead to the elaboration of a Manifesto for the promotion of local policies aimed at environmental protection and youth participation in decision-making processes, which will be presented to policy-makers and local authorities.
- Call for cultural, artistic and educational initiatives for the promotion of youth activism by young people. Launch, in March 2023, of a call for proposals aimed at providing financial support to 3 youth organisations for the design and implementation of cultural, artistic and educational actions for the promotion of youth activism in the dissemination of sustainable production, consumption and territorial governance models.
- Advocacy event on the issues of environmental and social rights in business. Realisation in July 2023 of an advocacy event among young people, policy makers, business and civil society representatives on environmental and social rights in business activity
- Awareness-raising campaign on climate migration and new models for a fair and sustainable economy. Promotion of an awareness-raising campaign targeting young people and their communities to raise awareness on the global connections generated by production models and the adoption of fair and sustainable consumption patterns.
