In February 2003, the Governing Council of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) adopted a long-term strategy for engaging young people in environmental activities and in the work of UNEP. The strategy was entitled the Tunza Youth Strategy. The word “TUNZA” means “to treat with care or affection” in Kiswahili (a sub-regional language of Eastern Africa). The overall Tunza Concept, therefore, is built around this theme.
It is an initiative that is meant to develop activities in the areas of capacity building, environmental awareness, and information exchange, with a vision to foster a generation of environmentally conscious citizens, capable of positive action.
Important by-products of this strategy include the annual Tunza International Youth Conference, Tunza Advisory Council and a quarterly Tunza magazine.
This year the conference was held from 10-14 February at the United Nations Complex in Gigiri, Nairobi, Kenya. The objective of the conference was to provide a forum for young people to discuss the role that youth play in Entrepreneurship, Sustainable Consumption and Production, Forests, Food Waste, Water as well as the State of the Environment.
Additionally, UNEP launched the Tunza Acting for a Better World: 5th Global Environmental Outlook (GEO-5 for Youth); a youth oriented publication that explains the latest environmental trends and how youth can play their part in working towards a better future.
Actions to cut off food waste and to harness the power of social media to promote sustainable lifestyles were among the issues discussed on the agenda. the conference provided a platform for over 300 young people from 100 countries who came together to exchange information, best practices and most importantly; learnet from each other. Young people also had a chance to discuss the outcomes of the Rio+20 Conference and the Post 2015 Millennium Development Goals.
During this conference, GEN was represented by one of its GEN Africa Ambassador. UNEP experts hold workshops, panel discussions and other events with young people to present the latest science on health impacts of environmental degradation. Other sessions covered water, sustainable consumption, green entrepreneurship, and new international targets that are set to succeed the Millennium Development Goals from 2015.
Links;
TUNZA acting for a beter world http://www.unep.org/publications/search/pub_details_s.asp?ID=86
5th Global Environmental Outlook http://www.unep.org/pdf/geo_for_youth.pdf
Rio+20 http://www.un.org/en/sustainablefuture/
Post 2015 Millennium Development Goals http://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/about/mdg.shtml
