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| Delegations from around the world held the shout-out globe. I was inside the crowd. |
In 2009, UNICEF cooperated with UNFCCC held the first climate
forum for children, as a pre-event for COP15, a special meeting for our world
leaders to make decision and solutions about what will we do as a human for
this Earth’s sake.
I represented Indonesia for the first time, with two other colleagues,
one from Jakarta (currently studying in a college at Australia) and other came
from Bali (currently studying in a college). I went there as the youngest one,
along with our chaperon, the Ministry of Environment’s representative, Ms.
Aini. The event was held from 28th November until 5th December 2009, mostly
indoor, at one of the most historical building in Copenhagen, the City Hall of
Copenhagen. This forum was held in the middle city of Copenhagen, which was
quite far from the COP15’s place itself.
There were 44 countries which sent usually three children as
their representatives, mostly from 15 until 17 years old. Indonesia and Vietnam
were the only countries which represented South East Asia. India, China, Hong
Kong, and South Korea also represented Asia in this forum.
This forum was actually more similar like classes in college.
We chose what subject (in this case, what problem) we desired, and we attended
classes which discuss about the matters. For this forum, we discussed about
matters which would affect our Climate, because we knew that Climate Change is
one of the hottest issues around the world, and we knew, as the children of the
world, we should take actions along with our leaders. Mostly to encourage our
leaders to make a more wise decision rather than argue about each country’s
matter.
Because I lived and grew up in Kalimantan, I chose matters
which were the base one, such as forestry, biodiversity, etc. rather than
population in a city, industry pollution, etc. Those classes were side one,
because we had to choose the main team or group we wanted to be involved, and I
chose the CAP (Climate Ambassador Program) team. In CAP, we were the
team-matchmakers; we connected countries which have same issues, so they’ll
figure other solutions and share what they had. Also, we made a toolkit for
CAP, which has many great ideas about how to solve our community’s problems,
individually and with our teammates back in the country. Other teams worked
with their own tasks, so here, we also learned how to be a part of a team where
you need to learn how to work together, but still become an active or dominant
one, so you’ll make your voice being heard.
Aside from my main team, I joined forestry, which discussed
about problems about our forest in the world, and how to solve those problems,
again, individually or in groups. I joined Biodiversity class, and got a chance
to represent the class in front of everybody to send what we had discussed in
class. Gladly, I got great responses about what I’ve said, and this was a great
start for us, the Indonesians, to be heard.
Luckily, Indonesia was one of the teams which got an
overwhelming opportunity to visit the Copenhagen Zoo for our external visit. I
saw some animals which I couldn’t here in Indonesia, such as penguins. We also
got a chance for being interviewed by a youth-paper, and they encouraged us to
make the same one here, in Indonesia. It was a great trip, because other teams
probably went to companies which maybe weren’t as fun as ours, or went to a
trip by boat, which is very unfavorable for those teams to have such a ride in
the end of the year’s season, winter. I was and I am really glad that I am an
Indonesian.
164 delegates around the world worked together to achieve our
main goal: to pursue the world leaders and convince them to make better
decisions about what the world have to do to prevent the Climate Change and to
stop it as fast as we could, also to convince them that there are more than 100
youths who are ready and already made changes in our community, and we dare our
leaders to do the same thing, for the earth and human’s sakes. Mostly, our main
project was to make a declaration which be given to the COP15’s president.
Other teams, such as my team, CAP, worked for the ambassadors’ toolkit, tools
they could use to make project back home. We, as the representatives of our
countries, would be Climate Ambassadors, the one who would take steps and break
the silence to make changes.
In the last night, we had a great Cultural Night, when each
country should represented local performances in their country, but sadly,
Indonesia didn’t show any attractions, because of our time and lack of
experiences. But the night was amazingly wonderful, and I didn’t regret
anything that night.
I was crying when we departed from Copenhagen, because the
environment and its people were really nice. But I was also spirited to make
new moves in Indonesia. I do wish that someday, I can make Indonesia as nice as
Copenhagen with its own way.
It’s our job, young generation, to make changes now. If we
delay it today, then when?
We are the next world leaders, so why don’t we become the local
and young leaders now?
Thank
you.
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