14-year-old Sahruda PDV of Hyderabad Public School was a Global Lead at COP 30 in Brazil. She presented the Global Child Manifesto, advocating for youth inclusion in climate action based on a survey of over 3,700 students.
Sahruda PDV, a 14-year-old Grade 9 student from The Hyderabad Public School, Begumpet, Hyderabad, participated as a Global Lead at COP 30 in Brazil. She presented the Global Child Manifesto, highlighting youth demands for climate action, and participated in high-level discussions. Sahruda emphasised the importance of including youth perspectives in decision-making, citing her experience at COP 30, where she connected with global leaders and advocated for climate action.
A Journey from School Eco-Club to Global Stage
While speaking to ANI, Sahruda said that her journey towards climate action started at a very young age, with involvement in the school’s eco-club, and being a part of several initiatives and playing an active role in spreading awareness among fellow students. “My formal engagement with climate action began in the 6th grade when I joined my school’s Climate Club. Our school has various eco-initiatives to build environmental and societal consciousness among the students. Since then, I have been part of these various initiatives and played an active role in building awareness, taking action, and inspiring my fellow students. I have been part of other initiatives outside the school too, like Hyderabad Lake cleaning, health awareness, among other initiatives,” she said.
Sahruda was introduced to the Centre for Global Education’s Decarbonise Program at school. She recalled how playing an active role in making the Decarbonise Program a success helped her get invited to COP 30 and eventually helped her gain access to the Blue Zone for all the days of the conference that she was present at.
Championing Youth Voices at COP 30
“It was a week-long conference which gave me experiences of a lifetime. These experiences reinforced my conviction that young people and children’s voices need to be heard at decision-making spaces, as it is the youth who will face the long-term effects of climate change,” she stated.
She said that before the conference, all participants drafted the Global Child Manifesto and organised the Global Student Environment Survey, which gathered 3,700 responses. They were able to identify eight key demands of the youngsters, which were presented at COP 30. “Prior to the COP 30 conference, all the participants collaborated on drafting the Global Child Manifesto and organised the Global Student Environment Survey, which gathered over 3,700 responses. And after 48 hours of collaborative effort, we identified eight key youth demands which we subsequently presented at COP 30,” she stated.
Sahruda participated in a wide range of substantive discussions, including child and youth discussions, high-level panels, and presentations across different pavilions. She presented the Child Manifesto at the Australia Pavilion in the Blue Zone, which gained significant attention from diverse groups present at the event. “What stood out the most for me during this entire experience was the inclusive culture and the way people could connect with one another, even in the absence of a shared language. And therefore, I also observed how effectively youth voices can be included in decision-making and advocacy processes,” she shared.
A Call to Action for Youth
She further advocated and motivated the youth to take small steps to open a broad corridor of opportunities. “Taking initiative and stepping out of your comfort zone can open doors to global platforms, as it did for me in Brazil. Many of the influential participants that I met during the conference began by taking small steps like these and are today the most prestigious climate activists. Therefore, it is courage and taking initiative which can elevate an individual to greater heights,” she said.
School’s Pride in Student’s Achievement
Meanwhile, Head Senior School, at the Hyderabad Public School, Neeta Bisht said, “We are very proud of the fact that Sahruda from grade nine represented the school in the top 30 in Belem, Brazil, bringing the voice of youth to a global platform on sustainability, climate change, and collective well-being.” (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)