Empowering the Future: British Council Supports Six Sri Lankan Youth for COP28

The British Council is supporting six climate leaders from Sri Lanka that will attend COP28. The climate leaders are: Sajini Wickramasinghe, Jayanthan Amalanathan, Minuri Perera, Erandika Ediriweera, Shamla Saleem and Mohamed Husni.

Our youth leaders are part of the accredited COP28 delegation representing Sri Lanka. The British Council Sri Lanka is working with the Ministry of Environment, the Climate Change Secretariat, the National Youth Service Council and aims to work with like-minded organisations on post COP28 activities.

The United Arab Emirates will host the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP28) in the UAE from 30 November to 12 December 2023. This will be the largest international climate change summit since Egypt hosted last year, bringing together over 70,000 delegates in the UAE including heads of states, climate experts and campaigners to agree coordinated action to tackle climate change.

Orlando Edwards, Director British Council Sri Lanka said: “Paving the way for change, we are delighted to support these six Sri Lankan changemakers who will be actively involved in proceedings at COP28 and help to shape our climate narrative.

“Our support will enable them to participate in global policy platforms. We know that they will be doing their best to influence policy makers, engage with key stakeholders and form connections with other youth representatives and groups attending COP28. Together, we can turn commitments into impactful actions, fostering a sustainable future for generations to come. Now is the moment for significant change, and our combined efforts will pave the way for a planet that is both resilient and flourishing.”

The British Council recognises the urgency of addressing the current climate emergency, as do the young people we work with worldwide. Through our Climate Connection programme, we have brought people around the world together to address the challenges of climate change.

For COP28, the British Council will connect UK expertise in arts and culture, education, and English with the rest of the world, to develop new solutions, partnerships, and platforms to address the climate challenge by enabling innovative ideas, by connecting diverse expertise and amplifying under-represented voices.