Youth Festival sees young people address challenging issues of 21st century

Amongst the stimulating series of events were opportunities to meet Young Climate Leaders in Scotland and Malawi, says David Hope-jones OBE

Young people in Scotland and Malawi recently joined forces online to tackle issues of Climate Change and Race and Equality, reaching over quarter of a million people within all online sessions available now. Our two nations have a deep-rooted relationship dating back over 160 years and today 46 per cent of Scots personally know someone with a connection to Malawi, these dignified friendships permeating all walks of life.

One of the world' s strongest bilateral civic links provides a relationshipand climate for friends to share things honestly, constructively and if need-be critically. Designed and delivered by the Youth Committee of our not-for-profit membership network the scotland malawi partnership( SM P ), the Scottish Government-funded 2021 Youth Festival provides the online platform for just such an open and mutually respectful dialogue.

In a series of facebook live events, podcasts and web in ars, young people( aged 19-24 years) from both nations chose to embrace some of the most challenging issues of our time. They share their own experiences, knowledge and perspective son race and equality, discussing perceptions, prejudice sand growing together. They address such concepts as decolonisation, white saviour complex and privilege as well as sharing lived experience, learning, cultural nuance and what resonates with, and matters to them.

Facilitating and delivering every session, the young people invited contributions from subject specialists on which they reflected and to which they responded, welcoming questions and comment from participants of all ages online in live Q&A sessions and across social media platforms, provoking much interest and engagement and reaching over 200,000 people.

Following the school strikes, ahead of COP26 and with Malawi at the sharp-end of the impact of climate change right now, Climate Justice and Climate Change were the other topics chosen by the SMP’S Youth Committee. Amongst the stimulating series of events were opportunities to meet Young climate leaders in scotland and Malawi and to hear about the action that they are taking in their communities and to share national and global challenges and opportunities.

The fascinating series of youthled podcasts and webinars on climate change and climate justice is also available online.

Our Youth and Schools Officer, Luisa Brown, worked closely with the young people on the Youth Festival and says: “We are inspired by the Young People’s commitment, insight and courage in engaging so openly together and with such a depth and breadth of content and experience. The time that they want action on climate change is now and as well as taking direct action themselves in Scotland and Malawi, young people are calling for action from political leaders at COP26 in Glasgow.”

Recognising that the last year has been like none other for all involved in education in both Scotland and Malawi, the SMP wanted to make it as easy as possible for everyone to take part in this year’s Youth Festival, live or with easily-accessed online resources.

Specially commissioned resources( suitable for home-learning/ classroom/group session) on the vital topics of Race and Equality and Climate Change can be downloaded and delivered any time that suits users within 2021.

There is something for everyone this year on the SMP Youth Committee’s topics of Climate Change and Race and Equality: Educator CPD resources; Primary and secondarylevel resources, suitable for youth groups too; competitions for all In Scotland and Malawi aged 24 years and under; Podcasts, webinar recordings and youth-led Instagram: scotmalawiyouth

Go to www.scotlandmalawipartnership.org/ for the Youth Festival Webpage.

David Hope-jones OBE is Chief Executive, The Scotland Malawi Partnership