The Global RCE Service Centre at the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS) is pleased to announce the awardees for the RCE Youth Biodiversity Art Challenge!

Held earlier this year in partnership with UNESCO, the challenge was open to anyone aged 35 or younger worldwide.

Highlights

Calling all young eco-artists! Share your voice through art and inspire others to take action on conserving biodiversity. Unleash your creativity and have your work seen by a global audience! 

UCSI University has been selected as a winner of the ‘2022 International Green Gown Awards’. The winners were announced on 6 July, 2022 as part of the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. The International Green Gown Awards are endorsed by United Nations Environment Programme and are supported by The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), L’Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) and International Association of Universities (IAU).

On 14 May, 2022, RCE Dobong‐gu held a Zoom orientation for the ‘Global ESD Youth Project Neuru Season 2', a project to improve ecological literacy and glocal leadership of domestic and foreign youths. 'Neuru' is a Korean word meaning 'for a long time, not all at once', which could be translated to aiming for sustainable development for youth for a long time.

On a biennial basis, 17 outstanding young leaders from across various sectors are recognised for their agency, courage and ingenuity in finding lasting solutions to the world's greatest challenges.

Throughout a two-year term, these Young Leaders will engage with youth for the 2030 Agenda through their platforms, networks, and advocacy opportunities with the United Nations and its partners.

The 4th Japan RCE Youth Meeting was held online on 15 February, 2022, organised in conjunction with the Working Level Meeting of Japanese RCEs, and co-organised by the newly established Japan RCE Youth Executive Committee, RCE Omuta and UNU-IAS. Youth activities on ESD were discussed to enhance collaboration and networking amongst RCEs in Japan, under the topic 'My action, Our actions'. The event was divided into two sessions: (1) presentation of youth activities and (2) group discussion. 

• The first ever RCE Youth Webinar was held on 11 August, 2021, commemorating International Youth Day 2021.
• Five RCE youth members from Australia, Colombia, Zambia, Japan, and Denmark shared youth-led climate-action initiatives conducted in their RCE communities.
• Key points of action identified within the breakout sessions included the integration of environmental education in schools, raising public awareness, and creating platforms to enable knowledge-sharing and community engagement.