Current Projects

Background
The idea is to support constructive dialogue among youth and to strengthen youth leadership development and youth participation in the DEMENA, through the development of youth climate ambassador networks.

A crucial part of the background for this project is the realization that climate challenge, due the common threats, can serve as a platform to address other related cross-cutting current development problems: youth participation, peace, dialogue and indeed sustainable development. As confirmed by scientists and UN IPCC, climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing contemporary humanity, whose solution needs joint efforts. Therefore, we have chosen to turn the challenge into an opportunity for improved dialogue and strengthened youth participation by encouraging the spirit of youth initiated actions, innovation and voluntarism for a stronger civil society, network building, advocacy, Danish/Arab dialogue and cooperation across borders.

Project period
01.09 2010 – 31.10 2012

Financed by
The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Arab Initiative

Partners
Crossing Borders and the Danish Green Think Tank, CONCITO – in cooperation with the Wadi Environmental Science Centre in Egypt (EWSC) and Masar centre in Jordan.

Target group
Young people in Denmark, Jordan and Egypt.
International Youth Climate Ambassadors will be one group of 20 people annually, in total 40 throughout the project period.
National Youth Climate Ambassadors are two groups of 25 people annually in Jordan and Egypt, supplemented by 2 x 20 young people in Denmark, making 240 people in total.

Objectives

• to educate and train young climate ambassadors in the MENA region, enabling them to train others and lead innovative climate campaigns as youth leaders and role models. 
• to promote regional networking and Danish/Arab dialogue on concrete and cross-cutting vital sectors of climate change. 
• to facilitate climate change related idea generation in the MENA region leading to innovative youth initiatives and to introduce an innovation cup to showcase and share project outputs in the local community.

The vision is to see DEMENA youth taking the lead in addressing the challenges of climate change to develop active citizenship in various national, regional and global issues of concern.

The project is a concrete attempt to provide the space, inspiration, latest knowledge, skills and tools for the youth to raise their awareness and to develop leadership attitudes and professionalism in order to take part in the reforms and initiate the changes they aspire to see in their societies.

Activities

• One annual 12-day training course in Denmark for the international climate ambassadors.
• NOTE: The first course takes place on 27 February - 10 March 2011
• International Climate Ambassadors train further 2 x 25 National Climate Ambassadors in Egypt and Jordan, annually. In Denmark 20 people are trained annually, by the International Climate Ambassadors.
• An internship programme
• An annual innovation cup in Egypt and Jordan
• Local youth led climate initiatives
• Network building 

Output
Young people are capacitated to play their role as climate ambassadors, equipped with knowledge, tools, skills, innovation capacity, support and network opportunities.

Mainstreaming MENA youth participation through youth led climate actions.

New association/network of DEMENA climate ambassadors formed and continuous networking taking place.

Meaningful and ongoing Danish-Arab dialogue on cross-cutting youth issues and challenges.

A dynamic webforum: www.climateambassadors.net/