Do you care about forests? Do you care about climate change? Do you care about animals and plants? Do you care about yourself and your friends’ future? This is your opportunity. Get engaged! 

The good news is that the presence and involvement of the global youth community has been prioritized at the XIV World Forestry Congress, which offers a great opportunity to engage in scientific and policy deliberations like never before.

Young people will be engaged throughout the Congress process, providing vital contributions that stem from debates among peers as well as inter-generational discussion on the most pressing issues facing forests and forestry. Get involved as we liaise with professionals to design pathways for sustainable development and to maintain and enhance the many benefits, products, goods and services that forests provide.

Join us in Durban to express your concerns and ideas, and help build a sustainable future for forests!

How to get involved

If you’re coming to the XIV World Forestry Congress, join the following events: 

Youth pre-congress event – What do we want to achieve?

This is the youth delegation orientation program of the congress. During the event, youth delegates will discuss plans on how to facilitate overall engagement of young people across all the dialogues and processes of the Congress week. Additionally, youth delegates will learn about networking and making the best of their presence at the Congress.

Workshop – “Can youth demonstrate cross-sectorial competencies?”

Debates and inter-generational discussions will take place on the topic and participants will also discuss how to enrich the learning processes and experiences of young people in the sector.

Youth Special Event - Forests for the future 

Organized by young people for young people, the Forests for the future event has the specific aim of bringing the youth perspective to the Congress. As vital stakeholders in the process of sustainable development, participants will debate the forestry issues of greatest concern to young people and generate actionable ideas, helping to define the way forward for forests and forestry.

Download the draft youth engagement agenda! 

For the youth special event, the call for youth speakers is open, click here for more information.

The WFC social reporters blog is now live: https://forests2015.wordpress.com/

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