Many thanks to all the enthusiastic young people from around the world that submitted entries to be a youth speaker at the XIV World Forestry Congress 2015 through the #Forests2015 blog competition. Over 80 entries of outstanding youth-led initiatives came in from every continent and underwent a rigorous selection process. Congratulations to the three winning entries:

Charles Batte was born in Kamwokya, Uganda. He spent his childhood on a farm and experienced first-hand the frustrating effects of a changing climate. He is a magna summa laude graduate of Human Medicine and Surgery from Makerere University. Charles established Empower Community farm to promote sustainable agricultural methods in Katiiti Village, and he founded Tree Adoption Uganda – a social enterprise bringing forestry to the heart of children and community members. His TreeCapital and Trees4School programs leverage the use of environmental conservation activities to empower young people.

Sekar Ayu Woro Yunita is a final year student in the Faculty of Forestry Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. She currently serves as President in International Forestry Students Local Committee UGM and Asia-Pacific Regional Representative in IFSA. One of her notable works is the ‘Youth in Forest Actions’, a program that projects three pillars of sustainable development in forestry into series of actions: Integrated Conservation and Social Act (social project around Mount Merapi), Slow Loris Awareness Month (a month project to raise awareness of young people toward slow loris conservation) and Ecopreneur Grand Workshop (national workshop on NTFP management).

Jossio Guillén has a degree in Geographic Ecological Tourism, and is a member of the Panama Green Association and National Coordinator of Panama in the Initiative Reforesting, Central America. Jossio emphasizes that youth can be inspired through a quality education using various technological tools, where the free access to information prevails and ensures a successful learning process. By working simultaneously with thousands of young people in Central America planting trees, Jossio sees his greatest accomplishment in restoring areas of great ecological importance and promoting management of land in terms of all-natural organic practices to ensure a sustainable future.

Read more about the #Forests2015 blog youth speakers competition.