Youth ambassadors hold court at Rio Summit

Qatar Foundation International (QFI) Youth Ambassadors for Science and Environment spoke to a global audience yesterday at the Qatar Pavilion during the Rio + 20 Earth Summit. The Youth Ambassadors, from Brazil, Qatar and the US have embarked on an environmental journey, arriving in Rio to share their experiences after exploring the mangroves in Doha and in Albrolhos in Bahia, Brazil. The students, with their educators and Conservation International scientists, discussed in English, Arabic and Portuguese, their vision for the future and specific actions they will take back to their community based on their environmental explorations. Students also spoke about QFI’s Mapping Mangroves technology which the students have been using to map the world’s mangrove ecosystems to increase awareness and conservation. QFI, in partnership with Shell Qatar, Conservation International and the Qatar National Research Fund, developed the YASE programme to give young people the skills they need to become global citizens so they can tackle challenges together, such as climate change, which they all face, regardless of geographical, social and cultural boundaries.