Italian Deputy Minister for the Environment and Energy Security, Claudio Barbaro, said that the 'Rural Youth Manifesto', presented at Cop16 in Cali, Colombia, "is perfectly in line with the principles of Italian cooperation in the field of sustainable development".
"This manifesto represents a strong and collective voice for the defence of biodiversity, food sovereignty and human rights," said Barbaro, who together with the Italian ambassador to Bogotá, Giancarlo Maria Curcio, and the European Union's ambassador to Colombia, Gilles Bertrand, participated in the Manifesto presentation ceremony.
The document was born from the voice of 170 young people from Latin America and the Caribbean who met last August in Nuquí (in the north-west of Colombia), on the occasion of the Summit of Rural Youth at Peace with Nature, organised by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS).
The Manifesto prioritises the urgency of climate action through sustainable agricultural policies, proposes broadening the participation of young people in public policies, and calls for the protection of biodiversity and food security while respecting ecosystems.
"Supporting this manifesto means not only listening to ideas, but also ensuring that public policies are oriented towards a development model that truly integrates youth and local demands. As Italy, we have an obligation not only to promote youth development, but also to create structures and processes that ensure their participation in environmental governance decisions,' Barbaro said.
During the event, governments, organisations and civil society were invited to support and contribute to a rural transformation towards a more sustainable model. "The participation of rural youth is crucial to ensure a more just and balanced future, where their voices are heard and their potential is recognised. To play their role for a sustainable and biodiverse green planet," said Mario Beccia, director of AICS in Bogotá with expertise on the rest of South American countries.
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