global day of action | LWF Youth Blog

By Njideka Onwunyi

I have for a very long time thought about what would be the best title for my first article once i create my own blog. Besides this I still wonder what would be the name of my blog. My care about a lot of issues like environmental sustainability, poverty, religion, sports, water, sanitation, green chemistry, sustainable development, creative writing, poetry, renewable energy, travel, music, and art are issues that interest and fascinate me. It is such personal concerns that urge me to voice my opinion when opportunity for same arises.

A strong belief and desire for change can be used to define me as an advocate longing for a better world. I long for a just and fair world to all, liberated from materialistic ideologies, one that respects nature and creation. A home for all that tackles with sincerity issues of climate change and environmental degradation. An ideal world for me would also have total harmony devoid of poverty. I wonder if such a world is possible! In my opinion yes, such a world is possible to realize and I invite you to join the movement of people from diverse ethnic and religious background both youthful and dreamers to such a world.

Njideka Omwunyi ready for task ahead as an advocate on climate change issues.

The fact that I know am not alone even strengthens more. Such thoughts would never have filled my mind without participating at the jointly organized eco-justice training by World Council of Churches and the Lutheran World Federation. It has been a privilege to be part of the civil societies’ activities currently taking place at the United Nations Framework Conference on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Conference of Parties (COP17) meeting in Durban, South Africa.

The sessions conducted daily at the eco-justice training have enlightened me in a great way. I have learnt about the Christian perspective to eco justice, which has set a solid foundation for my future advocacy plans. I now have deeper understanding of my responsibility as a Christian to become more active in my context. Sometimes back the world struggled to believe that man would one day walk on the moon. There may be many who will read my article and rubbish it as mere ‘dreams of impossibility’; What have experienced In Durban keeps my hopes alive and am determined to amplify my voice as an advocate for eco-justice.

Ms. Njideka Onwunyi, 26 is a participant at the Eco-Justice training and she is from the Roman Catholic Church in Logos, Nigeria

By Raquel Helene Kleber

An estimated 20.000 people gathered at this year’s Global Day of Action in Durban, South Africa, during COP17. The demonstration held in Durban has for years became a tradition at the United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change. This year’s event caught the attention of various global media.

Eco-Justice youths sending loud message to world climate polluters during the Global Day of Action in Durban, South Africa

The non-violent march involved international and national community, religious and environmental organizations, civil society, academia, youth, and counted with the active participation of the youth from the Eco-Justice training, jointly organized by the World Council of Churches Water Network and the Lutheran World Federation.

The youth spotted a banner saying ‘Polluters Pay’ which included names of the main polluters countries. As a participant, we joined the call urging international leaders to take concrete actions towards addressing climate change, in addition to an urgent legally binding and just agreement.

For many youth, the demonstration’s at the Global Day of Action was their first time, and they were very impressed by the non-violent approach of the march, which they termed as a celebration to achieve an Eco-Just economy and society. One of the participants even expressed that “it was not only a call to tell polluting countries to pay, but also to recognize ourselves as individual polluters”.

Climate change is one of the signs of the groaning of creation, which is suffering the consequences of human mistreat and is also a sign of injustice, when the most vulnerable and the minorities face the greatest consequences. In order to tackle this problem, a change in the economic system is demanding, but also a change in our actions from the position of dominators to stewards of God’s creation.

In the process of creating a more Eco-Just world, the youth has a significant role to play, since we are the ones who have hope and energy that can be used to change these situations, added to our abilities of networking and technology for change. We are the ones who will be affected by today’s decision, and yet “we have a unique opportunity to become a solution in this world”, said Isaiah Kipyegon.

Tag Archives: global day of action

Stop dreaming, start acting

Y4EJ youth participate in Global Day of action demonstration

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