Voices of future generations need to be heard

Noumea

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Voices of future generations need to be heard

 

Reporter: Adel Fruean (Samoa Observer)

The voices of young scientists must be heard within science-based ministries and they must be involved in decision making.

This was the message from the youngest participant at the United Nations Decade of ocean science workshop for sustainable development 2021-2030 at the Pacific Community (SPC) headquarters in Noumea, New Caledonia this week.

Tyler-Rae Chung is representing the Pacific Youth Council (PYC) which is a regional non-governmental organisation based in Fiji that acts as an umbrella body for national youth councils across the Pacific region. It was established in 1996 in response to a call from national youth councils for a regional body to coordinate the needs and voices of youth. It envisions empowering young people to become active citizens and leaders.

“I envision a science-based ministry where policy makers can be better informed on development through science to achieve sustainable development goals, monitoring program and implementation with a strong emphasis of the inclusion of young scientist of today and the future.

“In terms of building their capacity, it’s important because decisions and outcomes made today will set the foundation for the next generation leaders,” she said.

The 25-year-old Fijian said she was a little upset that a video shown to the conference of young ocean scientists did not capture an important aspect of indigenous knowledge and her experience as part of the Uto Ni Yalo Trust, on a traditional voyaging vessel, that it has taught her more respect and value of the ocean.

“When looking at the outcomes of the United Nations Ocean Decade, it’s important to understand indigenous knowledge and impacting the grass root levels.

In the revised roadmap for the Ocean Decade it talks a lot about why the decade is needed and an aspect of it is to encourage science/ public and policy makers to think beyond businesses and a just blue economy but to aspire for real change.

And I believe real change starts with the education system and building their capacity, from grass root levels of indigenous knowledge to scientific knowledge and the policy mechanisms that are already set in place,” she told the participants.

Ms. Chung recommended the setting up of a mentoring and monitoring program, to ensure that we are walking the talk of providing a space for young voices to come through.

“It should be clear that the responsibility for this rests with both young people as well as educators and policy makers. With that being said, while young people’s voices need to be included, it is not without responsibility.

“It will be a platform where young scientists are mentored and nurtured to understand policy mechanisms already set in place, appreciate history, indigenous knowledge such as traditional navigation and wisdom passed down and have a good background in terms of monitoring stats [which the University of the South Pacific has already develop young scientist to some extent] to actually affect contributions to lessons learnt in all sectors willing to take the program on.

It will take commitment and time but the outcomes of this program if implemented successfully are long term new growth leadership to take ownership as young scientists to feed into my vision of a science-based ministry.

 

You are able to enjoy independent news coverage like the above through SPC’s (The Pacific Community) Australian funded Climate and Ocean Support Program in the Pacific (COSPPac).

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Geoscience, Energy and Maritime
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Pacific Community Centre for Ocean Science (PCCOS)
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Pacific Community Centre for Ocean Science (PCCOS)
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Geoscience, Energy and Maritime
Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)
New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT)
Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) - UNESCO
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Blue Pacific
Pacific Community Centre for Ocean Science (PCCOS)
Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)
New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT)
Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) - UNESCO
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Blue Pacific
Pacific Community Centre for Ocean Science (PCCOS)
New Caledonia
New Caledonia