Climathon Jaffna 2020: the largest online youth gathering to discuss solutions for climate change

To bring forward effective solutions to the drastic climate change the world is undergoing , the youngsters from more than hundred and fifty major cities around the world are joining hands on November 13, 14 and 15 to participate in Climathon 2020. 

Contestants representing different cities in South Asia including Dhakka, Karachi, Hydrabath, Mumbai, and Jaffna are participating in the event this year.Climathon is an initiative started in Jaffna in 2019 and following its success, continuing for the 2nd year this time. Due to the COVID 19 pandemic situation around the world, we are conducting it online this time but we are sure this will never limit us from providing the best this year too.

The main organizer of this event this year is OMNE (Organic Movement of North and East). The Jaffna Municipal Council, Industrial Chamber Jaffna (CCIY), Northern Chamber of Information Technology (NCIT), Jaffna Learning Forum (JLF) and Suvadi foundation are joining hands as partners which undoubtedly adds more value for this event. Also foundations such as the Comdu.it & ITEE, functioning abroad are joining this initiative this year as partners which adds more value to the event.

Organizations that involve in social and environmental projects in Sri Lanka as Manitham, Vadamarachchi Pasumai Nizhalgal, Pasumai Nizhanlgal, Vithai Anaithum Virudchame, Audatham, Zero Plastic Forum, Sujatheena Illaingar Amaipu – Vavuniya, Suzhiyam Foundation –Batticaloa, Suvadugal and Sirakukal Amayam are also joining as the partners in this event. 

As a part of the project, an essay competition, painting competition and an innovation competition were conducted by Siragugal foundation and a photographic competition on climatic change by Manitham foundation for school students. As a regular practice, Climathon talks are being conducted on the changing climatic conditions and students and resource persons from relevant fields engage in this activity.

This time too, in Climathon 2020, there are variety of innovative ideas and working plans going to be brought to the stage by young entrepreneurs, innovators, university students and general public who are keen about the environment and these ideas are to be evaluated by professionals from 3 major areas of concern as sustainable Food and water Systems, Sustainable waste Management systems and Sustainable Transport systems and Renewable
Energy systems. 

The organizers believe the contestants will come up with sustainable and effective solutions to tackle the negative impacts of climatic changes around the world and in Jaffna, which is their main objective.

The event as planned will be starting on 13th November 2020 (Friday) with the Inauguration ceremony and the introduction session from 8.30 to 11.30 a.m. On the second day, 14th November 2020 (Saturday) at 8.30 a.m , Environmentalist Mr. P. Iyngaranesan will be joining us as a guest speaker and in the evening from 4p.m to 7p.m, a cultural evening related to the the environment named “Panpaadu Maalai” will be held. On the 3rd day 15.11.2020 (Sunday) at
8.30 a.m Mr. Riyaz Ahmad (Senior Lecturer, Eastern University) will join us as guest speakers. following that from 10 a.m, there will be a special forum with experts from relevant fields. It will be moderated by Emeritus Professor. Nadarajah Sriskandarajah (Agriculture). 

Kenyan Environmentalist and activist Wanjira Mathai, who is selected as one of the 100 most influential Africans in 2020, will also be joining this forum. She is the daughter of Wangari Maathai who is the founder of “Green Belt Movement; and the first African woman to win the Nobel prize in 2004.

Further, Prof. Arjen Wals who is a professor from the Department of Socio-ecological Sustainability, Wageningen University, Netherland and the Chairperson of UNESCO will be joining this forum. He is well known for supporting the development of whole schools’ approaches and sustainability and his teaching and research mainly focus on designing learning processes and learning spaces that enable people to contribute meaningfully to sustainability.

The central question in his work is: how to create conditions that support (new) forms of learning which take full advantage of the diversity, creativity and resourcefulness that is all around us. The Climathon will come to the closure with the awarding ceremony for winners on sunday evening from 4p.m to 7p.m.

The organizers cordially invite all to join in this event and support the younger generation and make this event a success. For further information please dial 0779866409 and 0764658482 or email to md@suvadi.org or by accessing their website : htts://climathon.climate-kic.org/jaffna