The 76th anniversary of the United Nations charter, also known as UN Day, was also celebrated in India on October 24.

The United Nations in India celebrated this milestone with a first-ever solar-powered event at the International Solar Alliance in Gurgaon to recognize the country’s commitment to climate action, highlighting its enduring partnership with the Government and the people of India.

The commemoration also showcased the incremental role young people are playing in India achieving its climate ambition– a culmination of the We The Change campaign which I am sure you are aware of.

Of the 18 youth leaders selected by the UN for the campaign, Garvita Gulhati, Nidhi Pant and Sanju Soman joined key policy makers for an enlightening discussion on the role of young people in advancing climate action in India. 

The three youth leaders at the event included Garvita Gulhati who has been called the ‘Water Girl of India’ given her focus on water conservation– in fact, she has helped save 6 million litres of water through her app – Why Waste? 

Sanju Soman who comes with over seven years of experience in working with vulnerable communities and mentoring climate start-ups, and has launched the largest upcycling effort in Kerala, converting 30 tonnes of cloth waste into reusable products.

Nidhi Pant who is co-founder of S4S Technologies that converts farm losses into value-added products through the intervention of sustainable solar-powered technology. She is the winner of the Women Transforming India Awards by NITI Aayog and United Nations (UN) and has also been listed in Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia and Winner of Unilever Young Entrepreneur Award 2019.

They highlight the importance of supporting the passion of young people to build sustainable futures with educational courses, skill building, and opportunities for green development in all areas of work. Each of the youth leaders represent a new horizon for India’s young generation to make impactful change.