20 Dec 2019
Media and Creative Industries student participates in international climate talks
Institute of Media and Creative Industries student and climate advocate, Dainalyn Swaby, participated in the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 25) in Madrid earlier this month.
Dainalyn represented Jamaica and the Caribbean at a youth engagement session hosted by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Dainalyn joined 15 other youths from the Latin American region, sharing country experiences and youth contributions to climate change with the IDB team, facilitated by the bank’s Climate Change Division. The IDB will use this engagement to build on its work in Latin America and the Caribbean with a keen focus on strengthening the role of civil society in climate action.
Dainalyn is an MA Global Communication and Development student and has worked in lead communication roles for climate change projects in Jamaica and the Caribbean region.
Following the COP 25 experience Dainalyn, a 2019 Chevening scholar, convened at Wilton Park in West Sussex for a “Chevening Cop” with 29 other scholars from across the UK between 4-6 December 2019.
The three-day event titled The Climate Emergency sharing perspectives to facilitate global climate action featured expert presentations, group activities and roundtable talks with scholars from diverse professional backgrounds.
The engagement ran parallel to the COP 25 in Madrid and one year ahead of COP 26 which will be co-hosted by the UK and Italy. The discussion and recommendations for global climate action from the Chevening cohort will be submitted to the organisers for COP 26.
Commenting on her recent experiences, Dainalyn said: “Both events were extremely impactful, not only considering the thrill of being in a space with young people across the world but being able to hear and see first-hand the different country experiences. Being in these dialogues underscores the power of conversation and communication as the first step in addressing the climate challenge. We were able to unpack what action meant, not just to demand it at every level from our global leaders.
“For the Chevening Cop we identified practical ways we can individually and collectively unlock new levels of commitment in responding to climate change. We spent three days working together, exchanging experiences and best practices and making plans to connect our efforts in the spaces we occupy. Instead of saying what we do will not be enough, we are saying what we do will make a difference.”
Earlier in September, Dainalyn also participated in the first ever United Nations Youth Climate Summit with youth from over 140 countries, including recent graduate, Kristeena Monteith.