Jamie Saunders, the Executive Director of the Directorate of Gender Affairs, is one of 100 young people from around the world who has been selected to take part in the International Youth Climate Delegate Program.

Saunders was selected from a field of over 11 000 applicants.

The program will include 100 youth within the international climate policy negotiation process, with a priority for delegates from countries on the list of Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Indigenous Peoples and other minority groups around the world.

It will be overseen by COP28 Youth Climate Champion Her Excellency Shamma Al Mazrui, in collaboration with YOUNGO, the Official Children and Youth Constituency of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

A statement from Gender Affairs stated that the objectives of the program are to Ensure that youth views and proposals are fully integrated into global climate policymaking and dialogues.

“Another major objective is to build youth skills, capacity, knowledge, and networks, particularly in the most impacted countries, to engage in climate processes. As part of the Program, Saunders will Participate in the 18th Conference of Youth in the UAE, as well as COP28 at Expo City Dubai, UAE”, according to the release

Meanwhile, Saunders is humbled and grateful for the opportunity to represent Antigua and Barbuda in this program.

He said he will be “aiming to strengthen his capacity within the field of climate change adaptation and mitigation, as well as using the platform provided to mainstream gender equality, social considerations, and youth issues into international climate change discourse and policy negotiations.”

The program will be held on June 9.