Climate change activist from India wins pan-Common wealth Youth Awards

16 October 2013

The Commonwealth Youth Awards 2013 took place on 16^th October, 2013 at Commonwealth Secretariat, Marlborough House U.K. The awards were given for Excellence in Development Work to recognize the contribution of young people in achieving development goals. There were 16 finalists for the awards.

The opening ceremony witnessed many colorful cultural and dance performances and prominent speakers including Commonwealth Secretariat Youth Affairs Division Director Katherine Ellis; expressed their views and motivated the winners.

Priti Rajagopalan, a climate change activist from India was awarded a pan-Commonwealth & Asia region Commonwealth Youth Award; received a £ 5,000 grant towards her work at an award ceremony held at the Commonwealth secretariat’s headquarters in London. She works with the local communities and governments for environmental change.

She was joined at the ceremony by regional winners for Europe & Africa, the Caribbean including Canada & the Pacific, who each one a grant of £ 3,000: Ghanaian Gilbert Addah, Christaneisha Soleyn from Barbados and New Zealander Ariel Chuang. Ms.Rajagopalan was very excited to receive the award and said that it lifted her spirits and have motivated her to continue to excel in her work for the development . She also quoted that it’s a long road ahead for her !

Twelve additional finalists for the awards from Bangladesh, Canada, Jamaica, Mozambique, Pakistan, Rwanda, Samoa, Solomon Islands and South Africa each received a £ 1,000 grant.

The Commonwealth Youth Awards are run by the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Youth Affairs Division, which manages the Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP). Earlier this year, CYP launched the first Youth Development Index which measures the development and empowerment of young people in countries worldwide.

By Divya Sharma

Writer-YJAW