Youth Leadership Project Drives Localized Sustainability and Empowers Thai Youth to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals

Thammasat University Rangsit Campus - On Sunday, July 2, 2023, Mr. Ply Pirom, Project Manager (Sustainable Consumption and Production) at WWF Thailand, captivated the audience with an insightful lecture on the sustainable food systems. The ignited a spark of knowledge and inspiration among the attendees. This session was a pivotal component of the "Youth Leadership Project to Drive the Sustainable Development Goals ; Young Move SDGs Forward Camp"
 
The youthful participants, driven by a shared commitment to drive Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), found themselves immersed in an atmosphere brimming with intellectual growth and profound connections. By the conclusion of Mr. Pirom's engaging lecture, these bright minds were equipped with a comprehensive understanding of how sustainable food systems intertwine with the pivotal SDGs 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) , focusing on sustainable production and consumption. The lecture fostered a deepened awareness and paved the way for informed action toward a more sustainable future.

The event was acollaborative effort between the Youth Association for Sustainable Development for Thailand (YSDA), in partnership with the Centre for SDG Research and Support: SDG Move at the Faculty of Economics, Thammasat University, and the SDGs Hub Thammasat University.

The YSDA are a youth organisation with the objective of moving forwards the SDGs. The YSDA also supports volunteer activities at the youth level in order to give young people opportunities to be a part of activities that develop society, economy and environment towards sustainability.

YSDA’s has the following objectives

• To organise youth volunteer activities to develop local areas towards the SDGs
• To drive the YSDA through the development of youth, instilling confidence in their own potential based on the principles of ‘living together in harmony within society,’ and creating awareness that youth are an important part of national development through sustainable local living.
• To support the creation of activities aligned with SDGs goals, with youth being the focal point of these activities

Organized from June 30 to July 3, 2023, this camp aimed to guide and empower approximately 500 proactive Thai youth who possess a  desire to spearhead sustainable development initiatives. Fueled by passion and determination, these enthusiastic participants seized the opportunity to engage in thought-provoking meetings and lively discussions. Through these exchanges, they delved into diverse strategies and pathways to propel the SDGs forward. These  young individuals, driven by a shared vision, subsequently participated in project development activities, with the aim of implementing impactful initiatives within their own communities. By driving localized sustainability, they aspire to catalyze transformative change at the grassroots level, ultimately fostering progress toward achieving the SDGs by 2030.
 
This collaborative activity aligns with the SCP project's objectives to create youth advocates for sustainability. Through activities like this, the YSDA will become agents for change in the food system. They will create change within their localized contexts and contribute towards creating a more sustainable food system.

By raising awareness and diligently imparting knowledge, this collaboration not only empowers the youth but also nurtures a generation who are poised to become natural contributors to the achievement of the SDGs by 2030.

Mr. Ply Pirom's lecture was based of a series of infographics developed from The Food System and Sustainable Lifestyles: Youth Education Content report  by Rao United for WWF Thailand. 

The topcs convered in the lecture included 

1. Our Food System 
2. Resouces Used in Our Food System 
3. Climate Change Impacts in Our Food System 
4. Human rights and Equality in Our Food System 
5. Sustainable Lifestyles 

Each of the first four topics explored issues present in our food system in detail, covering the whole food value chain from production to consumption. Whilst the last topics which concluded the presentation offered solutions to some of the issues, specifically things we as consumers can do to create a more sustainable food system throgh living more sustainable lifetyles. 

The report, infographics and infographics complied into ebook format can be viewed and downloaded here.