SGI-Italy participated in “Youth4Climate: Sparking Solutions 2023”, the global initiative co-lead by UNDP (United Nations Sustainable Development Program) and the Italian government, along with other strategic partners, with the aim of building an inclusive and safe environment for youth leadership and cooperation for climate action. There are four thematic areas of focus within the program: climate education, energy, food and agriculture, and urban sustainability.
One hundred and thirty young people under 30, from 63 countries, participated in the initiative that was held in Rome from October 17-19. Numerous high-level sessions were held in the presence of the highest international and Italian institutional leaders. During the closing session, which was held on October 19 at Casina di Macchia Madama, an award ceremony was held for the climate action projects supported by the international organization. The participants included: Achim Steiner (UNDP Administrator), Antonio Tajani (Vice President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation), Gilberto Pichetto Fratin (Minister of the Environment and Energy Security), and the heads of UN agencies in the Rome hub, among others. Alberto Aprea, President of SGI-Italy, attended the event with a brief institutional greeting.
“In the Buddhist perspective, the human species is not the ruler of the planet – says Alberto Aprea – the universe is a single living entity in which each individual life form, the environment surrounding it and all phenomena are connected in a web of relationships of interdependence and mutual support. In light of this, taking care of the environment is equivalent to taking care of life itself”.
Consistent with this vision, in 2024 SGI-Italy – as part of its “Cambio io, cambia il mondo” (“I change, the world change”) campaign – promotes an exhibition throughout Italy with the aim of raising awareness about the need to act now to combat climate change. Since 1983, every Jan. 26, the founding day of the SGI, Daisaku Ikeda has sent a “Peace Proposal” to the United Nations and dignitaries around the world in which he examines the most pressing problems humanity that humanity faces. He highlights, in addition to practical solutions, the philosophical principles that can support radical change. Notably, at COP27, SGI helped organize an official side event titled “Youth and Faith,” in collaboration with an African Catholic youth organization. SGI-Italy decided to support Youth4Climate and help increase the number of winning projects from the call for proposals through 8×1000 funds, thus enabling more young people to receive financial support.