The Negrense youth climate advocate, who is the only Filipino to be given a prestigious title as “global changemaker” this year, is now attending the 2019 Global Youth Summit in Switzerland. Elmeer Meeynard Calimpos, 21, of Barangay 16 in Bacolod City, is among the 60 young people chosen by international organization Global Changemakers mainly for the “solution” he initiated addressing climate change and plastic pollution. They are currently joining the network of “global changemakers” comprised of at least 1,000 young leaders from across the world for a week-long summit running until tomorrow, July 19. Calimpos said being in an international network of young leaders around the world is bliss to develop my skills in attaining sustainable development goals. Calimpos said he realized that young people can change the world through grassroots activism like community development, social action, and social planning. “I can attest how inspiring and moving my fellow changemakers are and it would be an honor if I could do something big for my dear city and province someday,” he added. The Negrense youth environment advocate is the founder of the Bacolod Core: Children Optimization for the Revitalization of Environment. Bacolod Core is a local youth-led organization with a heart for building a community of environmentally conscious children for the children to their children, the nation, and to God. Through the organization formed in February 2018, he is advocating for a multi-step learning process to the children on their formative stage. This is through inculcating the values of environmental stewardship through education, experiential learning and exposure for a sustainable and balanced ecology. Calimpos earlier told SunStar Bacolod that joining the event is a freedom for a young Filipino like him to represent the Philippines to tell its conservation stories, struggles, and legacies. “I want to attend this summit because I firmly care for my country which is one of the largest polluters of the ocean in the whole world,” he said, adding that “I want to explore with the dynamic culture of other nations and how they achieved sustainability through transformative research and innovation.”As a child advocate for climate, Calimpos said he wants his fellow “changemakers” to get closer to the children of their community since it is evident that mortality rate across the globe is increasing due to the changing climate. “I want the Global Youth Summit 2019 because of the knowledge-skills-attitude-values from the speakers which shall also be my guide in shaping my community for the better,” he said. Calimpos added “I believe I can make a big difference through global partnerships and collaborations.” During the summit, participants will attend lead training sessions, networking and workshops to enhance their skills such as campaigning, fundraising, project management, leadership, public relations, pitching and learning from each other’s experiences. The “changemakers” will also have the opportunity to pitch their ideas to an enabling panel for the eligibility to apply for grant funding in order scale up existing initiatives or create new projects. Calimpos said he will pitch his organization’s ongoing project for the children of Barangay Tangub in Bacolod City as it needs fund for sustainability. “I will emphasize the power of small communities and encourage the people to think globally as they act locally,” he added. (reprint from the news article of Mr. Erwin P. Nicavera, Sunstar, July 17, 2019)
