Ha Noi, 28th May 2021 - Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU), in collaboration with UNDP Viet Nam with technical experts from the Department of Climate Change (under Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment), organized the "Youth for Climate Innovation Contest." The contest seeks solutions and innovative ideas from youth union members, students, and young people across the country.

Attending the ceremony were representatives from the HCYU Central Committee, the Department of Climate Change (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment), UNDP Vietnam, Secretaries of the Youth Union of several universities, academies, and HCYU chapter in Hanoi, along with press and television reporters, youth union members and young people watching the live stream of the event on Facebook.

At the ceremony, participants asked questions, discussed the contest's contents with the Organizing Committee, and participated in a minigame on climate change.

Ms. Caitlin Wiesen, Resident Representative of UNDP Viet Nam, shared at the event: “A key finding of the Special Report on Youth for Climate Action that will be released tomorrow is that Vietnamese youth are a powerhouse for green innovation! We are delighted to be launching this Youth Innovation Contest which was highlighted as one of the core accelerators for unlocking the full potential of youth for advancing the climate agenda. We look forward to the innovations youth design for shaping a green Viet Nam that leads on climate action.”

Mr. Ngo Van Cuong, Secretary of the HCYU Central Committee, launched the Contest and expressed his hope "Vietnamese youth in general and youth union members, in particular, would propose creative, practical ideas that suitable on a local and regional level." At the same time, he called upon all levels of the Youth Union to communicate about the Contest on their communication channels.

The Contest will begin from 28th May 2021 to 8th August 2021. Young people from the ages of 16 to 35, who are Vietnamese citizens and currently live in Vietnamese territory, can submit their ideas and solutions for the following topics:

-         Creative communication to raise public awareness about climate change

-         Climate mitigation

-         Climate-responsible business strategies

-         Climate adaptation, prioritizing Nature-based solutions

This contest is part of the "Ho Chi Minh Youth Union participates in environmental protection, responding to climate change in the period of 2019 - 2022" project, which was approved by the Prime Minister under Decision No. 894/QD - TTg on 17th of July, 2019 and is part of the "Youth4Climate" initiative launched by UNDP Vietnam from July 2020.

The "Youth for Climate Innovation" contest promises to actively promote the role and creativity of youth union members and young people in the fight against climate change.

Contact Info:

Phan Huong Giang
Media and Communications Analyst, Climate Change and Environment
United Nations Development Program
Email: phan.huong.giang@undp.org
Tel: 0948.466.688

Nguyen Thi Minh Chau
Specialist of the Rural Youth Department
Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee
Email: minhchaunguyentwdoan@gmail.com / y4cicontest@gmail.com
Tel: 0916.263.999