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As part of her climate change initiative on the continent, Ms Chido Cleopatra Mpemba, the African Union Commission Youth Envoy, planted trees in Bulawayo where she engaged young people in a one-week-long climate change youth symposium.
Speaking after the tree planting exercise at Mawaba Primary School, Mpemba reiterated the urgent need for the youth to prioritize mitigating and adapting to the climate change crisis.
“As part of this exercise of planting trees in this country, I urge everyone to be more proactive towards saving our Mother Earth as there is no other planet that we can migrate to.
“As part of my mandate as the AU Youth Envoy, I have planted more than 500 trees on the continent to conscientise the youth towards saving our planet,” reiterated Mpemba.
The one-week symposium she hosted saw participants being awarded certificates after being trained by climate experts.
Meanwhile, also speaking at the opening of the event, the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, Honorable Judith Ncube hailed Ms Mpemba for bringing such initiatives to the Zimbabwean youth.
“Climate change is not a distant threat but rather a reality and it profoundly impacts our environment, economy, and society. Zimbabwe, just like any other nation, bears the brunt of climate change. It faces erratic weather patterns, prolonged droughts like the current El Niño, and severe storms. These changes require urgent and sustainable action, making a gathering like this symposium incredibly significant,” said the Minister.
She thanked all the participants for making an effort to attend the training that aims to address the problem of our time as she put it.
“You are the torchbearers of change, and your active involvement is crucial in driving meaningful climate action,” she said.