OLINDA student Ryan Hyde is off to Qatar to witness United Nations talks on climate change.
The 18-year-old Swinburne University journalism student will make the trip with a Global Voices delegation of seven young Australians in late November.
They’ll have the chance to watch and influence international negotiations between countries at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s 18th Conference of the Parties.
“Attending this forum will allow me to put my skills and knowledge of tackling climate change into practice,” Ryan said.
He’s completing a research fellowship with Global Voices which will include producing a post-event paper on an aspect related to climate change to be published by Global Voices.
Through his selection for the delegation Ryan recently returned from Canberra where he met with former Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd, Foreign Minister Bob Carr, Climate Change Minister Greg Combet, opposition spokeswoman on foreign affairs Julie Bishop, opposition environment spokesman Greg Hunt, Greens leader Christine Milne, and Australia’s Ambassador for Climate Change Dr Justin Lee.
Global Voices was established in 2011 and seeks to encourage young Australians to participate in international diplomacy and improve their understanding.
It does this through regular events and research and development opportunities in Australia and by sending youth delegations to important diplomatic forums abroad.