Patricia Juan Perez: “adolescents and young people are a major force for environmentalism in Cuba”

Patricia is a 21-year-old young woman who coordinates an environmental education project. In the My Action for the Planet campaign, coordinated by UNICEF’s office in Cuba, she has found a valuable space for learning and exchange.

Patricia Juan Perez is 21 years old and she studies Art History at the University of Havana. From her experience in environmental activism, she has been connected to the My Action for the Planet campaign, coordinated by UNICEF’s office in Cuba, in coordination with the Ministry of Education and other partners.

Patricia founded the “Gaia” environmental education project along with her fellow university student Paula Najmias. “It came from our interest in getting actively involved in the environmental education of children and adolescents. We detected the need to update and invigorate forms of learning related to the question of the environment and we decided to start a project in order to contribute to a more comprehensive education, which could achieve a local impact”.

They intend to raise awareness in the younger generations regarding the climate issues faced by the world today, and to encourage them to become actors for change in their own context. They also want to promote an intergenerational dialog, in which the views of young people may find a space and contribute to decision-making processes.

Patricia became connected with UNICEF Cuba’s work on adolescent empowerment regarding climate change when she was selected to participate in the Youth4Climate event, which was part of PreCOP26. “The UNICEF Cuba team contacted me and offered support and educational resources to prepare for Y4C. From that moment on, we began to collaborate in several experiences and activities related to climate action”.

My Action for the Planet is a UNICEF Cuba campaign that promotes the empowerment and participation of adolescents in the inclusive management of multiple disaster risks reductions and in the resilience against the negative effects of climate change in Cuba. Its main target group are children from 250 communities in six of the country’s provinces that are exposed to multiple risks. At the same time, it works with around 50 adolescents and young people from environmental projects in eight Cuban territories.