Teenager Khushi Chindaliya from Surat, Gujarat, was recently appointed as the Regional Ambassador for India by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) - Tunza Eco-Generation (TEG). An avid nature lover and passionate environmentalist, she will work with the TEG on various environmental awareness programmes till February 2021.
Chindaliya recently completed her schooling and wishes to pursue economics and liberal arts in college next year, Indiatimes reported. Chindaliya’s appointment as India’s green ambassador will allow her to raise awareness about the need to safeguard environmental treasures. Additionally, the teenager will also have a platform to discuss India’s contribution to environmental conservation on a global level.
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What You Should Know:
- The United Nations Environment Programme - Tunza Eco-Generation recently appointed 17-year-old Khushi Chindaliya as the Regional Ambassador for India.
- Chindaliya’s appointment as India’s green ambassador will allow her to raise awareness about the need to safeguard environmental treasures.
- Given the present Coronavirus restrictions, the teenager will conduct her awareness sessions online.
Young Green Crusader
Khushi Chindaliya's subtle observations spurred her environmental activism. She told ANI, “When I and my family shifted to a new house in the city, I could see greenery all around." However, she saw solid forests gradually replacing the trees over the years. Chindaliya added “… I realized that my younger sister would not be able to enjoy the beauty of nature as I had in childhood." Passionate to preserve nature's beauty for future generations, she started her environmental conservation efforts.
Notably, the teenager will conduct her awareness sessions online because of the present Coronavirus restrictions. Outlining her responsibilities, Chindaliya said, “This month I will be sharing reports and speaking on what my government is doing for the environment and how education can help arrest the decline." Furthermore, she will also get a chance to understand the global environmental situation through interactions with other Regional Ambassadors.
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Family Expresses Pride
Chindaliya’s mother, Binita, is extremely proud of her daughter’s stellar achievement. She told ANI, "We had a green cover near our house where several species of birds and animals would frequent. Khushi would always go with her younger sister to observe them from the balcony.”
Her mother added, “I have always raised my children to be environmentally conscious and keep the environment clean. I am very proud that Khushi has been given such a big responsibility.”
Other Young Environmentalists
Young activists, particularly girls, have contributed immensely to the environmental and climate change movements in the recent past. In 2019, Ridhima Pandey, a 12-year-old girl from Uttrakhand, attended the United Nations Climate Action Summit, an annual conference organised under the aegis of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). At the event, she and 15 other activists filed a complaint against government inaction on the climate change crisis.
In August 2018, Greta Thunberg, a Swedish activist, drew international attention to climate change by spending her school days protesting outside the Swedish parliament. Consequently, her efforts earned her Nobel Peace Prize nominations for two consecutive years (2019 and 2020). Also, the Time magazine named her as their Person of the Year in 2019.
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Tarini Gandhiok is an intern with SheThePeople.TV
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