The Global Youth Biodiversity Summit kicked off today at Yerevan State University, bringing together around 400 young leaders aged 16–35, including 150 participants from abroad and 250 from across Armenia. During the two-day summit, participants will discuss the role of young people in biodiversity conservation, exchange experiences, present their initiatives and ideas, and prepare to engage actively in the discussions at the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17).
The opening ceremony was attended by and featured welcoming remarks from Armenia’s Minister of Environment Hambardzum Matevosyan, Krystyna Tatarian, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, Robert Abisoghomonyan, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Astrid Schomaker, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Sylvia Mestroni, UNICEF Deputy Representative in Armenia and Officer-in-Charge of the UNICEF Country Office in Armenia, YSU Rector Hovhannes Hovhannisyan; and representatives of international and local organizations.
The Global Youth Biodiversity Summit aims to strengthen youth engagement in biodiversity conservation, facilitate experience-sharing and develop practical recommendations for addressing environmental challenges. It is organized by the COP17 Presidency, the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) and the Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN), in cooperation with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), with financial support from the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of the Republic of Armenia and in partnership with the ‘Armenian Progressive Youth’ NGO, the ‘Youth Initiative Centre’ NGO in Gyumri, the ‘Yeghvard Youth Ecological’ NGO and the ‘OxYGen’ Foundation.
Minister of Environment Hambardzum Matevosyan emphasized the significance of the younger generation’s participation in and responsibility for biodiversity conservation, noting that decisions made today will have a direct impact on the lives of future generations. He thanked the Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN), the Armenian Youth Federation and all partners who contributed to organizing the summit.
ESCS Deputy Minister Krystyna Tatarian highlighted the vital role of young people in biodiversity conservation and sustainable development, stressing that a responsible attitude towards nature begins with recognizing the value of life. She noted that biodiversity conservation is more than just flora and fauna; it also concerns people, families and the environment in which future generations will live and grow.
“The issues discussed and decisions made here today can play a decisive role in shaping the relationship we want to build with nature—not only for ourselves, but also for our children and future generations,” she said.
The Deputy Minister also underscored the importance of environmental education, emphasizing that it should not be confined to the classroom but should become an integral part of young people’s everyday lives and public dialogue. She stressed the need to encourage young people to discover nature through direct experience, appreciate its value and help protect it.
“Nature does not always need additional human intervention. Often, it needs precisely the opposite: less intervention, less pollution, less destruction, less exploitation of natural resources and, above all, greater respect,” she noted.
Thanking the summit organizers and youth organizations, the Deputy Minister expressed hope that the ideas and recommendations emerging from the discussions would help address environmental challenges and bring about positive changes.
Astrid Schomaker, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, stressed that mobilizing young people is not merely desirable but absolutely essential.
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework specifically emphasizes the role of youth. Its key provisions must be implemented in accordance with the principle of intergenerational equity, while ensuring the meaningful participation of young people in decision-making processes at all levels,” Schomaker said.
YSU Rector Hovhannes Hovhannisyan noted that, at the university’s initiative, the University Biodiversity Coalition of Armenia had been established, bringing together the academic and research capacities of 15 higher education institutions. In COP17’s Green Zone, universities will showcase their research, innovative solutions and nature conservation initiatives, inviting visitors to discover biodiversity and the potential of science.
Sylvia Mestroni, Officer-in-Charge of the UNICEF Country Office in Armenia, also highlighted the importance of engaging young people in biodiversity conservation and efforts to address climate challenges. She further emphasized the significant role of civil society organizations, including the Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN).
“Biodiversity loss is not only an environmental crisis but also a children’s rights crisis, as healthy ecosystems directly determine the health, safety and well-being of children and young people by providing clean air, water and nutritious food, as well as protection from diseases and natural disasters,” Mestroni said.