Pakistan Youth Parliament, in collaboration with the Prime Minister’s Youth Program, Alkhidmat Foundation Pakistan, and Lahore University of Biological and Applied Sciences, organized a one-day symposium on “Environmental Innovation and Advocacy” to celebrate World Environment Day 2024 at Lahore Medical and Dental College.

The event commenced with the inauguration of a plantation drive and the installation of bird feeders. The keynote speakers included:

– Prof. Dr. Sajjad Hayder Shaikh, Professor and Former Director Environment Department UET Lahore
– Dr. Ejaz Nazir, General Secretary, Alkhidmat Foundation Lahore
– Prof. Dr. Naeem Naqi, Vice Chancellor, UBAS
– Prof. Dr. Mansoor Ahmed, Executive Director, PGC Group

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲:

-𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻:𝗠𝗿. 𝗥𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝗦𝗶𝗸𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗮𝘆𝗮𝘁, 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗣𝘂𝗻𝗷𝗮𝗯
– 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗛.𝗘. 𝗤𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗺 𝗔𝗹𝗶 𝗞𝗵𝗮𝗻, 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲, 𝗟𝗮𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁

The symposium featured two panel discussions focused on addressing the alarming threat of climate change and its impacts, discussing solutions, and innovative ideas to mitigate these challenges.

𝑃𝑎𝑛𝑒𝑙 1 𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑑 “𝐴𝑙𝑎𝑟𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑇ℎ𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝐶𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒: 𝑅𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐴𝑐𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑚𝑖𝑎,” 𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑙𝑢𝑑𝑒𝑑:

– Dr. Muddasir Natt, Former Advisor to the Royal Agency for Environment UK
– Dr. Younas Zahid, Former Director EPD
– Dr. Muhammad Asim, Convener Committee on Climate Change and Environment Protection FPCCI
– Dr. Asifa, GCU Lahore

This panel was moderated by Mr. Hassaan bin Saadat, Faculty Member at PU and International Climate Reality Leader.

𝑃𝑎𝑛𝑒𝑙 2 𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑑 “𝐸𝑛𝑔𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝐶𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝐴𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠,” 𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑙𝑢𝑑𝑒𝑑:

– Ms. Saba Rana, Deputy Executive Officer on behalf of MD Punjab Safe Cities Authority
– Mr. Wajahat, Milkar Pakistan
– Mr. Muhammad Waseem, CEO ULearn
– Mr. Shiraz Hasnat, Senior Vice President, Lahore Press Club

The symposium also recognized outstanding individuals in the fields of advocacy, innovation, and NGO work. Ms. Sheeza Arshad and Mr. Tawseef were awarded awards.

Mr. Fahad Shahbaz the Guest of Honour while addressing the Symposium highlighted steps taken by Government of Pakistan and Prime Minister Youth program. He also discussed the Green Youth Movement initiative by PMYP. He distributed souvenirs among the Award winners and Guests.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐎𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐲𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐌𝐫. 𝐌𝐮𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐝 𝐀𝐛𝐮𝐛𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐫, 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐲 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐧𝐣𝐚𝐛 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭.

Muhammad Abubakar emphasized the responsibility to educate the younger generation about the impacts of climate change and to find solutions, reflecting a collective commitment to work together for environmental betterment.

𝐌𝐫. 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐒𝐢𝐤𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐮𝐧𝐣𝐚𝐛 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐆𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭 Opening Session highlighted that through education and awareness, we can secure our environment. He noted that the participation of youth is a testament to progress towards a better future. He emphasized the need for integrating environmental education into the curriculum to foster a generation that is conscious of and proactive about environmental issues.

𝐇.𝐄. 𝐐𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐦 𝐀𝐥𝐢 𝐊𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 (𝐑) 𝐋𝐚𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐆𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 underscored the importance of strengthening legal and social frameworks to combat climate change. He commended the efforts of the youth and stressed that collective action and robust legal measures are essential in addressing the environmental challenges facing Pakistan. He also highlighted the role of the judiciary in enforcing environmental laws and the need for a collaborative approach involving all sectors of society.

𝐀𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐲𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐌𝐮𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐝 𝐀𝐛𝐮𝐛𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐆𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬, 𝐌𝐫. 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐒𝐢𝐤𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇.𝐄. 𝐐𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐦 𝐀𝐥𝐢 𝐊𝐡𝐚𝐧, 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭.

The symposium provided a platform for detailed discussions on climate change and proposed various solutions, emphasizing the need for collective efforts to protect the environment.

Highlighting the importance of SDGs President Pakistan Youth Parliament thanked Alkhidmat Foundation Pakistan Prime Minister’s Youth Programme Lahore University of Biological & Applied Sciences for Collaborating to amplify impact on Proposal of Youth Parliament.