History will most likely – and hopefully – remember this 20 September 2019 as the day when the fight for climate justice finally took centre stage, when thanks to courageous and visionary young people it was no longer possible to ignore the fact that climate change is an existential threat that must be taken very seriously.
On this occasion, and while hundreds of thousands of people – mainly students, but joined by their parents, by trade unionists, media workers, people from all walks of life – marched through the streets of places as far apart as Sydney, Nairobi, Delhi or London, Saint Lucian poet, dramatist and activist Kendel Hippolyte once again issued his call for artists throughout the world to add their voice to the cry for climate justice.
"We cannot - CANNOT - look at our children and grandchildren and say we did nothing or we did not know what to do. Whatever artistic gift we have - and whatever rewards it brings or we hope it will bring - will not mean a thing if all we hand over to our descendants as we leave is a planet which is their funeral pyre even while they are alive,” says Hippolyte in his call.
This call is part of a campaign launched in 2015 at the initiative of Panos Caribbean to raise awareness about the threats posed by climate change and to support the position of Caribbean countries calling for urgent action so as to ensure that average global temperatures do not rise more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above what they were two centuries ago.
The campaign works closely with musicians and other artists, and Kendel Hippolyte explains why it is important for artists to become involved in the fight for climate justice: “it is important,” he says, “because artists can make you feel, and when you feel something, that’s when you want to act”.
In this second video, Kendel Hippolyte expresses his hopes and his belief in the role artists and young people can play to save our planet.
Voices for Climate Change Education artists Amechie, Slyce SO3 and Rohan Shakes share why climate change is their business. Is it yours?
Special thanks to our partners the Planning Institute of Jamaica, the Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (PPCR) Jamaica, the Climate Investment Funds, the World Bank, the Forestry Department of Jamaica, and the Climate Change Division - Jamaica (CCD Jamaica). Join them on Twitter!
How will I change, how have I changed, how can I change, how should I change, in the face of climate change?
A Jamaican Youth Video Competition
Submission deadline: Friday 18 October 2019
What is this competition?
With the support of the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), and as part of the Improving Climate Data and Information Management Project of Jamaica’s Strategic Programme for Climate Resilience (SPCR), Panos Caribbean is implementing a campaign under the Voices for Climate Change Education Initiative. This campaign promotes climate change awareness and community resilience through the engagement of popular artists and performers, and the production and dissemination of creative materials and messages.
As part of this campaign, Panos Caribbean has launched a Youth Video Competition that is open to all registered students, or small groups of students, enrolled in Grades 10 and 11 as well as in Sixth Form during academic year 2019 – 2020, in Jamaica. The videos shall convey a simple, powerful and personal message, describing what the participant student (or small group of no more than four students) will do – or is already doing – to respond to the threat and impact of climate change in her/his home, community, school or club, or even on a larger scale.
What are the prizes?
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What are the rules?
Videos submitted for this competition:
How will the video be judged?
An independent panel of judges will apply the following criteria:
How do I submit a video?
There are three options:
[DEADLINE EXPIRED]
Submission deadline: Friday 18 October 2019
If you have any question or if you need help in submitting your video, contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will be happy to assist.