Summary
Commission on Education and Communication (CEC), one of the five Commissions of The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), initiates efforts to engage in Intergenerational Partnership for Sustainability (IPS) in support of IUCN’s mission of biodiversity conservation, e.g. collaboration that encourages the exchange of ideas and experiences, mutual learning, and meaningful action across generations, geographies and genders. They aim to increase the number and engagement of young people all IUCN Commissions, and have established young professional networks and the IPS Task Force so far.
The central goal of IPS is to contribute to enhancing current and emerging leadership – especially within and through IUCN- to help address complex global challenges, especially climate change, biodiversity loss, poverty, and gender inequity.
IPS is a model of collaboration based on “respect and care for the community of life,” the Earth, and future generations. It consists of exchange of experiences and new ideas, collaboration, and action between women and men of different generations and cultures, working toward the common vision of a “just, sustainable, and peaceful world”.
Points about the partnership
The benefits of engaging in intergenerational partnership include:
・improved communication and understanding between different generations
・sustaining the values in society, while allowing flexibility for change
・enhanced sustainability decision-making
・improved intergenerational equity
・better outcomes on sustainability projects
Outcome
The first youth in the IUCN council
IPSTF members supported Grace Mwaura from Kenya to be appointed to represent the youth perspectives in the IUCN council in 2009. As a result, she has worked for four years (2009-2013) as the first youth councilor, and kept to appeal the importance of education for young people and intergenerational partnership.
Grace and IPSTF members were leading a workshop on intergenerational partnership at the IUCN Congress which was held in Jeju, Korea 2012. More people takes part in the discussion and more activities are expected.
Category：Education and Communication
Theme(s)：Climate Challenge, Biodiversity/nature conservation
Actor(s)：IUCN-CEC ( URL：http://www.iucn.org/about/union/commissions/cec/）
Partner(s)：Youth
Reference
http://www.iucn.org/about/union/commissions/cec/cec_how_we_work/youth___ips/
http://intergenerationalpartnership.wikispaces.com/home
http://www.iucn.org/about/union/commissions/cec/
http://www.iucn.jp/cec.html
