The 2nd Cohort of the U.S. Youth Advisory Council worked for 8 months on the goal of leading and organizing the World Oceans Day Youth Summit 2022 specifically for youth interested in marine and eco-justice spaces. The purpose of the summit was to introduce environmental activism to the participants of the summit. We brought together environmental activists from different organizations and provided them with a space to share their experiences and share their messages. Participants were offered the opportunity to network with these activists and ask for advice on how to get involved in their organizations.

The summit created a safe space for participants to learn about different environmental organizations and build interest in environmental activism, without the anxiety of figuring out where they should start.

It was a really inspiring event for the participants and the U.S. YAC UNOD movement committee both who organized and facilitated! We enjoyed learning about what others are doing as well as how we can all work together to bring change. In the leadup to the event we also got to work with a facilitation expert on how to organize effectively a virtual summit and facilitate from start to finish. It was hard work but so rewarding.