Peace Boat starts the third edition of the Ocean and Climate Youth Ambassador Programme in Malta

The third generation of Peace Boat’s Ocean and Climate Youth Ambassadors met in Malta on May 24, where the programme started with a series of events in Valletta. This time, a group of youth from Tuvalu, Fiji, Palau, Seychelles, Singapore, Saint Lucia, Montserrat and Trinidad and Tobago are travelling onboard Peace Boat until New York, where they will arrive to celebrate World Oceans Day at the United Nations headquarters.

In Valletta, the programme organized by Malta’s Climate Change Ambassador Professor Simone Borg began with an event at the University of Malta. Professor Borg welcomed the group of youth to the center where different professors, students and NGO representatives took part in an exchange of ideas. Professor Alan Deidun, Associate Professor at the Department of Geosciences of the University of Malta, introduced to the initiatives in Malta to identify and stop the presence of alien and Invasive species on the island. Ms Antonella Vassallo, Managing Director of the International Ocean Institute, spoke about the importance of educating people about the ocean. Professor Paul Pace introduced different activities that Malta is leading which involve young people and children contributing with their ideas and solutions to the country environmental issues. Finally, the group of Ocean and Climate Youth Ambassadors introduced their islands and the main problems that their communities are facing in regards to ocean degradation and the climate crisi, in some cases similar to the challenges that Malta is facing such as the loss of their natural resources.  

After the event in the University, the youth went to the Palace of Valetta for a courtesy call upon HE President of the Republic, George Vella. The youth visited the historic building of the Grandmaster's Palace, the official office of the President where His Excellency shared with them some historical facts about Malta, their environmental problems and asked to the youth a few questions about the situation in their islands.  

The day concluded with an event onboard Peace Boat's vessel with parliamentarians and members of the civil society in Malta. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion, Hon. Carmelo Abela; the Minister for the Environment, Sustainable Development and Climate Change, Dr. José A. Herrera; and the Minister for Education and Employment, Evaris​t Bartolo visited the ship to meet the youth and learn about Peace Boat’s activities.  The group of youth set sail onboard Peace Boat towards the next port, Motril, in Spain.