On Saturday, 11 November 2023, Grenadian national Dominique Assing left the Island to participate in the 13th UNESCO Youth Forum 2023 in Paris, France.
This year’s Youth Forum focused on the Social Impacts of Climate Change and the need to achieve an equitable climate transition. Assing was chosen by UNESCO to attend the conference as the youth delegate representative for Grenada at their headquarters, 13–15 November. The forum comprised young changemakers from 140 countries and gave them the opportunity to have their voices heard by helping to shape policy.
Throughout the forum, delegates were brought together with like-minded young people to develop solutions to address the social impact of climate change around the globe. As part of the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) team of approximately 30 members, Assing led her region’s subgroup that focused on identifying the negative environmental effects on human health. The LAC region delegates then made a submission with recommendations to UNESCO’s youth ministers showcasing various aspects and solutions for minimising the social impacts of climate change.
Recognising that Grenada is particularly vulnerable to climate change and resulting social impacts, the 21-year-old delegate felt confident representing Grenada at UNESCO’s forum. She confirmed that her experiences and qualifications prepared her for the challenge. Over the past 4 years, she participated in environmental courses and programmes, worked in paediatric genetic clinics, and assisted in medical outreach throughout Grenada. Such involvement enabled her to gain knowledge and experience which allowed her to make relevant contribution at the Climate Forum regarding the issues facing Grenada, and the Caribbean. Having attained language certifications in French and Korean, these skills were a significant asset during the Paris conference which allowed her to fluently communicate Grenada’s perspectives with delegates from around the world.
In 2023, Assing was selected as a Rhodes Scholar finalist candidate to Oxford University for the Commonwealth Caribbean. She graduated in May 2023 from St George’s University summa cum laude with a BSc in Biology, focusing on pre-medical and environmental sciences. As a teenager attending Westmorland School, Assing commenced her community service in marine and environmental initiatives. As an environmental and science enthusiast she strongly expresses the importance of working within our own communities to recognise the negative impacts of our changing environment on our local populations, and to understand where help is needed most. Assing is scheduled to return home on 17 November. In the months ahead, she looks forward to building on the experiences from the UNESCO Youth Forum, partaking in health research projects, continuing her involvement in environmental and medical initiatives around Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique, and hopes to enter medical school in January 2024.
