The Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens is thrilled to announce the launch of the “Your Future in Green Jobs” Online Course supported by Dubai Cares, a civil society organization formally associated with the United Nations Department of Global Communications (UN DGC) and in partnership with Unbounded Associates, and Plan International at the RewirEd Summit, which was hosted on 8 December, 2023 inside COP28’s Green Zone at the Connect Conference Center at Expo City Dubai. Tailored for young people aged 14 to 20 years, this groundbreaking course empowers youth to align their passions, interests, and skills with meaningful green careers that address the climate crisis head-on.

The Online Course was announced at the panel session on “Green Jobs: Paving the Way to a Sustainable Future” at the RewirEd Summit, Dubai Cares’ flagship platform advocating for rewired education systems as the core enabler for a sustainable future for people and planet. The discussion showcased how green jobs are attractive, accessible and achievable for young people and explored the pivotal role in fostering both environmental preservation and economic growth. The panel convened high-level speakers, policymakers, experts and youth, such as H.E. Ban Ki-moon, 8th UN Secretary-General & Co-chair of the BKMC, H.E. Irina Bokova, Former UNESCO Director-General, H.E. Rossieli Soares, Secretary of State for Education from Pará, Brazil, H.E. Miguel Sedoff, Minister of Education, Science and Technology from Misiones Province of Argentina, H.E. Dr. Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer and Vice-Chairman of Dubai Cares, Sharon Armstrong, Director General of Social Development, Global Affairs Canada, Kathleen Sherwin, Chief Strategy and Engagement Officer, Plan International, Lateefa Alnoaimi, YOUNGO Green Jobs Working Group, Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineer and Monika Froehler, CEO of the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens.

The online course is a key initiative of the partnership between the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens and Dubai Cares and follow their joint commitment to position education and youth empowerment as key solution to address the climate crisis and accelerate action for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Paris Climate Agreement.

H.E. Ban Ki-moon, the 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations & Co-chair of the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens, summarized this initiative as, “More than ever, young people are looking for guidance on how to contribute to a green future. Elevating youth voices as changemakers will ensure more relevant, flexible and resilient solutions to address problems on a local, regional and global level. Our work will be greener, our life will be greener, and our future will be greener.”

“For the first time in all the Conference of Parties, education is at the heart of the world’s discussion to tackle the connection between education and climate change. We are proud to launch the online course “Your Future in Green Jobs” and hope to contribute to a COP of implementation, where we pave the way to a sustainable future by empowering youth for climate action. We thank once more Dubai Cares for their continuing support and leadership as we hope this course will be an important milestone for young people on their road towards a greener future.”- Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens CEO Monika Froehler

Commenting on the announcement, H.E. Dr. Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer and Vice-Chairman of Dubai Cares, said: “By investing in quality education and youth, we can solve the most complex issues of our time, especially the impacts of climate change. We are confident that we are bringing forward such a solution at the second edition of the RewirEd Summit at COP28 by launching our joint online course “Your Future in Green Jobs” with our key partner the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens. Through this course, we tap into the unlocked passion and skill set of youth, create meaningful opportunities and place them at the heart of climate action to lead the transition to a greener economy and a sustainable future.”

The online course features interactive assignments, videos, and ample reflection spaces, providing participants with a comprehensive understanding of climate change and their personal roles and their future in driving positive climate action for people and planet.

More about the online course here: https://bankimooncentre.org/our-work/your-future-in-green-jobs

About Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens:

The Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens’ mission is to foster leadership for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement by inspiring current decision makers and empowering the next generation of changemakers. Working with governments, civil society, academia, and international organizations, the BKMC reaches more than 700,000 people around the world. Located in Vienna, Austria, the BKMC is co-chaired by the 8th Secretary-General of the UN, Ban Ki-moon, and the 11th President of the Republic of Austria, Heinz Fischer.

About Dubai Cares:

Since its inception in 2007, Dubai Cares, part of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, has been working towards providing children and youth in developing countries with access to quality education through the design and funding of programs that aim to be impactful, sustainable and scalable. To date, the UAE-based global philanthropic organization has successfully launched education programs reaching over 21 million beneficiaries in 60 developing countries.

Dubai Cares plays a key role in helping achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, which aims to ensure inclusive and quality education for all, and promote lifelong learning by 2030, by supporting programs in early childhood development, access to quality primary and secondary education, technical and vocational education and training for youth as well as a particular focus on education in emergencies and protracted crises. Moreover, Dubai Cares adopts a strategic approach to improve student enrollment and learning outcomes through an integrated school health and nutrition model that is made up of school-based deworming activities, school feeding, and WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene) in schools.

Dubai Cares is a civil society organization formally associated with the United Nations Department of Global Communications (UN DGC), as well as a registered non-government organization under IACAD, the charitable activities regulator in Dubai. The UAE-based global philanthropic organization is authorized to raise funds through direct donations and fundraising campaigns, as well as process all permit approvals with IACAD.

Volunteerism is a powerful tool to Dubai Cares in order to engage people in tackling development challenges. Dubai Cares rallies the UAE wider community through a large spectrum of volunteering and awareness initiatives that are linked to its global mandate.

To learn more, please visit www.dubaicares.ae