Auckland, New Zealand: Fifty young leaders from more than 15 nations across the Pacific have been selected to participate in the 2022 Young Pacific Leaders (YPL) TechCamp for Climate Action. The United States (U.S.) Department of State, in partnership with Cultural Vistas, will host the upcoming in-person workshop October 29-31, 2022 in Auckland, New Zealand in conjunction with the Auckland Climate Festival.

During the TechCamp, participants will come together with regional and U.S. leaders in the field of climate science and science communication to identify innovative approaches to combat the climate crisis and drive environmental resilience.

“I am humbled and grateful to be selected as a Hawai’i representative to attend the Young Pacific Leaders TechCamp for Climate Action. I can’t wait to learn what I can do to further assist and serve Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities,”  says –Alana Wilson, Hawai’i TechCamp Delegate and Lead Researcher for Empowering Pacific Islander Communities under APPI Women Lead.

Alana is one of 50 Young Pacific Leaders selected for the TechCamp. Delegates include representatives from 350 Pacific, Pacific Climate Warriors, Pacific Blue Foundation, Hawaii Green Growth Local 2030 Hub, The Nature Conservancy, the Pacific Community, universities, and various national government ministries.

U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue, and Samoa Thomas Udall says the State Department is really pleased to be able to fund and support the program.

“This is a special and important program to encourage climate action and provide young leaders a chance to share what they are doing in our Pacific region. Following the workshop, TechCamp participants will incorporate learnings and technologies to implement seed grant-funded projects to mobilize climate change stakeholders in their communities.”

The White House noted at the recent first-ever U.S. Pacific Islands Summit Country in Washington D.C. in September 2022 that:

“We will work with the Young Pacific Leaders program to increase opportunities and develop new initiatives to engage young adults across the Pacific region in areas like education, the environment, civic leadership, and economic and social development” – The White House, Pacific Partnership Strategy of the United States, 2022