By Abbas Nazil
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has announced that he will present a letter written by children and youth outlining their commitments to climate action to world leaders during the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Pará.
The announcement came during the 6th National Children and Youth Conference for the Environment in Luziânia, Goiás, where the president praised the students for their leadership and emphasized the need to institutionalize climate education in schools.
He stressed that environmental learning should become part of Brazil’s cultural and educational system, not just an occasional initiative.
The conference, running until October 10, centers on education and climate justice and forms part of Brazil’s preparation for COP30, set for November.
The letter crafted by students commits to supporting indigenous peoples, quilombola communities, and family farmers, recognizing their ancestral knowledge as vital to environmental transformation.
It also highlights the importance of protecting all life on Earth with equity and inclusion, expanding disaster risk prevention, and resisting systems that perpetuate inequality and discrimination, including racism and environmental injustice.
President Lula said he intends to share a copy of the letter with every head of state attending COP30 to showcase the political maturity and environmental awareness of Brazilian youth.
Environment Minister Marina Silva, who initiated the first conference in 2003, commended the students’ proactive approach, noting that they focus on their own commitments rather than placing all responsibility on leaders.
This year’s conference mobilized 8,732 schools across 2,307 municipalities, including rural, indigenous, quilombola, and special-needs schools, with about 800 delegates participating in Luziânia.
Organized by the Ministries of Education and Environment, along with Science and Technology, the initiative has involved over 20 million participants since its inception.
