Odisha’s youth light the spark: OCOY 4.0 opens with Governor’s call to lead climate fight
By Priyanka Mohapatra
Bhubaneswar, Aug. 11: The fourth edition of the Odisha Conference of Youth (OCOY 4.0) began at XIM University, Bhubaneswar, on Monday, bringing together more than 150 young delegates from all 30 districts to deliberate on building a climate-resilient future.
The three-day conference, organised by the Youth4Water Plus campaign in partnership with UNICEF Odisha, the Government of Odisha and over 50 partner organisations, is themed “Building Next Generation Climate Leaders.”
Inaugurating the conference, Odisha Governor Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati urged young people to move beyond awareness and become agents of change in their communities.
“Climate change is no longer a distant threat but a lived reality. Odisha is not a land of victims but a land of survivors,” he said, urging delegates to return to their districts as “ambassadors of sustainability” and inspire others through action.
Prasanta Kumar Dash, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Odisha, stressed the importance of meaningful youth participation in climate decisions. “Children and young people are not passive beneficiaries of the world adults build for them. They are rights-holders, entitled to participate in decisions that shape their lives. UNICEF sees you as partners, not as an audience,” he said.
Dr Fr. K. S. Casimir, SJ, Vice-Chancellor, XIM University, highlighted the role of education in empowering young people to become responsible leaders and active contributors to climate action.
During the conference, delegates will take part in climate simulations, negotiation exercises, field visits, innovation challenges and policy dialogues. A field visit to Bidyadharpur village and the Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Puri will expose participants to community-led climate-resilient practices.
The delegates will also pitch green enterprises during the Eco-Tank session, deliberate on environmental issues through a Tribunal for Environmental Justice, and draft a Youth Statement to be presented to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi at the valedictory session on August 12.
Among those present at the inaugural session were Padma Shri Sabarmatee, Harsha Bharda, Shipra Saxena, Sujit Mahapatra and Blorin Mohanty. Delegates also watched a special video message from UNICEF Ambassador and actor Ayushmann Khurrana, encouraging youth to address the climate crisis through hope, innovation and action.
The conference underlines the growing role of young people as both those affected by climate change and key providers of solutions.
