The Local Conference of Youth Australia

A free online conference for young adults in Australia concerned about climate change.

We are stoked to invite you to LCOY Australia - a conference to share knowledge on climate change & empower young adults in Australia for local action.

The conference will run online across 4 sessions over the weekend.

You'll hear from experts, share ideas and network, collaborate with others, and more!

Together, we will create an outcomes document suggesting individual, community, government, and organisational actions.

This will feed into the outcome document for COY (Conference of Youth) where it will be shared with UNFCCC’s Action for Climate Empowerment Secretariat.

The theme is "Restoring the Climate: I am the Solution"

How the conference will run

The conference will run online via Zoom across 4 sessions (AEDT = Sydney/Melbourne time zones):

• Friday: 1 session, 6:30pm-8:15pm AEDT
• Saturday: 2 sessions, 9:30am-1pm & 4:40pm-7:45pm AEDT
• Sunday, 1 session, 10am-12:45pm AEDT

Full program below.

Speakers & Panellists

• Jimmy Cocking (CEO Arid Lands Environment Centre & Alice Spring Town Councillor)
• Anthony Hill (Founder, Plastic Pollution Solutions)
• Naomi Lacey (Community Gardens Australia President)
• Janine McBurnie (Associate Head of School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University)
• Emma O’Neill (Climate change and water expert)
• Naomi Edwards (Campaigns Manager, cChange)
• Joshua Gilbert (Indigenous Consultant, Agriculturalist & Innovator)
• Dr Michelle Maloney (Co-founder & National Convenor, Australian Earth Laws Alliance and Co-Founder & Director, New Economy Network Australia - NENA)
• Joanne Ludbrook (President, Australian Coastal Society)
• Nafisa (Award Winning Artist and Founder of Animal Works)
• Brenna Quinian (Permaculture Illustrator)
• Rosemary Morrow (International Permaculture Teacher and Author)
• Dr Tamasin Ramsay (Research & Policy Advisor to Andy Meddick MLC, Animal Justice Party)
• Lakshmi Gandu (Member of Toowoomba Youth Peace Group)
• Heeta Lakhani (YOUNGO, the official youth constituency of the UNFCCC)
• Renata Himiona (Company delegate for the United Nations Global Compact Young Professionals Program)
• Juan J. Vázquez Milling (Representative to the UN & former candidate for the Green Party of Canada)
• Sonja Ohlsson (Founder and Coordinator Brahma Kumaris Environment Initiative)
• Dr Johanna Nalau (Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Early Career Research Fellow)
• Sieta Beckwith (Narrative Director, CERES)
• Kirsty Argento (Community Development Professional)
• Charlie Trindall (Senior Project Officer, Healing and Government Relations Directorate, Aboriginal Affairs)

What is LCOY?

In brief, Local Conference of Youth (LCOY) is an initiative of YOUNGO, the official youth constituency at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

These conferences are held in countries across the world with the aim to provide a space to boost youth climate action locally, and act as a national version of the international Conference of Youth (COY).

You may find more information here.

Full Program:

*all timings in AEDT - Sydney/Melbourne timing

FRIDAY 5 FEB - INAUGURAL SESSION

6.20 - 6.30pm Join

6.30 - 6.50pm Welcome & Acknowledgement of Country

6.50 - 8.00pm Panel Discussion & Break-out Groups - Restoration - What? Why? How?

8.00 - 8.05pm Message from Charlie Hogg, The Brahma Kumaris Australia

8.05 - 8.15pm Closing

SATURDAY 6 FEB - MORNING SESSION

9.20 - 9.30am Join

9.30 - 9.50am Welcome & Acknowledgement of Country

9.50 - 11.05am Panel Discussion & Break-out Groups - The Rights of Nature vs The Rights of People

11.05 - 11.20am Break

11.20 - 11.55am Interview and Q & A - Art as Activism

11.55 - 12noon Stretching Exercise

12.00noon - 12.45pm Presentations and Q & A:

1. Being in Right Relationship to Our Planet

2. Falling in Love with the Earth Again

12.45 - 12.55pm Closing & Introduction to the Evening's Program

SATURDAY 6 FEB - EVENING SESSION

4.30 - 4.40pm Join

4.40 - 4.45pm Welcome Back

4.45 - 5.10pm Presentation and Q & A - The Spiritual Ecology Leadership Program

5.10 - 6.20pm Panel Discussion & Break-out Groups - Building Community Resilience & Food Security

6.20 - 6.30pm Break

6.30 - 6.55pm Presentation -and Q & A - The UN Global Compact Young Professionals Program

6.55 - 7.30pm Meditation for the Planet

7.30 - 7.40pm Closing & Introduction to Sunday Morning's Program

SUNDAY 7 FEB - MORNING (FINAL) SESSION

10.00 - 10.05am Join

10.05 - 10.20am Welcome & Acknowledgement of Country

10.20 - 10.45am Presentation and Q & A - The History of Consumerism

10.45 - 11.10am Presentation and Q & A - The Effect of Consciousness on Our Ecosystem

11.10 - 11.15am Break

11.15 - 11.20am Stretching Exercise

11.20 - 12.35pm Panel Discussion & Break-out Groups - Restoring 'Normality' - What Can Be the New Normal?

12.35 - 12.45pm Closing

What's unique about LCOY 2021 Australia?

Climate change can be a heavy topic. But if we are able to connect to our own spirit our attitude can shape the quality of the outcomes of our words and actions - so our intention is to create a space of unity and collaboration, with the aim to inspire peaceful action.

For this reason we will be introducing meditation for the world and tools for self empowerment.

The Brahma Kumaris Australia (host of the conference) is an organisation that teaches meditation and positive living, so we will be introducing a Meditation for the World in one of our sessions and offering a few fun tools for self empowerment throughout.

We hope to see you there.

This event is provided free of charge.

Available in all states and territories of Australia - NSW VIC QLD SA WA NT TAS

No prior experience required

Hosted by Brahma Kumaris Australia

Partnering with our panellists & speakers: