Few Milestones of Licypriya Kangujam
Speaker at United Nations
Licypriya Kangujam is one of the youngest climate activists globally and addressed the world leaders at the age of 8 in the United Nations Climate Conference 2019 (COP25) in Madrid, Spain calling the world leaders to take immediate climate actions to save their future. She is one of the youngest speakers in United Nations in history.
Kangujam also addressed the UNESCO Partners’ Forum 2019 (Biennial Luanda) in October 2019 Luanda City, Angola urging the rich countries to take more responsible climate action along with the President of Angola João Lourenço invited by UNESCO, African Union & Government of Angola. She also met the President of Mali Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, President of Malawi Hage Geingob, President of Republic of the Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso, First Lady of Angola Ana Dias Lourenço, First Lady of Namibia Monica Geingos, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate 2018 Denis Mukwege, UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay, Deputy Prime Minister of Guinea Francois Fall and all Culture Ministers of Africa.
She also participated at the following UN major events:
- Addressed at IGNITE Stage at the 3rd Session of United Nations Asian Ministerial Conference 2018 in Ulaanbaatar City, Mongolia at the age of 6;
- 6th Session of United Nations Global Platform on Disaster Risks Reduction 2019 in Geneva, Switzerland at the age of 7;
- Addressed the UNESCO Partners’ Forum 2019 (Biennial Luanda) in Luanda, Angola at the age of 7;
- Addressed at the United Nations Asia –Pacific Climate Week 2019 in Bangkok, Switzerland at the age of 7;
- United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (COP14) 2019 in Delhi, India at the age of 8;
- Addressed at the United Nations Climate Conference (COP25) 2019 in Madrid, Spain at the age of 8;
- Addressed at the United Nations Climate Conference 2019 (COP25) in Madrid, Spain at the age of 8;
- Addressed at the United Nations Climate Dialogue 2020 hosted by CERI, UNICEF and IYCM YOUNGO on the Declaration of Children, Youth & Climate Action at the age of 8;
- Addressed at the United Nations ECOSOC Youth Forum 2021 in New York, USA invited by UN Habitat Youth (in two of their session virtually) at the age of 9;
Submission of Memorandum to the United Nations’ Secretary General
In December 2019, Licypriya met the United Nations Secretary General Mr Antonio Guterres and submitted 4 pages memorandum on behalf of the world’s children to create a safe future for them.
Kerala Massive Flood 2018
Licypriya donated her savings of Rupees 1,00,000 to the Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan on 24 August 2018 to help the flood victim children of Kerala Massive Flood. Two years later she received the acknowledgement letter from the Kerala Government. Licypriya’s donation to the Chief Minister supported their work in protecting children hit by the flood. She felt her small contribution would help make a difference to the children during the tough time.
Campaign on Climate Education
Licypriya has been campaigning actively to make lessons in climate change mandatory in schools and as per her request the government of Bihar, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan and many other states of India has started teaching climate change as a subject in their school education curriculum. She has been requesting many world leaders to include climate education as a compulsory subject in schools. Due to her small efforts, some of the Europe, America and Asian countries has started teaching climate education in schools. She believes that there will be no climate solution without climate education. And she frequently stated that if they include climate education in schools then we can fight the climate change from the grassroots.
New Air Pollution Law in India
On 15th October 2020, Licypriya spent a night protesting alone in front of the President House near Vijay Chowk to find a permanent solution on Delhi air pollution crisis. She was briefly detained by Delhi Police on 18th October 2020 and later released at Jantar Mantar.
On 28th October 2020, President of India Ram Nath Kovind approved to enact a new law to fight the air pollution crisis in Delhi and signed an ordinance with a Gazette Notification on the same day after a petition filed by one of his climate activist friend Aaditya Dubey in the Supreme Court of India. This is one of her long pending demands to the government fighting for the last over three years. As per the new law, the polluters will be fine with ₹1 Crores (INR) or 5 years jail term. A permanent body as a commission on air pollution has been established as per the order of the President of India in 5 states viz., Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh with its headquarter in Delhi to curb the Delhi air pollution crisis permanently.
World Economic Forum 2020
In 2020, Licypriya published a letter to the participants at the World Economic Forum with activists Greta Thunberg, Luisa Neubauer, Isabelle Axelsson, and Loukina Tille, calling on companies, banks and governments to immediately stop subsidizing fossil fuels. In an opinion piece given to The Guardian they said, “We don’t want these things done by 2050, 2030 or even 2021, we want this done now – as in right now. We call upon the world’s leaders to stop investing in the fossil fuel economy that is at the very heart of this planetary crisis. Instead, they should invest their money in existing sustainable technologies, research and in restoring nature. Short-term profit should not trump long-term stability of life.”
G20 Finance Minister Meeting 2020
Licypriya Kangujam and 19 other females Friday for Future climate activists from the Global South released an open letter to the G20 leaders ahead of the G20 Finance Minister Summit 2020 on July 17 telling “We won’t let your money destroy our future”. In their statement, they said we are witnessing firsthand the multiple effects of COVID-19, climate impacts and an economic crisis: millions of people, and disproportionately black people, indigenous peoples and people of colour, have been left sick, jobless, displaced and homeless with worsening inequality, and broken health systems.
TEDx Talk
On 18 February 2020, she addressed the TEDxSBSC held in University of Delhi, New Delhi, India. On 23 February 2020, she addressed the TEDxGateway held in Mumbai and received a standing ovation for her speech. She addressed TEDx talks for the six times by the time she was nine years old namely TEDxMICA, TEDx HansrajCollege, TEDxMDIGurgoan, TEDxKanke, TEDxSBSC and TEDxGateway.
“She Inspire Us” honour of PM Modi
Licypriya rejected the “She Inspire Us” honour of PM Modi for not listening to her voice. This sparked a huge debate amongst the Indian Politicians and people on climate change in India.
The Great October March 2019
On 2nd October 2019, Licypriya led a march popularly known as “The Great October March 2019” from India gate to Parliament House to urge Indian leaders to take urgent climate action to save their future where hundreds of young people took part on the march. This demonstration took place in many parts of India showing solidarity to her.
Earth Day 2020
In April 2020, Licypriya addressed the gatherings globally on Earth Day 2020 at Washington, D.C., United States. The event was virtual, due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. She was featured with 50 other global leaders, influencers, celebrities, athletes and musicians including Pope Francis, Sylvia Earle, Denis Hayes, Bill McKibben, Global Advisory Committee Member Albert II (Price of Monaco), Alexandria Villaseñor, Al Gore, Patricia Espinosa, Christiana Figueres, , Jerome Foster II, John Kerry, Thomas Lovejoy, Ed Begley Jr., Zac Efron, Anil Kapoor, Van Jones, Ricky Keij, Paul Nicklen and Alex Honnold, giving a message of hope to fight the ongoing climate crisis.
Green Birthday Campaign
Another big impact Licypriya created is the plea in her social media to the people to plant trees instead of just giving her wishes on her birthday. On 2nd October 2020, thousands of school children and people from across India and the World turned out and responded to her call by planting over 2,40,000 trees as a birthday gift to her. Now, school children are going to continue this effect every year.
Monday for Mother Nature
“Monday for Mother Nature” is a new green movement by planting trees every week on every Monday as a part of taking climate action by school children to make our planet green again. Licypriya target to plant minimum one million trees every year by this initiative. She planted over 300,000 trees under this initiative till today at the age of 10 years which is equivalent to planting 82 trees every day since her birth.
Now, thousands of school children are taking part in climate action campaign and program such as planting trees, cleaning plastics from streets, parks, oceans, rivers and seas, stop using single used plastics at home and inspire millions of other people around the World with her little voice.
Lobby with World Leaders for climate action
President of Angola João Lourenço invited by UNESCO, African Union & Government of Angola. She also met the President of Mali Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, President of Malawi Hage Geingob, President of Republic of the Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso, First Lady of Angola Ana Dias Lourenço, First Lady of Namibia Monica Geingos, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate 2018 Denis Mukwege, UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay, Deputy Prime Minister of Guinea Francois Fall and all Culture Ministers of Africa.
John Kerry, Chile Envt Minister, Spain, Maldives, India, Bloomberg, Fiji PM, Tuvalu PM, Esat Timor PM, Portugal President, Mozambique, ….. Bhutan PM Tshring Tobgay..
Forbes 30 under 30
Licypriya name was included in the list of Forbes 30 under 30 India in Special mention category for her fight against climate change.
World Children Peace Prize 2019
CNN News18 Water Hero 2020
TN Khushoo Memorial Award 2020
Global Child Prodigy Award 2020
Ambassador of SDG Finance UNDP Geneva
Advisor of CRIN, London
COVID19 Coronavirus Pandemic
When healthcare professionals and other civic workers in India are facing a massive shortage of protective equipment amid the spread of COVID-19, to increase the supply of protective equipment, Licypriya Kangujam, an 8-year-old climate activist from Manipur has designed a prototype of ‘safety face shields’ for our doctors at home. According to her tweet, the prototype designed by her costs just ₹35. Those available in the market cost more than ₹1,000. She was inspired by a friend in Mexico, who is developing similar kinds of equipment. She has named the equipment as Liface Protective Gear. She was also involved in feeding stray animals during the nationwide lockdown. She also broke down her piggy bank and donated the whole money to the Manipur Chief Minister COVID19 Relief Fund. She also planted trees saplings during the lockdown.
India Needs Oxygen Mission 2021
During the COVID19 second wave in India in May 2021, Licypriya raised the funds of nearly 10 million Indian Rupees (₹1Crores) within 3 weeks through her social media to help the marginalized poor people by providing free oxygen concentrator and oxygen cylinder when the Government and the leaders turned blind eyes to provide oxygen for the hundreds of critical Covid19 patients across the country. She saved hundreds of lives under this campaign called “India Needs Oxygen Mission” and thousands of people from around the world supported it. Government banned her humanitarian relief works in her birth state Manipur by alleging scam on it to discredit her works and to tarnish her image.
Electric Car Rally from India to UK
Licypriya is preparing for a journey of over 11,000 miles from India to the U.K. via electric car to increase awareness against the fossil-fuel-based economy. “This will be one of my biggest missions in life as part of my Child Movement to fight the global climate crisis,” Licypriya Kangujam told Anadolu Agency on her trip which she plans to launch on Sept. 13, 2020, ahead of international COP26 climate talks in Glasgow, Scotland.
On March 5, she announced the journey to cross 18 countries in 90 days, requesting help and support for the journey from environmental groups. Accompanied by her mother and two others during the trip, she said she would decide the exact route to take in August, taking into consideration the global coronavirus pandemic. Underlining that the consumption of hydrocarbons was driving global warming to dangerous levels, she said the fossil fuels industry was also responsible for a significant part of water and air pollution — a burden mostly borne by low-income communities.
“I’m trying to send a strong message to the whole world on this account ahead of the United Nations Climate Conference 2020 [COP26] to be held in Glasgow, U.K.,” she said. Licypriya said that many travelers around the world had responded positively to her call for support, including Dutch fellow traveler and environmental activist Wiebe Wakker.
“After my official announcement, I received guidance and support from many world travelers to make my mission successful. Some of them are Mr. Marek Kaminski from Power4Change from Poland, world record holder Mr. Wiebe Wakker from Plug Me In,” said Licypriya.
Many people also extended their help in the form of local hospitality, she said, adding: “I think this mission will be a great successful one.”
[2] http://turkishpress.com/climate-activist-to-make-electricity-powered-11000-mile-journey/
East Timor President’s Inauguration 2022
On 19th May 2022, Licypriya addressed the inaugural speech of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dr Jose Ramos Horta, the President of East Timor. She also met the President of Portugal Marcelo Rebelo and former revolutionary leader and founder President of East Timor Xanana Gusmao on the sideline of the ceremony. She also met with the Prime Minister of East Timor Taur Matan Ruak. She interacted with Prime Minister of Guinea Bissau Gomes Nabiam, Governor General of Australia David Hurley, Ex Siberia President Boris Tadic, Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi and many other world leaders. The event was attended by over 400 foreign dignitaries.
Licypriya Foundation
President of East Timor and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dr Jose Ramos Horta had also launched a foundation in her name called Licypriya Foundation” on 21st May 2022.
Others:
- Named as “Youngest Green Activist of the World” by Zee Media Group (DNA) & Fiji Times;
- Featured amongst 22 as “Young Brave Climate Warriors of the World” by India Times Group;
- Named amongst 4 as “Youngest Indian addressed at United Nations” Odisha Oldest and largest media group “The Samaja”;
- Featured by United Nations Headquarter, New York on the eve of International Day of Girl Child 2019 #DayOfGirlChild on 11th October 2019;
- Featured by yourstory.com as “5 Social Activist of India changing the World by small steps” on 15th
- Featured by UNDP during United Nations General Assembly 2019 #UNGA#ClimateActionSummit2019 in “Fighting for a Stolen Future” along with Greta Thunberg of Sweden and other 5 kids on 22 September.
- Specially Featured by Yahoo, Indian Express, YourStory, Latestly, Zee News, WION news, ScoopWhoop, etc. on the eve of Children’s’ Day 2019 on 14th November 2019 as the “Child Changing the World”.