Meet Saad Uakkas Medical Student and Climate Activist: Raising Awareness against Climate Change in Morocco

I’m a global citizen and activist living in Morocco. I was the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA)’s Liaison Officer to Student Organizations. I represented 1.4 million students from 135 countries leading global campaigns with fieldwork, advocacy and policy-making on infectious diseases, Antimicrobial Resistance, organ and blood donation, interprofessional education and collaboration, and leading IFMSA’s global COVID-19 campaign collaborating with WHO, UNFPA and other organizations. I’m an international trainer with 370 hours of trainings facilitated, a TEDx speaker with 160Hours of webinars and events as speaker/panelist, a UNESCO Youth Researcher, an UNLEASH innovation lab facilitator and WHO TB young leader. I represented youth in 54 international and national events in 20 countries including COP22, COP25, and the UN General Assembly. I received multiple awards including the IFMSA’s best activity in the world and the best Arab voluntary project award

PASSION

My passion about the environmental cause grew stronger when I interacted with other young people working on reducing and tackling climate change effects in their communities. This made me more aware about our individual responsibility as young citizens to actively act towards the preservation of the world we and our children will live in. With that I recently joined the YOUNGO which is the official youth group of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). I started educating myself on environment, SDG 13, and other relevant SDGs, and the role of youth and community engagement to create change and achieve meaningful mitigation and adaptation measures.

My passion lies the most in engaging the young generation, building their capacity, and guiding them to take an active part in their community work as well as the higher-level decision-making process. I had the honor to speak on behalf of youth worldwide in the UN Science, Policy, Business Forum (SPBF) where I presented the official statement for launching the SPBF youth group. I aim to continue sharing and getting more involved in solving environmental issues locally and globally.

PROBLEM

While climate change is threatening and already affecting our world, environment, health and lives, only a few of us are fully aware of its magnitude and danger. Community awareness and engagement remains an essential target to focus on if we want as young people to win the climate battle.

SOLUTION

You don’t have to be a climate or environment specialist or expert so that you can advocate and act against climate change. I come from a health background and I still manage to educate myself, share with others and take small actions that can make a difference. I know many fellow medical and health students who are doing the same and are acting in their communities to help spread knowledge and preserve their environment. I believe that it is each of us’ role to educate themselves regarding environment, harmful effects of climate change, and different actions to mitigate and adapt to it. Taking small actions in our daily lives can make a change and matters. From changing our eating, transportation and other habits to engaging in local actions and campaigns.

Sharing the word is another responsibility we all have. Speaking about climate change to our families, work colleagues, friends and the general community during our everyday conversations. Engaging in community awareness initiatives to reach more people and spread awareness messages. We all can do actions in our specific fields and areas to help save our environment, and it is our duty to do so.

You can contact me through:

E-mail: saaduakkas@gmail.com

Facebook: Saad Uakkas

WhatsApp: +212 622-802330

Source: Climate Daily Effects (C.D.F) is a social media platform that share stories and solutions to climate crisis in everyday life. C.D.F is presented to you Friday of every week by LYCA ‘s Climate Education Coordinator Miss. Kadiatu A. Sheriff. Climate Daily Effects is an initiative of  Liberian  Youth for Climate  Actions (LYCA)

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