Young people from all nations and backgrounds play important leadership, stewardship and decision-making roles in marine protected areas and ocean conservation.
The IMPAC5 Young Professionals Committee is working to ensure that young leaders from the international marine protected area (MPA) community, Indigenous groups and other related backgrounds will be heard at IMPAC5 and well beyond.
Youth and Indigenous perspectives will help shape and participate in thematic discussions at IMPAC5. Our goal is to significantly increase the number of young people who participate at this congress and to set a high bar for youth attendance at international conferences beyond IMPAC5.
Young professionals will also participate in:
- a pre-Congress for Youth with hands-on conservation activities;
- participation in learning about local Indigenous history and knowledge;
- a mentorship program to link youth with experienced professionals in marine protection;
- a youth pavilion where young professionals can meet and network;
- receptions and youth-focused activities; and
- opportunities to provide youth perspectives to Ministerial-level discussions and to planning for IMPAC6.
