International Youth and Sustainability Festival

International Youth and Sustainability Festival, hosted by ExploreiT, The Climate Reality Project, India along with the Symbiosis International (Deemed University) has been proposed as a response to these issues and is planned to bring together experts, stakeholders, enthusiasts, and youth in the field of sustainability on a platform to present, deliberate, and ideate on research and solutions on the themes of Sustainable Development Goals/ 

International Youth and Sustainability Festival, will be organized as a two-day event to provide students and researchers with an exemplary platform to present their creative solutions and ideas in front of an esteemed panel. This event shall set a benchmark for all event organizers as it will be the first ‘carbon-neutral event’ with its core theme and dedicated to youth.

The event has been curated to expose young changemakers to research and is a blend of academic as well as youth related aspects. The festival has been centered around the theme of the SDGs of the UN, youth empowerment, smart city planning and ‘Aatma Nirbhar Villages’. It epitomizes the SDGs ‘Wedding Cake Model’ of sustainable growth, taking into account the 5Ps of holistic sustainable progress.

One of the principal components of the event is the ‘Research Conference’ which focuses on addressing the sustainable research gaps through paper presentations by students and young professionals. It also consists of the ‘Green Solutions Challenge’ which is a pan-India competition focussed on solving climate problems through innovative product or service ideas. Top five entries for this segment will be given the opportunity to pitch their business plan in front of the Jury and get Incubation support as well as monetary assistance. Along with these events, the festival also features an elaborate panel discussion by field experts, and the ‘Green Expo’ which is an exhibition of electrical vehicles and products and services offered by green-startups. It caters to performing arts depicting regional diversity and culture of India through the ‘Cultural evening and regional meetup’ and provides a platform for innovative EV and related businesses through the ‘E-Vehicles Expo’.

Apart from setting an example of ‘carbon neutral event’, the festival aims to be plastic-free, make use of green transport and enhance sustainable consumption by including food and beverages focussed on regional and seasonal consumption to reduce carbon footprint.

Thus, the conference presents avenues for youths to delve into research and problem-solving in the field of sustainability while also gaining insights from industry experts and stakeholders. It works towards the vision of establishing establish a unified platform for all stakeholders of the society, to come together and contribute to an event filled with sustainability, entertainment, and productivity.