Licypriya honoured with SDGs Ambassador Award 2019

Chandigarh, Nov 20: 8 years old climate activist Licypriya Kangujam and Dr SS Sandhu, Chancellor of Chandigarh University were honoured with the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) Ambassador Award 2019 during the 10th Session of the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) at Chandigarh University yesterday by NITI Aayog, Government of India & Dainik Bhaskar. They were also appointed as the honorary SDGs Ambassador till 2030, said a statement L Karthic,  media coordinator, International Youth Committee HQs.
The United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) was launched on 18 November 2010 by former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at UN Headquarters in New York City. The award was handed over to Licypriya by Deepak Dwivedi, Chairman  & Editor-in-Chief of Dainik Bhaskar in the presence of Michael Oquaye, Ghana Envoy to India, Amitabh Kant, CEO of NITI Aayog and other high level dignitaries and officials from various agencies.
The programme was held in collaboration with World Health Organization (WHO), ONGC, Nagrik Foundation, Dr Ambedkar International Centre, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India, Chandigarh University & UNAI.
SDGs Choupal was also launched during the closing ceremony to implement various projects to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on ground by focusing on the rural areas of India with equal participation.
“I came all the way thousands of kilometres by rising funds to tell you adults that you must change your way of thinking. Coming here today, I have no hidden agenda. I am fighting for my future,” said Licypriya addressing the gathering.
“Losing my future is not like losing an election or few points on the stock market. I am here to speak for all generations to come. I am here to speak on behalf of the starving children around the world who cry and go unheard. I am here to speak for the countless animals dying on this planet because they have nowhere to go. I am afraid to go under the sun now because there is a hole in our ozone. I am afraid to breathe the air because I don’t know what chemicals are in it,” she said.
Governments are busy in blaming each other instead of finding a long term solutions to the air pollution. All schools have been shut down by the Government in Delhi. "I want the Government to do more action. They must act now otherwise our future will be dying,” Licypriya stated.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted in September 2015 as a part of the resolution, ‘Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’. India is committed to achieve the 17 SDGs and the 169 associated targets, which comprehensively cover social, economic and environmental dimensions of development and focus on ending poverty in all its forms and dimensions. At the Central Government level, NITI Aayog has been assigned the role of overseeing the implementation of SDGs in the country under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.