Voices 4 Climate

Today’s voice is Loai Muhamed, a 24 year old political science graduate who had a dream. It all started when the seed of climate action was planted into the fertile soil of Loai’s passion for trees. Loai was always concerned by the absence of green from his scenery. He decided to take action. But as there were no gardens around, where would he start planting? Let’s find out how he came up with a solution! 

Walking through the streets of Cairo at night, one can only marvel at the beauty of this bright and lively city. So bright that it requires levels of energy that often exceed the capacity of what can be generated. Being among the most sunlight-sufficient places on earth with an estimated annual 2,400 hours of solar operation, compared with maximum European figures of 1,900 in Spain and Greece, it’s only appropriate that Egypt starts experiencing the endless possibilities solar energy has to offer. 

Meet Amr Ramadan, CEO of empower hub and a climate hero! Amr started his journey with us as an active citizen participant and is currently a delivery partner for Youth Voices project.  For Amr, climate action is a personal concern. Although the current climate crisis is of global proportions, its impact is not equally distributed. His native city of Alexandria might sadly become the next Atlantis in 40 years. 

On a cold winter day in January 2019, Samah travelled with her mother to attend an art lecture in the beautiful city of Mansoura. Along the scenic road was a flowing river filled with all sorts of waste. A few meters downstream, the people from a riverside village filled their drinking water containers from that same spoiled river.

The story of Lamis began when she started studying for her Bachelor's degree in Environmental Architecture and Urbanism at the Ain Shams University in Cairo, her interest in subjects related to the environment grew, and she quickly realised how policies and projects of urban designers can impact the environment.

The Nile serves as Egypt's primary water source. It is significant to the economy as it supports fishing and agriculture and impacts all the countries it flows through. Reham is one of the lucky people who had the chance to participate in the Nile Clean-up campaign.

Meet Phoebe, a climate advocate who promotes meaningful youth inclusion in climate decision-making. The daughter of a teacher, Phoebe, jokes that growing up, she spent more time in a classroom than at home. Today, she’s mobilising the next generation of resilient leaders, starting in schools: fighting to see climate change throughout the curriculum. At COP26, she co-convened the first joint event of education and environment ministers, facilitating pledges from 25 countries, later helping to develop the UK’s pledge, the Department for Education’s Climate Strategy.

The story of Aya began at a young age. Inspired by Dr Ahmed Zewail, a Noble prize winner and his achievements, her passion for science was ignited in the 4th grade and has grown ever since. Aya applied for the Newton Mosharafa program delivered by the British Council in 2016 and received a full PhD scholarship at the University of Sheffield in the UK. She successfully completed her PHD under the title of: Towards a greener approach in landfill leachate treatment using microalgae and plasma pre-treatment.

Ahmed Saleh, an Egyptian musician, composer and sound artist, is our voice today. His new album: Ten-year-walk to shore will be released soon by Unexplained Sounds Group record label. Alexandria is at risk of being submerged due to rising sea levels. And it wouldn't be the first time: a tsunami hit the city in 365 A.D., and old parts of Alexandria are already under the waters of the western port.

Alessandro has always been attracted to the water world, “Water is my element” he says, “I feel part of it and its fluidity attracts me also philosophically”. After studying for his MA in Photojournalism at the University of Westminster in London, Alessandro spent most of his twenties as a photojournalist travelling to crisis areas to document the reality on the ground.

As a communication specialist and a powerful young female spokesperson, Sarah Badr is determined to lend her voice to unheard voices from Africa and the MENA Region, amplifying youth contribution and advocating for inclusive climate discussions and actions.

English for interfaith dialogue is a keystone programme in the long-standing partnership between the British Council and Al Azhar that dates back to 2007; where the British Council and Al Azhar university have been working cooperatively to achieve impactful educational programmes and academic scholarships, taking a robust approach to capability building for leadership and cultural exchange.

Umesh Balal Magar is an inspiring young climate advocate whose story has begun by standing for the climate rights of differently abled people. As a student of environmental science, he noticed a big gap in climate change advocacy for vulnerable communities in his country. His passion then grew to bring his knowledge and expertise together to advocate for inclusive climate actions, discussions as well as rescue plans and policies.

The 'Ask Hala' webinars series is part of the Teacher Networking Initiative. It is designed to help English language teachers acquire the skills, knowledge and understanding to deliver effective and engaging lessons for learners of English. The webinars are delivered by Hala Ahmed, Head of English Programmes at the British Council in Egypt and are drawn from Hala’s substantial experience in supporting teachers and teacher educators in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Meet Ahmed Yassin, the cofounder and Chief Marketing strategist of Banlastic Egypt a social enterprise that works on banning single use plastic in Egypt and the MENA region. He is currently working as a solar ambassador for solar city co. in addition to being a part time Solar engineer in Egypt.

Lora Aziz is a nature buff, whose passion for the environment started young, when she was going out with her magnifying glass and bug inspection book to learn about nature’s curiosities. Lora’s passion grew when she studied anthropology. Her interest in plants, cultures, and humans who live in harmony with nature led her to travel to France, Mexico and the UK to learn about different plants, medicines, arts and music.

The Climate Action for University Ambassadors is a platform led by the British Council where climate experts and representatives discuss raising awareness in the environmental field

Pegah’s journey towards climate action has begun when she was 15. As she stood in the UK Parliament and defended the motion of climate crisis, it was in this process that she found her voice. But what was more difficult, she thinks, was that everyone saw the urgency but often could not see what her contribution could be. She studied and majored in environmental law because of this.  Now, she is back to the decision-making arenas demanding a permanent table for young people while training them on a day-to-day basis about the climate crisis. 

Amira’s dedication to the climate started years ago, when initiatives for protecting the environment bloomed in Egypt. She volunteered in many climate protection activities and committed to seeking information about the contributions she can make as an individual to reduce her waste daily.