The Island Innovation Ambassador Program is a unique program that aims at building a network of skilled change makers across Island territories. The program provides essential training in areas such as climate change, climate finance, project implementation, and sustainability. Most importantly, it hones the skills of current and future leaders committed to enhancing the resilience of island communities, ensuring a place in the global arena for islanders to collaborate and create vital solutions. The program gives Ambassadors the chance to ensure that the voices of their island communities are heard on the world stage.
The Ambassador Program is structured in four phases:
During the first phase, Ambassadors will focus on networking and creating new connections. They will also focus on and identify the issues and challenges that are specific to their communities, which will give more visibility to the most relevant issues and SDGs of each region.
In the second phase, the focus will be on building skills that are complementary to the Ambassadors’ understanding of the events which will be presented at the Island Finance Forum. There will be training sessions about climate financing, and Ambassadors will be encouraged to participate in the Forum.
During the third phase, activities will be geared towards preparation for the Virtual Island Summit taking place at the end of September and into the beginning of October. The topics explored during the Virtual Island Summit include, among other things, Oceans & The Blue Economy, Sustainable Finance, Food Security, The Circular Economy, Climate Action, and Education & Social Issues. The Ambassadors will have the chance to set up their local hubs, which will provide a platform to facilitate global conversation with members of their community.
In the fourth and final phase, the focus will be on COP28, and taking meaningful action in the face of climate change. The Ambassadors can optimize the well-deserved opportunity to apply the cumulative knowledge that they have gathered throughout the course of the program, and present themselves as changemakers and thought leaders.
If you have an island connection, are passionate about islands, and motivated to help drive sustainable development, then you possess the characteristics necessary to be an Island Ambassador! There are no age restrictions, and you must be ready to commit to participating in meetings, training sessions and activities. The Island Innovation Ambassador Program is a wonderful way to have a positive impact on the world around you, and craft a more sustainable future. Through this program, you can help to shape a just and more equitable world for future generations.