Indian bags Children`s Peace Prize |
A 16-year-old Indian environmental activist based in the UAE has won this year`s prestigious International Children`s Peace Prize for her fight for climate justice and combating environmental degradation.Kehkashan Basu was presented the award by Bangladesh`s Nobel peace laureate Mohammad Yunus at a glittering ceremony in The Hague. Yunus, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his efforts for economic and social development, underlined the urgency and importance of Kehkashan`s work, as more than three million children under the age of five die every year from environment-related diseases and many more suffer deeply from environmental issues. Yunus said, it is a great achievement for such a young person to already have such reach and impact with her important message. After receiving the prize, Basu said she would "keep campaigning to encourage children and adults to create a more sustainable future". When Kehkashan was eight, she started educating neighbours on the importance of saving the environment. She planted her first tree and brought together children to collect and recycle waste, according to KidsRights Foundation that has instituted the award.
|
|
|
|