Help UNICEF build a climate-friendly city in Minecraft
Reimagining better, climate-friendly cities for every child
The climate crisis is a child’s rights crisis. More and more youth know this, and they are standing up and demanding their right to a safe and sustainable environment.
Climate change will hit children and young people in East Asia & Pacific the hardest, because of natural disasters, increasing temperatures, rising sea levels and water shortages that:
- Destroy homes and food crops
- Make diseases spread faster
- Can induce even more forced migration
- Reinforce poverty and inequality
The world needs to urgently find solutions that will slow and mitigate climate change.
UNICEF believes children and youth are part of the solution. That’s why we want to show the world a climate-friendly and climate-proof city built by young people – so help us build your ideal city - or utopia - in Minecraft!
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What is the idea?
UNICEF is organizing a virtual workshop for young people between 15 and 17 years old, from different countries in East Asia & Pacific. During the workshop - which will take about 1-2 weeks in total - youth will use their climate-friendly ideas to build a city together in Minecraft.
The virtual workshop will follow this structure:
Part 1:
As a participant, you will attend 3-4 virtual workshop sessions. A climate change expert will explain a little bit more about climate change challenges in East Asia & Pacific, as well as some examples of what cities and communities are already doing to become more climate-friendly. During the workshop, you will start brainstorming ideas for your own city.
Part 2:
In the second session, the fun starts! You will start building your ideal city in the game of Minecraft, together with the other young people. You can continue working on your city additionally on your own time if you like.
Part 3:
During the final workshop session - about 1 week after the first session – you will finalize your city together and take some time to explain your ideas and solutions.
UNICEF will also visit participants after the workshop to photograph and film/interview for a video that will be shared on UNICEF’s social media channels. The final video will be an animation of the ideal city made by participants and include interview clippings of them explaining their ideas.
What’s the process?
If you would like to participate in this exciting project, please take the following steps:
- Fill out this form: Child Utopia Submission Form
- Write a short paragraph (at least 15 lines) about your ideas for a climate-friendly city and how it would help make your city more sustainable
- We will contact you back with more questions and information
- Please also email us at: asiapacificinfo@unicef.org if you have any questions
Here are some examples of ideas of what you may want to share with us:
- A better city environment: more parks and green space for children to explore, space for children and families to grow fruits and vegetables, space around the city that attracts and protects wildlife, trash cans everywhere with better waste collection/segregation and zero-waste stores
- Protection from natural disasters: drainage and ditches to protect from floods, water collection systems to help when there are droughts, obstacles to prevent wildfires from ripping through towns and villages, food reserves
- More equal access to services: clean public transport solutions for all, access to clean and well-staffed health services in all neighbourhoods, access to well-equipped schools in all neighbourhoods,
- Adequate housing/green building and living space for all, incl. Access to running water and renewable energy
- No polluting industry in / around town, implementing carbon pricing/carbon taxes, etc.
Why should you participate?
By turning the ideas from youth into a video that will be shared on social media, we want to give participants a big opportunity: to show the world - children and adults alike - that youth have what it takes to find solutions to the climate crisis. UNICEF’s mission is to empower all children and youth to raise their voice and contribute to climate action.
As a participant, you will:
- Learn more about climate change and climate action from regional experts
- Explain your original ideas to the world through the fun game of Minecraft
- Feature in a video that will be promoted all over the region
- Receive an official certificate of participation
- Get recognition from UNICEF social media accounts
- Be invited to future events on climate change and climate action