ACCRA, 8TH MAY 2012: Timothy Karikari Kwakye of Global Media Alliance has been selected as finalist in the ongoing United Nations (UN) RIO+20 “DATE WITH HISTORY CONTEST”. Timothy is one of the three FINALISTS chosen from Africa and the Middle East. Out of the almost two hundred (200) entries submitted to the contest, twenty two (22) entries were selected as finalist. The eventual winner will participate in the UN RIO +20 conference in Brazil this June.
The RIO+20 date with “history contest” is an opportunity for young people around the globe to inspire their leaders to act boldly and with urgency on key issues impacting the future of our planet in the upcoming UN Rio Earth Summit in Brazil in June this year. The objective of this year’s conference is to secure renewed political commitment for sustainable development, assess current progress and the remaining gaps in the implementation of the outcomes of the major summits on sustainable development. It is also to address new and emerging challenges. In addition, it will focus on two major themes; green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication; and the institutional framework for sustainable development.
The winner of the “date with history contest” will have the opportunity to speak on behalf of all youth in the world at the upcoming Earth Summit in Brazil and challenge world leaders to act swiftly to save the environment. The competition was open to all youth in the world between the ages of 18 to 30 years to submit a 2 minutes video detailing the entrant’s expectation for the earth summit. All qualified entries were posted on the website of the competition and the public voted for the best videos. Voting closed on Sunday, 3rd May after which the videos that received higher votes and special mentions by the organizers have been selected as finalist. Finalists will be reviewed by a jury of celebrities and environmental leaders who will select one winner to travel to Rio.
The 24year old Ghanaian revealed that he was very happy his entry qualified to the final stage of the global contest. When asked why he chose the theme “positive action” for his video, he explained that, the theories, steps and measures to save the environment are clear. They can be found on the internet and in many books but the missing link is the willingness to act and enforce decisions and laws made. This is what he expects all world leaders to adopt if we want our world to be a safe place to live in.
Aside his career as a Human Resource Practitioner, the young professional is the President of the Ghana Planeteers Movement, a voluntary environmental activist group launched in October 2010 to champion the course of the environment with the elements of team work and cooperation; the key message of the TV series, Captain Planet and the Planeteers, co-created by Ted Turner and Barbara Pyle. In less than two years, the group made up of young professionals and students have organized many successful events aimed at protecting the environment. Notable amongst them is the first ENVIRONMENTAL STAKEHOLDER’S DIALOGUE held at the Ministry of Environment Science and Technology on the 2nd of February 2012 under the theme “Creating Innovative Strategies and New Jobs for Sustainable Development and a Healthy Environment”. In addition to this, plans are advanced to officially launch the first Planeteer club in Achimota Preparatory School, a move the group believes will help inculcate the love for the environment in the students. Their “One Month, One Clean Up Campaign” a concept launched in January 2012 for young professionals to engage in active clean up exercise every month is also currently going on successfully as planned.