Category: Multidisciplinary
️Topics include: Archeology/Heritage; Conservation; Data science/Modelling; Scuba Diving; Ocean Literacy; Environment/Sustainability; Fisheries/Aquaculture; Indigenous Knowledge & Stewardship; Maritime; Oceanography; Policy/Governance; Socioeconomics
Country/Region: Sri Lanka
Earthlanka Youth Network organization started running in 2009. We were the first youth ever to do a side event in a COP UNFCCC for Sri Lanka, and we carried out a campaign for UNFCCC called the Make It Green Again campaign, producing a nature song from Sri Lanka.
Our organization started another project on conserving marine resources in Sri-Lanka where a young research team was trained to monitor, educate, and engage communities for marine conservation. This project, known as Poseidon Army, was initiated for the Marine Research & Conservation program, a cohort of youth who will work towards community development in coastal areas, bringing concerns on sustainable development in Sri Lanka, uplifting the tourism industry & engaging in Action planning at the national level on marine resources. The youth co-group was working with local and international marine researchers for conservation efforts and to establish marine sanctuaries.
Since 2015, this youth team has been working voluntarily and has continued activities in the Southern, Western, and Eastern coastal belts in the country. All the youth members are PADI certified and trained in Coastal and Marine Ecology restoration, Community-based ocean Education, Coastal and Reef debris cleaning, Developing TOT for School Teachers in Marine Education, Blue Flag Beach implementation, Local Fishery Harbor Management, Maintaining turtle hatcheries, Empowering women in ocean science, ocean-based research, policy and advocacy.