At the twenty-third session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC 23) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), in Panama City, Panama, young people from around the world gathered to explore how land, food systems, and climate resilience are deeply interconnected. Among the highlights was a keynote conversation with Dr. Barron Joseph Orr, Chief Scientist of the UNCCD, whose work has shaped global understanding of land degradation, drought resilience, and sustainable land management. 

At the twenty-third session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC 23) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), in Panama City, Panama, the side event “Youth Policy Pathways for Land and Food: Advancing Action on Land Degradation Neutrality” brought together young people, technical experts, and partners to explore the interlinkages between food systems and land, and how youth perspectives can help shape more coherent, inclusive, and actionable approaches to Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN). The session was co-hosted by the UNCCD Youth Caucus, World Food Forum (WFF) Global Youth Action Initiative, and Coalition of Action 4 Soil Health (CA4SH) Youth4Soil Initiative.

At the recent twenty-third session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC 23) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), in Panama City, Panama, 15-year-old Angie Michelle Huezo Gámez from El Salvador delivered a powerful and deeply moving intervention. Speaking from lived experience in a region marked by drought, soil degradation, and water scarcity, Angie illuminated how environmental crises shape the lives of children and adolescents, and how young people are already acting to restore land and protect their communities.