New Delhi: The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany has said it hosted the 11th edition of the Indo-German Partnership for Green and Sustainable Development (GSDP) Conversation Series in New Delhi on August 12. The session was held to mark the United Nations International Youth Day. It was titled 'Young Voices for Sustainable Development.'
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The embassy said the session brought together young leaders, innovators, policymakers and development practitioners. The stated purpose was to discuss how youth can accelerate progress towards a more sustainable, inclusive and climate-resilient future.
The event opened with remarks by Georg Enzweiler, Chargé d'affaires at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany.
"The greatest challenges of our time cannot be solved in isolation," Enzweiler said. He said they require partnerships between governments and businesses, scientists and entrepreneurs, and above all between people.
Enzweiler said young people are "not simply the leaders of tomorrow". He said they are already shaping the future today, driving innovation and building solutions. He added that they are challenging others to think differently about sustainability, climate justice and inclusion.
The GSDP is "built on the belief that lasting change comes through partnerships", Enzweiler said. He described young people as essential partners in that journey.
The discussion focused on the role of young people in advancing four Sustainable Development Goals. These were SDG 5 on gender equality, SDG 7 on affordable and clean energy, SDG 11 on sustainable cities and communities, and SDG 13 on climate action.
The embassy said the panel drew on personal experiences and practical examples. It said the discussion covered inclusive sustainable urbanisation and mobility, clean energy solutions, gender equality and climate action. The session also addressed how bilateral partnerships can support the next generation, according to the statement.
The embassy described a fishbowl discussion as a key element of the event. The format is designed to draw participation from both speakers and the audience.
The discussion was moderated by Jasmine Kaur, an officer in the embassy's Economic Cooperation and Development Division.
Four panellists took part. They were Prateek Khandelwal, founder of RampMyCity, and Dr Priyanshi Chauhan, energy advisor at GIZ India. The other two were Ronak Jogeshwar, senior fellow at the Viksit Bharat Program, and Pallavi Agrawal, programme analyst at UN Women India.
The embassy said the panellists spoke on sustainable cities, expanding access to clean energy, gender equality and climate action. It said they also addressed the role of youth-led innovation and entrepreneurship in tackling sustainability challenges.
The event also featured an exhibition of innovations developed by young changemakers from across India. The embassy said the exhibits covered inclusive sustainable public transport and cities, climate action, clean energy and gender equality.
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A vote of thanks was delivered by Pamela Baijal, Deputy Head of the embassy's Economic Cooperation and Development Division.
The GSDP was launched in 2022. The embassy describes it as a strategic cooperation framework supporting sustainable and climate-aligned development. It said the partnership advances solutions contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals and the goals of the Paris Agreement.
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