Meet one of the youngest climate activists globally, who addressed the world leaders at the United Nations Climate Conference 2019 at the age of 12 years only. Licypriya Kangujam, also known as the ‘Greta of India’ has been championing her cause since six-years-old to protect, preserve and nurture our environment by fighting the climate change.
Licypriya Kangujam was born on October 2, 2011. At a young age, she joined her father in fundraising events for earthquake victims in Nepal. But it wasn’t until 2018, after going to a UN conference in Mongolia with her dad, that she felt a strong desire to be an activist
In July 2018, Licypriya started advocating against climate change. Inspired by Greta Thunberg, she spent a week outside the Indian Parliament in June 2019, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to pass a climate change law in India.
Licypriya doesn’t like being called the ‘Greta of India’ because she has her own name, story, and ideas and is against environmental racism.
In 2020, when she was just nine, she gave talks at events called TEDx. People really liked what she said, and she got a lot of applause. She addressed TEDx talks six times by the time she was nine years old.
On October 15, 2020, Licypriya spent a night protesting alone near Vijay Chowk, asking for a permanent solution to Delhi’s air pollution crisis. She was briefly held by Delhi Police on October 18, 2020, but was later released at Jantar Mantar.
During the second wave of COVID-19 in May 2021, Licypriya raised nearly 10 million Indian Rupees in three weeks. She used this money to provide free oxygen concentrators and cylinders to help marginalized poor people.
On May 19, 2022, Licypriya spoke at the inaugural speech of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dr. Jose Ramos Horta, the President of East Timor. She met several world leaders during the event, and a foundation in her name, the “Licypriya Foundation,” was launched by President Dr. Jose Ramos Horta on May 21, 2022.
Licypriya Kangujam spoke in over 400 institutions and other platforms in over 32 countries advocating to adults about the threat of climate change as a part of her movement.
Licypriya Kangujam is currently working as an Advisor of the Child Rights International Network (CRIN) based in London, UK. When she started her movement in 2018, she was alone but today she has thousands of love and support from across the globe.
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