UNICEF Youth Visit GRÓ FTP
The GRÓ Fisheries Training Programme recently welcomed a youth delegation from UNICEF Iceland who are preparing for a trip to Luxembourg, where they will meet with their peers to discuss climate change. As part of their preparations, the group visited the GRÓ Fisheries Training Programme, hosted by the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, to learn about key topics such as the effect of climate change on the oceans and global fisheries, overfishing and food security.
UNICEF Iceland, part of the United Nations Children's Fund, operates in over 190 countries to protect children's rights and promote their well-being. The Icelandic National Committee for UNICEF focuses on domestic programming, advocacy, and fundraising to support global initiatives that uphold these rights. The organisation runs a youth council that actively participates in its work while also leading independent projects. Currently, the council is engaged in Bridging Youth Voices for Children's Rights, a youth exchange programme funded by Erasmus+. Through this initiative, a group of Icelandic youth (aged 15 to 19) will travel to Luxembourg in February to collaborate with their Luxembourgish peers on projects related to climate change and children's rights.
During the visit, the students—who come from various upper-secondary schools across Iceland—were accompanied by project manager Inga Auðbjörg K. Straumland. Þór Ásgeirsson, Director of GRÓ FTP, provided an overview of Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water) and explained the impact of climate change on oceans, fish and communities dependent on the blue economy, including sectors such as fisheries, tourism, and transportation. He also highlighted how GRÓ FTP addresses these challenges through its training and research programs for fisheries professionals from developing countries.
GRÓ FTP wishes the UNICEF youth group a productive and insightful exchange in Luxembourg.