SMP Youth Festival Inspires Global Citizenship at University of Stirling

07 November 2024

In collaboration with the University of Stirling, the SMP recently hosted its 2024 Youth Festival : For the Better – Together! This engaging Youth and Schools event enabled Secondary and Primary school students, teachers, and SMP members to participate in a day of interactive workshops focused on global citizenship and sustainable development. Opening with a message of welcome and encouragement from the University of Stirling’s Chancellor, Lord McConnell, the event on 31 October was held in the heart of the University’s campus in an area dedicated to research and its dissemination. The successful day was led by the SMP’s Ian Mitchell (aka Mitch) and the University’s Professor Eddie Duncan.

Participants joined expert-led sessions on important topics of research collaboration between academics in Malawi and the University of Stirling, including road safety (the leading cause of death of young people in Malawi), plastic pollution and air quality. The Children’s Parliament in Scotland ran a session on youth empowerment. Each workshop was designed to encourage young people to consider their own agency and role in driving positive change. Attendees reflected on how their actions could impact both Scotland and Malawi, reinforcing the values of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Malawian post-graduate Student, Bosco Chinkonda gave an insightful presentation on the importance of Education and shared his perspectives as a Malawian studying in Scotland.

Feedback on the day was overwhelmingly positive, with participants describing the experience as “eye-opening” and expressing a desire to learn more. The festival highlighted the strength of youth agency and cross-cultural collaboration, fostering new ideas and partnerships between Scotland and Malawi. Our thanks to everyone involved!

Watch Youth Festival video teaser here.

We have created a folder of images, you are welcome to download your choice of images from the day here.

(Thank you to Kirsty Stroma for the photography and Alan Jones for the videography.)