The 1st Conference of Youth Climate Diplomacy Forum was held with great success at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens on 1-2 November 2024, bringing together 13 young professionals from Greece and Southeast European countries with the aim of joint action and promoting climate diplomacy in the region.

The Youth Climate Diplomacy Forum operates under the auspices of the UNESCO Chair on Climate Diplomacy, which supports the Forum’s efforts in education and policy development on climate change at national, regional, and international levels.

On the first day, distinguished speakers presented their views on the importance of climate diplomacy. Among them were Professor Emmanuella Doussis, Professor of International Institutions at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and holder of the UNESCO Chair on Climate Diplomacy, who notably stated, "The time has come to turn problems into opportunities by bringing the new generation to the negotiation table."

Support was also voiced by Dr. Giannis Manolis from the Hellenic National Commission for UNESCO, Mr. Dimitris Kollias from the Ministry of Environment and Energy, Ms. Lydia Karras from the Hellenic Society for the Environment and Culture, and Mr. Sokratis Vlachakis from UNICEF Greece.