Doha - November 20, 2012 - Hamad bin Khalifa University (HBKU) is proud to be hosting the Conference of Youth (COY) 8, an annual event held in advance of the Conference of the Parties (COP) 18 to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Conference provides youth from all over the world with the opportunity to meet, network and to discuss the pressing environmental issues facing their generation.

COY was established by the Global Youth Movement on Climate Change; a group of young people energetically leading the drive to finding solutions for the climate change crisis facing the worldwide community.  This year, COY8 will be organizing a series of new activities, including 32 workshops on implementation, policy, capacity-building and climate knowledge.

"COY8 will be the first of its kind to galvanize youth action for climate change in Qatar. The gathering of all youth for a single purpose is not only exciting, but astonishing as well. This conference will open doors for all of the youth to make a difference in their future and to set an example for the coming generations. As Mahatma Gandhi once said 'Be the change you want to see in the world,'" said Rahma D. Abu Swai, a Qatar University student and COY8 team member.

 The conference is aimed at helping young people share resources as well as develop their action plan for COP18. Activities include a panel discussion entitled "The Future We Want," and a special presentation highlighting the global successes of the international youth climate change movement over the past year. Also present will be keynote speaker Bill Mckibben, an American environmentalist, author and journalist.

All youth are encouraged to attend the conference, which will be held from Nov. 23, 2012 to Nov. 25, 2012. To find out more information about COY8, please visit their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/COY8Doha or follow them on Twitter: @WeAreCOY8. To register for COY8, please visit: http://t.co/HYK2YANh.

About Hamad bin Khalifa University (HBKU)
HBKU is a pioneering model of higher education which offers a unique array of learning, teaching and research resources. In collaboration with its international partners, HBKU provides unparalleled opportunities in higher education, research, funding and career prospects. Specially designed graduate programs are delivered in HBKU's groundbreaking multi-disciplinary colleges by faculty of world-class academic partners.

The partners of HBKU include: Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar; Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar; Texas A&M University at Qatar; Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar; Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar; Northwestern University in Qatar; HEC Paris in Qatar and University College London Qatar. HBKU also includes the Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies and the Translation and Interpreting Institute. 

For more information on HBKU, please visit www.hbku.edu.qa.

© Press Release 2012