Oldham students have joined students from across Greater Manchester at an event held during COP28.

Technology company Siemens hosted 60 secondary school students from across the region for a day of learning about sustainable futures, as world leaders gather in Dubai for the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference.

The event, which took place at Siemens’ Didsbury HQ on November 30, formed part of WildHeart’s Global Youth Summit – the world’s largest youth-led sustainability event.

This year’s summit has seen 60,000 students getting involved globally, which organisers say is the largest ever. Organised to coincide with COP, the summit has brought together thousands of young people across five continents every year since COP26.

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Participants discussed and debated global sustainability issues impacting different countries and how they can be overcome.

In partnership with Siemens, businesses including Wesleyan, Linklaters and Nestlé delivered workshops designed to encourage pupils to consider the impact that they can have in promoting sustainability.

Participants also got the opportunity to meet a range of Siemens employees to discuss careers.

This year’s event saw Manchester selected as a Youth Summit Hub location for the first time.

Attendees included Oasis Academy Oldham, St Anthony’s Roman Catholic School (Trafford), Didsbury High school (Didsbury), Cheadle Hulme High (Stockport), St Ambrose Barlow RC High School (Salford), and Oasis Media City (Salford).

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Louise Harry, sustainability director at Siemens GB&I, said: “What an absolute pleasure it’s been to host such an engaged and enthusiastic group of students from across our region.

“It was clear today how united we are – businesses and schoolchildren alike – in pushing for a more sustainable future.

“I want to thank Wesleyan, Linklaters and Nestlé for joining us for the first-ever WildHearts event in Manchester.

“They know, as we do, that businesses across all sectors have an integral role to play in not only tackling the sustainability challenge through innovating their operations, but inspiring the change we need to see in the next generation.

“The road to a sustainable future is paved with collective action.”

Dr Mick Jackson, chief executive of WildHearts Group said: “This year’s WildHearts Global Youth Summit during COP28 was our largest yet- with 60,000 young people globally taking part.

“This was made possible thanks to the collective commitment of our amazing Corporate Partners, such as Siemens.

“By partnering with WildHearts they demonstrate to our young people that they can take action and that positive change is possible when business becomes a force for good.” 

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