December 01, 2022
Meghan O'Toole
Student attends Paris Peace Forum, meets world leaders
For Isabella Tello ‘26, meeting with world leaders and attending global forums is a way to help raise awareness about the urgent need for climate action while bringing the voices of the girls and women from her community to international settings.
At the Paris Peace Forum, November 11-12, Tello was able to advance her personal mission to raise awareness about the impact of climate change from a gendered perspective.
The event gathered the most important actors in global governance to discuss the prevention of destructive world polarization that has the potential to further jeopardize peace for humanity.
Some 4,800 participants were in attendance at the forum, including 32 heads of state and government and leaders of international organizations. Tello’s group shared one of 70 projects featured.
Tello represented the Barranquilla+20 Foundation with the support of the Gates Foundation. The organization developed the Women for Climate Justice initiative, which investigates and education on the role of gender equity in the fight against climate change. Women for Climate Justice empowers and trains women leaders from Colombia so they can strategize for various socio-environmental situations.
“The initiative has a positive impact in promoting the participation, recognition and appreciation of young women in the generation of climate justice, providing the necessary input for political advocacy for both local, national and international climate policies,” Tello said.
On the first day of the forum, Tello had an informal meeting with President of the Republic of Colombia Gustavo Petro to explain her project and advocate for governmental support.
“It was important to go to a big space and be part of a larger community, discussing how the situation in Ukraine is impacting other countries,” Tello said. “We have support from private organizations like the Gates Foundation, but not from the government.”
Tello expressed some frustration about the limitations of these short conversations with world leaders: “It is a huge ordeal to just have five minutes with a global figure, and that does not leave much time for meaningful connection.”
Among topics discussed at the Paris Peace Forum was the impact the war in Ukraine is having on other countries. Various groups and speakers advocated for investment in peace initiatives, especially ones that also focus on a more peaceful and sustainable future.
For Tello, attending such global events is a way to transform urgent demands and necessities into meaningful policy actions that ensure a more just and equitable world.
“Summits and world conferences are the optimal scenarios for the most marginalized and affected communities —women and girls from the global south—to contribute ideas to governments and international agencies,” Tello said. “These international events call for states to join forces and create coalitions to tackle interstate social issues such as climate change and gender inequality by drafting and implementing global agendas and formulating common goals.”
Tello has previously presented at the Youth 4 UN Climate Driving Ambition Conference in Milan and the Transform Education Summit at the United Nations headquarters in New York. She was recognized as a United Nations Women Rising Star awardee in Chicago in October, 2022.