Empowering Youth for a Sustainable Future
My Peace Boat Journey with Blue Planet Alliance
by Neil Gumbs, Blue Planet Alliance Global Youth Ambassador
When Peace Boat US and Blue Planet Alliance selected me to the Youth for the SDGs program, it was more than an opportunity to attend another workshop, but was evidently an investment in youth leadership, climate action, and the future of Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Through the support of Blue Planet Alliance and its Ambassador Programme, young leaders like myself are constantly being equipped with the knowledge, networks, and experiences needed to create meaningful change within our communities.
Bringing together participants from around the world, the Youth for the SDGs program provided a unique platform to exchange ideas, explore the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and learn how diverse communities are responding to global environmental challenges. For me, the experience reinforced that solutions to climate change are most effective when they are built through collaboration, cultural understanding, and shared responsibility.
One of the most memorable experiences was visiting the ‘Embera Quera’ indigenous communities’ in Panama. Guided by community members, we learned how traditional ecological knowledge has sustained their people for generations. From discovering the medicinal properties of the ‘Papelillo (Dos Hojas) tree’ to understanding the community's deep respect for the surrounding forest. The visit demonstrated that sustainability is not simply a concept it is a way of life. It served as a powerful reminder that Indigenous knowledge remains an essential resource in protecting biodiversity and building climate resilience.
The programme also took us to the ‘Kuna Indigenous Community’, where we connected to deliver ocean literacy activities through storytelling, marine species identification, interactive games, dancing, and the creation of a collaborative ocean mural. Watching the children's enthusiasm as they learned about marine conservation highlighted the importance of environmental education in inspiring future generations to protect our oceans.
As an ambassador from Anguilla, these experiences resonated deeply. Like many Caribbean islands, Anguilla is on the front lines of climate change, facing increasingly intense hurricanes, coastal erosion, and rising sea levels. Projects like the mangrove restoration and biodiversity conservation in Guatemala undoubtedly taught me strategies that are directly transferable to my context in Anguilla. The programme strengthened my commitment to SDG 13: Climate Action, while reinforcing the strong connections between renewable energy, healthy oceans, resilient communities, and youth engagement.
Equally valuable were the friendships and professional relationships formed throughout the programme. Learning alongside young leaders from different cultures broadened my perspective and reminded me that while our communities may face different challenges, we share a common goal of creating a more sustainable and equitable world.
This opportunity was made possible through the vision of Emilie McGlone and her team at Peace Boat US along with Blue Planet Alliance, whose Ambassador Programme continues to empower young people to become advocates and changemakers in their own countries. The leadership of Francois Rogers, Kneyone Murray, and Molly Rosaaen. Together with the outstanding coordination at Peace Boat US an environment was created where learning, collaboration, and global citizenship could thrive.
I returned to Anguilla with renewed purpose, stronger international partnerships, and fresh ideas to support climate resilience and sustainable development. Blue Planet Alliance is not only investing in climate resilience and renewable energy; it is investing in people. By empowering youth leaders today, it is helping build a more sustainable tomorrow for island communities and the world.
