Highlights of the CATS Conference 2016

Children as Actors for Transforming Society (CATS) met for the 4^th edition. The conference provided space for sharing stories, learning and playing. This year’s focus was on how adults, children and young people could contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The last day of the CATS Conference 2016 left participants with a great sense of engagement and will to take action. On the final day, participants shared their commitments based on the work over the week on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“I want to go back to my country and do more to fight inequalities" said Riku Kimura, 15 years old, from Japan.

Others committed to contributing with very simple every day activities such as recycling more or by not wasting resources. They also committed to being more actively involved in policy making, by setting up local children and young people’s council as one example.

The past week saw a great amount of surprising moments. Unexpectedly, during the ‘Night of change’ on 31 July, the Polish Ombudsman for Children Marek Michalak, awarded the CATS Director Jonathan Levy the Medal of Honour of Infanti Dignitatis Defensori, for his efforts in defending children’s rights. (photo: Federico Lanzo/Eurochild)

The Human Library on 30 July allowed the sharing of amazing stories from the four corners of the world: from the Middle-East to South America, from Asia to Europe. Esteban Quispe, a 17-year-old from Bolivia who turns waste into robots shared his remarkable story. He went from being a boy from a disadvantaged background to being widely recognised and called a ‘genius’.  

During the CATS Parliament, a Member of the European Parliament, Julie Ward, advised children and young people on how to lobby to politicians like her. She also said, “the CATS conference is a model of what society should be like”. “I encourage you to keep doing what you are doing and keeping me involved”. Click here to view our interview with MEP Julie Ward.

During the ‘Talent Night’, the CATS crowd was amazed by the young talents in dancing, piano playing or singing. Much more learning and bonding happened during the workshops, the community groups, and the evening programme. Kittens, children under 10, also learned about the SDGs in workshops adapted to them.

The CATS conference is a space where children, young people and adults learn how they can work together to be partners of change.

“We need to continue to strengthen our impact towards a more just, sustainable, inclusive and equitable society”, said Dr. Gerison Lansdown, international consultant on children’s right to participate, in her speech on the final day. She demonstrated the impact the 2015 CATS conference had made on law making at the EU level and reiterated the importance of the conference to further implement the Rights of the Child and the SDGs while including children and young adults. 

CATS is organised by the Universal Education Foundation, CAUX-IofC Foundation, Initiatives of Change France, Eurochild and Child to Child. The conference is hosted every year by the CAUX-Initiatives of Change Foundation in Switzerland.

• Check out our interview with MEP Julie Ward.
• Follow the Caux Conference live on Facebook.