Imphal: A 12-year-old Licypriya Kangujam, a climate and environmental activist from Manipur touched upon the pressing issues of climate change and its impact on children in closed-door meetings with select Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in Brussels.
Attired in traditional Meitei dresses, Licypriya on Friday got the golden opportunity to express her views when she recently raised concerns about the violence in Manipur at the European Parliament.
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She was invited to put forward her views in front of the MEPs.
Taking the rare opportunity, she expressed her views on the violence in Manipur bordering Myanmar which does not boil down to a conflict between majority and minority communities or between specific religious or tribal groups.
“It is a struggle within a particular community, centered on the preservation of nature against the destruction caused by the cultivation of poppy for drugs, she said.
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Licypriya who hails from Manipur’s Kankching district also pointed out the hypocrisy in advocating for a green future while engaging in actions that harm the planet and jeopardize the future of millions of children through warfare and environmental damage.
While calling for genuine support in her fight for climate justice, she urged the European Union to back her campaign to establish a free residential school for children affected by the violence in Manipur.
Notably, over 22,000 children were affected by the communal violence that broke out between the non-tribals and tribals in Manipur on May 3, 2023. Altogether, 175 persons lost their lives while 60, 000 people were displaced.
It is reported that her visit was a part of the broader engagement with Europe, which included an address to the people of Europe in Paris, France, an invitation by the Government of Italy as part of Expo Roma 2030 and World Expo 2030, and an upcoming address at the United Nations World Food Forum 2023 as well as closing ceremony in Rome, Italy on October 20.