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"Man is inherently good, while evil comes from ignorance". Erasmus's words perfectly illustrate the sources of many conflicts or misconceptions about them existing in the world through the abovementioned ignorance. Only by learning the true history of the world, constantly updating it so that we know the genesis of conflicts and their prevention, can we build peace consciously.

Peacebuilding to me means learning the truth about the other person. We won't get to the root of a problem by hearing about it third-hand, after correction, or by only hearing the positives or the negatives.

It requires lots of patience and willingness to listen to each other, but the result will carry benefits, not only for ourselves but also for future generations. I believe that the ideal solution would be to create a 'Peace History Museum'. It would offer the possibility of creating a room for any willing country to present the stories of the conflicts concerned, their effects on that country, what lessons can be learnt from them and how, on that occasion, the country has contributed to peacebuilding - repairing damage and helping others. Such information would come from a designated group of representatives, including participants of the event in question, regardless of age, (if the event took place a long time ago - the participants are dead, the information would be compiled from relatives and personal documents - e.g. diaries) from the country in question under the supervision of a specialist to prevent the falsification of history.

The museum would host meetings between young people and representatives of organisations whose idea is to "save from oblivion". The museum itself would also organise a competition every year, which would consist of one text being chosen from each country about that year's problem in the country and how it was dealt with - how it led to peacebuilding. For this, young people would have to research the causes of that situation - broadening their awareness of it. Let us focus on the future, not forgetting the past, but learning from it.

Turning to my own experience of spreading peace. I have certainly been influenced by the current situation in Ukraine and the reception of refugees in Poland. In my high school, there were also Ukrainian youth, whom if we wanted to help, we first had to understand (figuratively and literally). We organised Ukrainian-Polish glossaries, collections of clothes, food, and medicines. Next are the visits to the memorials. No book or film compares to physically being at the scene of a crime and hearing about it from its victims. A visit to Auschwitz is a clear example. As long as one does not see with one's own eyes the piles of clothes, shoes, hair, or the conditions in which the prisoners lived there, one cannot grasp the importance of peacebuilding - to ensure that people will never again suffer such a fate.

Another example - visiting Taizé, an ecumenical village where different faiths come together for the proverbial conversation. This place shows how faith and the human desire to act can be a common bond. The activities on site are designed to facilitate this. To quote Brother Roger: "If some are gripped by worry about the future and find themselves at a standstill, there are also young people all over the world who are inventive and creative. They know God did not create us to be passive. For them, life is not subject to a blind destiny. They are aware that scepticism and discouragement have the power to paralyse human beings".

To conclude my speech, I will once again quote Brother Roger, who explicitly says to strive to build a better future, despite the hardships: "Gather everything that happens, trivialities included, without reservation, regret or nostalgia, in inexhaustible wonder. Set out, going forward one step at a time, from doubt towards faith, not worrying about the impossible ahead. Light fire, even with the thorns that tear you".

"We are living on this planet as if we had another one to go to" ~ Terri Swearingen It was just another day of being a fourth grader on February 25th, 2017. There had been a heavy downpour since early morning but I didn't think much of it sitting in my cozy classroom until it was time to go home. At that point, I didn't know the journey of a mere 3 km would be the turning point of my life.

The entire area was submerged and it looked like a scene straight out of the movie "Water world". I felt over-awed by the power of the water that made us trapped in our car for close to 6 hours. We had no choice but to ditch the car. Initially, it seemed fun to wade through knee-deep water but soon the water level rose swiftly to my chest. I looked around at poles, pillars, and trees inundated with water, vehicles half-submerged, and rescue boats evacuating stranded citizens on what was once a road. It seemed like an eternity before I reached home cold, tired, and reeling in shock. That fateful day made me realize that climate change is real and happening.

Residing on the beautiful Java island in Indonesia surrounded by natural wonders and rich culture, one cannot ignore the fact that Jakarta is rapidly developing as the fastest-sinking city in the world. One of the primary causes for this is uncontrolled groundwater extraction and rapid urbanization. The Government should move the focus from urban development projects to allocating more funds towards expanding the development of coastal sea walls and upgrading drainage systems. Sustainable water management should be followed by communities by harvesting rainwater to supply sanitary requirements as well as drinking water. A tunnel system should be created to capture floodwaters and transport them into a water tank that can be used to recharge groundwater and used for agricultural purposes. Floating cities can be a long-term solution for changing water levels.

A solution I think is most integral is by promoting awareness, starting at the elementary level. I believe that it is absolutely essential for schools to implement environmental education as a mandatory subject in their curriculum with an emphasis on the UN SDG's. The earlier children are educated on the potential threats to the environment, the faster they develop their attitude and skills to care for the environment. This will engage children in their surroundings and understand how their actions impact the environment. Furthermore, there can be challenges where students 'explore the extreme' to come up with innovative and creative solutions to environmental issues applicable in real life. Students can conduct a year-long research project called the 'Community Action Service' where they can work in teams to serve the community in an environmental aspect.

Being a Gen Z kid, I am very much concerned about Planet Earth and its well-being. In elementary school, I designed an eco-friendly air cooler made of plastic bottles that were aimed to assist the rural population that did not have access to electricity. Furthermore, as part of my individual research project in middle school, I created a hydroponics system at home by growing vegetables sustainably. I also developed 3 prize-winning apps on climate change that addressed SDG Goals 11, 13, and 14. Currently, I am a participant in the New York Academy of Sciences STEM challenge where I and my team are creating a prototype vessel that mitigates and tracks oil spills.

In these small but significant ways, I am doing my part to combat climate change and so can you! There are countless ways to mitigate climate change but the first is to alter our mindset that climate change is happening. Every action, no matter how small, makes a difference. Don't wait for change, Be the change.