Youth Events at COFO27: A Catalyst for Future Forestry Leaders

The 27th session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO27) and the 9th World Forest Week (WFW) took place from 22-26 July at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome, Italy. The week-long event brought together forestry policymakers and experts from over 100 countries to advance the global forestry agenda. The week was marked by a significant focus on youth contributions, highlighting the vital role of young professionals in shaping forestry's future.

The opening ceremony set an inspiring tone, with Günter Walkner, Chair of COFO27, presiding. Youth representative Louise Mabulo addressed the attendees and emphasized the importance of building an intergenerational bridge to support youth and involve them in decision-making processes as they become future leaders.

Highlighting coffee as a crop within the agroforestry system, the Bean to Cup specialty coffee tasting event on 23 July highlighted the role of youth in the entire value chain and displayed the connections between forestry and agriculture. This agroforestry specialty coffee tasting session done in collaboration with the WFF was guided by Matteo Pavoni, Italian Barista Champion 2022 and co-founder of Peacocks Coffee, and combined a coffee break with hands-on learning and discussions on sustainable coffee production.

From 24-26 July, The Career Talks organized by the COFO Youth Task Force offered an invaluable exchange between aspiring youth and seasoned forestry professionals. These sessions with Randy Moore, Chief of the US Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service, and Cristina Goralewski Hempel, President of the National Forest Institute of Paraguay, provided insights into career paths, challenges and opportunities within the field of forestry. She highlighted that involvement of youth and their innovative ideas are the only way forward to solving critical forestry issues.

The highlight of the youth-focused events was "Connecting Forestry Minds: Youth and Leaders Dialogue" on 26 July. Young professionals presented the outcomes of the first forestry-themed Youth Assembly, organized by the World Food Forum (WFF) and the COFO Youth Task Force to senior FAO leaders including Deputy Director-General, Maurizio Martina, and Forestry Division Director, Zhimin Wu. The Assembly emphasized the need for career development support, increased opportunities and responsibilities, improved collaboration between youth and senior experts and an environment that fosters innovative technologies. The event continued into open discussions between FAO leaders and young professionals, underscoring FAO’s commitment to integrating youth perspectives into its strategic initiatives.

To further amplify the voices of young foresters globally, the WFF launched a new podcast series, World Forest Voices, during COFO27. The series aims to create a platform for intergenerational dialogue by connecting youth with technical experts to discuss forest-related issues. The podcast will ensure that the discussions and insights of young forestry professionals are prominently featured and widely heard. Head to Food for the Future podcast channel to tune in.

The collective efforts of the COFO Youth Task Force and the WFF Youth Assembly in the lead-up to COFO27 brought together young foresters and sparked discussions on creative ideas. They aim to establish a comprehensive Youth Roadmap in Forestry, building on discussions from the 2024 World Food Forum flagship event in October and the Mediterranean Forest Week in November. These efforts will help ensure that young professionals play a leading role in advancing global forestry-related initiatives in the years to come.