Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Hasnaa
Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Hasnaa, President of the Mohammed VI Foundation for Environmental Protection, has decades of demonstrated and deeply held commitment for the Environment and sustainable development. As a committed global leader, she has consistently and concretely put Youth and the public at the center of the activities of the Foundation, with a core focus on Education for Sustainable Development.
Over the past 20 years, Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Hasnaa has been deeply and personally involved in high-level events related to Climate Change and public mobilization for sustainable development (e.g. The Signing Ceremony of the Paris Agreement, the Opening of the High-Level Segment of COP23, the High Level events on Education in COP22 and COP23, the High Level event on the Ocean Day in COP22, to name but a few).
She has also been involved a large number of high-level events related to Youth and Education for Sustainable Development (e.g. as Guest of Honor at the opening ceremony of the 9th World Environmental Education Congress, Guest of Honor at the UNESCO World Conference marking the end of the 2005-2014 UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD), or also as Goodwill ambassador for the Blue Fund of the Congo Basin Commission).
The personal involvement of Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Hasnaa as a recognized global leader is a highly valuable asset for the success and overall visibility of the African Youth Climate Hub.
The Foundation’s Vision for Climate Action and Change
Thanks to its long history and track record of field action and advocacy at the highest political level on the Moroccan, African and global stages, the Mohammed VI Foundation for Environmental Protection is a natural and legitimate leader to carry out the African Youth Climate Hub initiative.
With its robust networks of partners and influencers, its human, methodological and technical assets and its wide portfolio of widely acknowledged operational programs, the Foundation is in an adequate position to lead and quickly operationalize the African Youth Climate Hub initiative, in close coordination with the UN.
As expected for the Climate Action Summit 2019, the Foundation intends to send clear signals to facilitate and secure over the long term the acceleration of Youth mobilization and action for the concrete implementation of the Paris Agreement
The Mohammed VI Foundation for Environmental Protection
The Foundation has a significant track record in Education for Sustainable Development in Morocco. Since its creation, the Foundation has been constantly investing to reinforce the digital dimensions of its activities, such as:
Forums for teachers and pupils to exchange best practices and foster an engaged community.
Online platforms for hospitality professionals to facilitate exchange within the Green Key
community.
Coastal Protection platforms for initiatives like Blue Flag and clean beaches operations.
4 online platforms in 4 languages for the Mohammed VI Prize, promoting climate and sustainable
development.
One of the Foundation’s notable strengths is its ability to bring together diverse stakeholders.
They consistently convene and engage stakeholders from the private sector, national and local governments, civil society, and the academic ecosystem. By involving all relevant stakeholders, the Foundation strives to achieve concrete results that benefit the environment and sustainable development as a whole. They have a particular focus on inclusivity, actively involving youth and vulnerable populations as primary beneficiaries in their initiatives and programs.
The Foundation holds a leading position in the field of Education for Sustainable Development, not just in Morocco but also in Africa and the Global South at large.
Their impactful work in mobilizing and educating youth and the wider public on environmental issues has garnered recognition. With a focus on specific areas like air quality, climate change, historical gardens restoration, and coastal protection, the Foundation consistently delivers concrete results that contribute to sustainable development efforts.
The Foundation has established strong collaborations with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and various UN agencies. They have signed dedicated Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and actively participate in climate change education-related events. Notably, they hosted an Action for Climate Empowerment workshop in Morocco and have increased their visibility through participation in several events and fora since 2016. These collaborations enable the Foundation to align its initiatives with global frameworks and leverage international expertise for enhanced impact.
Climate Change Focus and Co-Benefits
Over the past five years, the Foundation has proactively intensified its focus on climate change. They have updated existing programs and activities to explicitly incorporate climate change issues, ensuring a comprehensive approach to education and action. Moreover, the Foundation has developed new activities like the Air Climate Programme, which addresses both climate change and air quality. Their initiatives consistently identify and strengthen climate co-benefits, including adaptation and mitigation efforts.
Examples include promoting clean beaches for coastal resilience, integrating mitigation and adaptation pledges in the Green Key hospitality sector, and restoring historical gardens with carbon sequestration and biodiversity benefits.