Kehkashan Basu Explained

Kehkashan Basu
Honorific Suffix:MSM
Birth Place:Dubai, United Arab Emirates[1]
Birth Date:5 June 2000
Nationality:Canadian
Occupation:Environmentalist, Human rights activist
Organization:Green Hope Foundation
Years Active:2008–present
Alma Mater:University of Toronto
Cornell University[2]
Awards:International Children's Peace Prize (2016)

Kehkashan Basu MSM[3] [4] (born June 5, 2000)[5] [6] is a Canadian environmental and human rights activist[7] [8] from the United Arab Emirates.[9] [10] Basu also advocates for peace, children’s rights, education for sustainable development, nuclear disarmament, gender equality and climate justice.[11] [12] She is the Founder-President of Green Hope Foundation,[13] the youngest Councillor of World Future Council,[14] the youngest Trustee of the Parliament of the World's Religions,[15] a KidsRights Youngsters member, and winner of the International Children's Peace Prize 2016.[16]

Biography

Kehkashan was born on June 5, 2000 in Dubai to Indian parents from Kolkata.[17] [18] [19] At age 8, she was planting trees and organizing young people to recycle. At age 11, she addressed the TUNZA Children and Youth Conference in Indonesia, and the next year she set a record as the youngest delegate to speak at a press conference at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20).

She founded the Green Hope Foundation in 2012, with the goal of teaching and implementing the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including through grassroots action such as tree planting.[20] [21] The organization also involves young people globally in the SDGs through community-focused projects in climate justice,[22] halting land degradation, promoting sustainable consumption and renewable energy, and conserving biodiversity, as well as gender equality and social justice. Currently with more than 3000 members in total, across Canada, Suriname, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, United States, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Australia, Kenya, The Bahamas, Chile, Vietnam, Seychelles, Sweden, The Netherlands, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Peru, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Kiribati and Liberia, the organization works by conducting workshops and conferences around the implementation of the SDGs.[23]

Basu attended the Deira International School in Dubai and graduated from the North Toronto Collegiate Institute in Toronto, Canada.[24] In June 2022, she graduated from the University of Toronto with an Honours Bachelor of Arts with High Distinction, where she majored in environmental studies, double-minoring in women and gender studies and physical and environmental geography.[25] [26] [27] Basu is currently an MBA student at the Cornell University Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management.[28]

In 2017, she published the short story book "The Tree of Hope", in collaboration with the illustrator Karen Webb-Meek.[29] In the book, a young girl creates an oasis in a desert by planting trees and persuading friends to help.

In 2021, Basu was a keynote speaker at the first annual Peace Education Day Conference, held virtually.[30]

In 2022, Basu moderated a roundtable meeting at the United Nations' Conference of the Parties (COP27) summit.[31] The panel included international environmental policy-makers such as Susana Muhamad.

Basu spoke on Desertification and Drought Day in 2023 in an event titled "Her Land. Her Rights: Advancing Gender Equality and Land Restoration Goals at the United Nations Headquarters.[32] The event brought together leaders and gender equality activists to discuss how to advance women's leadership and decision-making in sustainable development. Other speakers included António Guterres, Amina J. Mohammed, Csaba Kőrösi, Katrin Jakobsdóttir, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, Teresa Ribera Rodríguez, Tarja Halonen, Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, Sonia Guajara, Jennifer Littlejohn, Sima Sami Bahous, Ibrahim Thiaw, Natalia Kanem, Alain-Richard Donwahi, Achim Steinier, Qu Dongyu, Solange Bandiaky-Badji, Rex Molapo, and Lukwesa Barak.[33]

Awards and recognition

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kehkashan Basu . live . 2021-03-30 . Forbes . en. https://web.archive.org/web/20210330004150if_/https://www.forbes.com/profile/kehkashan-basu/?sh=de47af2521c9. 30 March 2021.
  2. Web site: Friedlander . Blaine . Student prods COP27 to include youth in climate solutions . Cornell Chronicle . Cornell University.
  3. Web site: Government of Canada. Public Works and Government Services Canada. 2022-01-29. Canada Gazette, Part 1, Volume 156, Number 5: GOVERNMENT HOUSE. 2022-01-29. www.gazette.gc.ca.
  4. Web site: General. Office of the Secretary to the Governor. Ms. Kehkashan Basu. 2022-01-29. The Governor General of Canada.
  5. Web site: Kehkashan Basu. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201215200316/https://www.worldfuturecouncil.org/p/kehkashan-basu/. 15 December 2020. 2021-03-29. World Future Council. en-US.
  6. Web site: 2016 - Kehkashan Basu (16), UAE . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210116123219/https://kidsrights.org/advocacy/international-childrens-peace-prize/winners/kehkashan-basu/ . 16 January 2021 . 2021-03-29 . KidsRights Foundation . en-US.
  7. Web site: Environmental champion Kehkashan Basu brings hope . Jingco . Kaitlin . Canadian Immigrant . 16 November 2017 .
  8. Web site: Kehkashan Basu is one of Canada's two young representatives who attended the pre-COP youth event in September and she tells CBC News Network about what she hopes comes from COP26 . CBC . 1 November 2021 .
  9. Web site: Kehkashan Basu. 2022-01-19. Varkey Foundation. en.
  10. Web site: Harris. Teresa. Top 25 Women of Influence 2018: Kehkashan Basu – Women of Influence. 2022-01-19. en-US. 2021-06-15. https://web.archive.org/web/20210615152419/https://www.womenofinfluence.ca/2018/09/06/top-25-women-of-influence-2018-kehkashan-basu/. live.
  11. Web site: I am Generation Equality: Kehkashan Basu, feminist youth leader and environmentalist from the UAE. UN Women – Arab States. 10 August 2021. 28 November 2021. 28 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211128215331/https://arabstates.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2021/08/i-am-generation-equality-kehkashan-basu. live.
  12. Web site: 2019-01-12. Kehkashan Basu - Green Hope Foundation. 2021-03-30. One Girl. en-CA. 2021-03-30. https://web.archive.org/web/20210330010339/https://1girl.ca/kekashan-basu/. live.
  13. Web site: GreenHopeFoundation – The Future belongs to us!. 2022-01-06. en-US. 2022-01-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20220105153444/https://greenhopefoundation.com/. live.
  14. Web site: Kehkashan Basu. MESIA. 28 November 2021. 28 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211128220002/https://mesia.com/solar_pioneers/kehkashan-basu/. live.
  15. Web site: Board of Trustees Parliament of the World's Religions. 2022-01-06. parliamentofreligions.org. 2022-01-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20220106155019/https://parliamentofreligions.org/about/board-trustees. live.
  16. Web site: Dubai's teen eco-warrior: 'It was preordained that I'd take care of mother earth'. The Guardian. Nianias. Helen. 15 December 2016. 28 November 2021. 28 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211128214459/https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2016/dec/15/teen-eco-warrior-activist-dubai-climate-change. live.
  17. News: Kehkashan Basu, UAE-based Indian teen, wins Children's Peace Prize . The Hindu . 3 December 2016 .
  18. News: Teen with city roots shines at UN . The Telegraph . Ghose . Chandreyee . 7 November 2013 .
  19. Web site: Kehkashan Basu's Story UNCCD. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200813172251/https://www.unccd.int/kehkashan-basus-story. 13 August 2020. 8 March 2021. United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.
  20. Web site: Meet the UAE's young eco-warriors fighting for a better tomorrow. The National News. Rodrigues. Janice. 19 October 2021. 28 November 2021. 28 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211128214500/https://www.thenationalnews.com/lifestyle/wellbeing/2021/10/20/meet-the-uaes-young-eco-warriors-fighting-for-a-better-tomorrow/. live.
  21. Web site: Kehkashan Basu – Emirates Woman. Emirates Woman. 28 November 2021. 19 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220119224829/https://emirateswoman.com/awards-2018/young-talent/kehkashan-basu/. live.
  22. Web site: Kehkashan Basu, Founder, Green Hope Foundation. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210308131018/https://www.womeninrenewableenergy.ca/blog/2018/5/7/kehkashan-basu-founder-green-hope-foundation. 8 March 2021. 8 March 2021. Women in Renewable Energy. en.
  23. Web site: 15 August 2018. Kehkashan Basu. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20190726162110/https://naaee.org/about-us/people/kehkashan-basu. 26 July 2019. 8 March 2021. NAAEE. en.
  24. Web site: Toronto . Nikki Gill for Streets Of . 2019-10-23 . How a Toronto student became an eco-warrior on the world stage . 2022-06-25 . Streets Of Toronto . en-US.
  25. Web site: Adams. Susan. From Climate Change To Chronic Truancy, Forbes' 30 Under 30 In Education Are Tackling Some Of The World's Toughest Problems. 2021-03-31. Forbes. en. 2021-05-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20210501162308/https://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2020/12/01/from-climate-change-to-chronic-truancy-forbes-30-under-30-in-education-are-tackling-some-of-the-worlds-toughest-problems/. live.
  26. Web site: 'Always dare to dream,' says U of T grad Kehkashan Basu, who started an environmental non-profit at age 12 . 2022-06-25 . University of Toronto News . en.
  27. Web site: Chin. Amanda. 1 January 2021. Kehkashan Basu: Awards, goals and how it all began with a dead bird. 2021-03-31. Study International. en-GB. 2021-04-15. https://web.archive.org/web/20210415105608/https://studyinternational.com/news/kehkashan-basu-forbes-toronto/. live.
  28. Web site: Student prods COP27 to include youth in climate solutions . 2022-11-18 . Cornell Chronicle . en.
  29. Book: Basu, Kehkashan. The Tree of Hope. The Voices of Future Generations International Children's Book Series. Illustrated by Karen Webb-Meek. 2017. 978-0956995520. Berkshire, United Kingdom. en. 2021-03-30. 2021-04-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20210410130948/https://worldslargestlesson.globalgoals.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/The-Tree-of-Hope.pdf. live.
  30. Web site: Peace Education Day Conference Speakers . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220309003945/https://www.peaceeducationday.com/speakers/ . 2022-03-09 . 2022-04-09 . Peace Education Day . en-US.
  31. Web site: Student prods COP27 to include youth in climate solutions Cornell Chronicle . 2024-02-20 . news.cornell.edu . en.
  32. Web site: Desertification and Drought Day 2023 global observance . 2024-02-27 . UNCCD . en.
  33. Web site: Desertification and Drought Day 2023 global observance . 2024-02-27 . UNCCD . en.
  34. Web site: Kehkashan Basu, Environmental and child rights activist, United Arab Emirates . 2021-03-31 . www.standup4humanrights.org . en . 2021-05-07 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210507153658/https://www.standup4humanrights.org/en/hr-champions-kbasu.html . live .
  35. Web site: Phillips . Vicki . 2020-07-14 . #GenGeo: Introducing our spring 2020 National Geographic Young Explorers . 2021-03-31 . National Geographic Education Blog . en-US . 2021-04-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210411183322/https://blog.education.nationalgeographic.org/2020/07/14/gengeo-introducing-our-spring-2020-national-geographic-young-explorers/ . live .
  36. Web site: Youth Fusion wins the Gorbachev/Shultz Legacy Youth Award . February 20, 2024 . Basel Peace Office.
  37. Web site: Kehkashan Basu. 2022-01-06. Forbes. en. 2022-01-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20220119230926/https://www.forbes.com/profile/kehkashan-basu/. live.
  38. Web site: 2021-09-07. World Literacy Awards - World Literacy Foundation. 2022-01-06. worldliteracyfoundation.org. en-US. 2022-01-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20220106160509/https://worldliteracyfoundation.org/world-literacy-awards/. live.

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