A young member of the Campus Saint-Jean community at the heart of the COP26 summit in Glasgow

EDMONTON (October 29, 2021) - For the next two weeks, all spotlights will be on Glasgow, UK, and the United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC-COP 26) that will take place there. At the heart of this global event will be a young Franco-Albertan member of the wider Campus Saint-Jean community.

Océanne Kahanyshyn-Fontaine, 17, daughter of Campus Saint-Jean Manager, Academic Administration & Students Services Denis Fontaine, will represent Canadian and North American youth at COP 26 which will take place in Scotland from November 2 to 10. This project is an initiative of the Center for Global Education (CGE).

If several hundreds of youth had participated in a pre-COP26 summit in Milan, Italy ahead of the official Conference of Member States, less than ten young people were invited to present, in Glasgow, the perspective of the world's youth on the subject of the environment. The purpose of this participation is to bring the perspective of the next generation to world leaders during the summit, including presenting them with a Call to Action.

Océanne’s parents, Nadine Kahanyshyn and Denis Fontaine, cannot hide how pride they are: “We are particularly happy for her since she will be able to live an unforgettable experience. She will have the opportunity to play a key role and have a positive impact on causes that are very close to her heart, such as social justice involving First Nations and the environment. ”

For the Dean of Campus Saint-Jean, Professor Pierre-Yves Mocquais, “beyond the participation of a young Franco-Albertan in an event of global importance, Océanne's commitment underlines the deep interest that our future generations deal with climate issues. We can only be optimistic when we see how young people like Océanne are preparing to overcome these global challenges - the succession is assured. "

At Campus Saint-Jean, the climate crisis is a subject of both research and community concern. Researchers from the Faculté Saint-Jean are working on several interdisciplinary projects related to this theme, in partnership with regional, provincial and federal institutions and community organizations, as well as with internal administrative units. This week, La Centrale, the campus's student excellence support center, participated in the University of Alberta's Sustainable Development Week by organizing two events. Whether it is the solar panels on the roof of the Saint-Jean Library or the teaching laboratories with the strictest environmental standards, for example recycling the water used, the Campus Saint-Jean's commitment to sustainable development makes so as to be reflected in its facilities and infrastructure. Anxious to be a forum for debate on major issues facing humanity, Campus Saint-Jean also intends to plan an event on the environment in the coming months, an event in which Océanne Kahanyshyn-Fontaine will naturally be invited to participate.

The entire Saint-Jean Campus community congratulates Océanne and wishes her a safe trip to Glasgow!