On 31st May 2025, the Open Conference on Climate Change convened the Fourth Virtual Cohort of participants, alongside notable experts in environmental and climate affairs, to set the stage for a 14-week intensive training programme. More than a digital gathering, the event served as a bold statement affirming the role of youth in climate action and innovation.
Under the theme “Baku Climate Framework: In Solidarity for a Green World,” the Revamp Rave Network officially launched the Fourth Virtual Cohort Programme, bringing together activists, policymakers, and young leaders from across the Global South and beyond to advance climate knowledge, justice, and collaboration.
At a time when climate diplomacy often falters at the intersection of power and principle, this conference offered something rare: clarity, commitment, and a shared belief in the moral power of youth.
The “Baku Climate Framework” emerged from the symbolic momentum surrounding Baku’s growing role in climate diplomacy, particularly ahead of upcoming COP engagements. Yet beyond location, the framework represents a mindset, one that insists climate leadership must be inclusive, regionally sensitive, and intergenerational.
“The Global South doesn’t need saviours—it needs equity,” declared Sulaimon Arigbabu , Executive Secretary of HEDA Resource Centre, during the panel discussion.
Other panelists echoed this theme: Cinderella of Green Hut spoke passionately about placing young people at the centre of climate negotiations, while Olumide Idowu of ICCDI Africa challenged participants to translate grassroots action into national policy influence.
Tutors Who Teach Beyond the Text
In a rare move for a virtual cohort, the launch placed deliberate focus on the role of tutors as mentors, not just facilitators. These experts, drawn from climate research, journalism, advocacy, and grassroots mobilisation, are set to deliver over 14 weeks of instruction tailored to developing both technical literacy and community-led leadership.
“Don’t underestimate what community projects can do. Climate leadership starts where you are, with what you have,” said Stephanie Sargeant.
Participants also heard from Desmond, the Programme Manager for EV World Africa and with a closing remark by Azeez Salawu, the Executive Director of Community Action for Food Security (CAFS), who spoke on the intersection of education and climate justice.
The Cohort programme begins
On Saturday, 7th June 2025, over 150 youth advocates from across Africa and the diaspora will begin classes in the cohort, an intensive, virtual 14-week programme focused on climate literacy, green entrepreneurship, advocacy, and project development. From the theory of Climate Science to the practical realities of implementing nature-based solutions, participants will gain a toolkit for lasting impact.
The curriculum is rigorous yet flexible, recognising the time constraints and digital access challenges that many young leaders face in their regions. Peer exchange, group mentoring, and real-world project incubation are key pillars of the programme’s design.
Building a Green Future from the Ground Up
What distinguishes this programme is not its digital infrastructure or international reach—it is its philosophy of participation. Rather than treating youth as future stakeholders, the Fourth Virtual Cohort sees them as current shapers of climate change solutions.
This is not about waiting for change. It’s about being trained to lead it, and to do so with courage, context, and care.
As the founder remarked at the end of the conference:
“This is more than a programme. It’s a preparation, for a fight we didn’t start, but one we’re committed to winning through Action,” Abimbola Abikoye. MILD
In a world saturated with climate pledges, the Baku Climate Framework stands out, not because it promises more, but because it asks more of all of us. It demands solidarity over symbolism, substance over spin.
And now, as the cohort begins its work, the message is clear: the time for shared learning has come. And with it, a new generation ready to speak, and act, for the Earth we all share.
For media enquiries, programme replay, or partnership opportunities, contact info@revamprave.org. Follow the journey: #BakuClimateFramework #RevampRave #VirtualCohort2025