Stepping into the unknown, rallying around common ideals, and moving to action – Next Gen student, Osvaldo, tackles it all in this new Next Gen Voice Blog.
Next Gen what?! We will explain…
To us, a Next Gen is any young person who pursues their passions for driving positive change, exploring this great planet, forming new connections, and creating lasting impact. They are students and young professionals working on the hard issues of our time with big dreams about our global future. Osvaldo is one of 35 African and North American Next Gen’s that are converging in Mozambique in July for the 2015 Lost Mountain Next Gen Symposium. In the coming months, we will be sharing their voices, thoughts, ideas and passions in our Next Gen Voice Blogs. Read on…
My name is Osvaldo António Lampião and I am a participant in the 2015 Lost Mountain Next Gen Symposium.
Truth be told, I am anxious for this adventure. Whenever you go to an unknown place, you feel fear and a number of other emotions. You must balance the desire to explore with any fear of the unknown that exists beyond our imagination.
Why fear? Probably because it’s the first time that I will travel to a new place where I don’t know anyone and where I am unfamiliar with how things work. I will have to follow my hosts carefully to learn the customs and it will also be my first time meeting and staying with so many people that I don’t know yet.
I also know that this experience will be full of many different emotions. I feel optimistic and able to face any difficulties that I may encounter me and turn them into learning opportunities for myself and for my peers. To me, I am inspired to go through this process because I believe that our struggle with the earth will end only when we realize the importance of preserving the environment in order to maintain ecological processes. We must reach a balance that works for both us and for the environment.
It means a lot to me to to know that, despite being in a new place with new people, we are all there to embrace the same idea: the promotion of nature’s values for its conservation. I think it will be even more interesting because we will have the opportunity to share our understanding with each other and then go home and share it with our own communities.
I believe that the 2015 Lost Mountain Next Gen Symposium will be a great opportunity for me to learn about biodiversity, about the resources that we have today, and how we can better steward all that nature has to offer us.
Osvaldo Antonio Lampião is an undergraduate student majoring in Ecotourism and Wildlife Management at Manica Superior Polytechnic Institute, Chimoio. His goal for participating in the 2015 Lost Mountain Next Gen Symposium is to begin merging theoretical knowledge with technical know-how. He is inspired to develop skills and competencies to be able to lead and coordinate activities successfully in various areas related to conservation and ecotourism. He is one of our Positive Tracks Next Gens.
Opening Photo: Sharing the Lost Mountain with over 900 school children in Maputo during the Inauguration of Biofund Mozambique. Photo by Eric Wilburn.