Licypriya Kangujam meets Pope Francis in Vatican, urges him to bring peace in Manipur
- Rome, 5th June 2023 -

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Licypriya Kangujam meets Pope Francis in Vatican

It is the first-ever one-to-one meeting between Climate Activist Licypriya and Pope Francis for Climate Action and Peace.

11 years old Indian Climate & Environmental Activists Licypriya Kangujam urged Pope Franci, the Head of Vatican to help in bringing back peace in her state Manipur on Monday. She briefed about the ongoing Manipur Violence to the Pope and also submitted a memorandum to urge the rich nations to pay the loss and damage caused by the climate crisis to the global south.

On her 5 days official visit to Rome, Italy, she also addressed the Green and Blue Festival organized by GEDI Group – the biggest media group in Italy on 5th June as a part of celebrating World Environment Day 2023 at the World’s famous The Colosseum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Licypriya was selected amongst the 5 young people from all around the world to meet the Pope in his residence in the Vatican. Pope assures her of every possible effort to bring peace in the Indian State of Manipur.

The Pope encouraged them in their commitment to protect the environment. He also drew attention to the ever-more violent natural disasters devastating the globe, as he urged the International Community, and all people of good will, to do their part in safeguarding our Common Home.

Pope Francis says that we have a responsibility before God to protect the earth, under constant attack from devastating effects of climate change, which requires a concrete response by all.

He said, “Experts clearly point out how the choices and actions put in place this decade will have an impact for thousands of years. Our knowledge about the impact of our actions on our Common Home and those who inhabit it, and will inhabit it, has expanded.”

In the letter to the Pope, she urged to make “Climate Education” mandatory in the school education curriculum in every Catholic and Christian missionaries’ school all across the world to fight climate change from the grassroots. She states that there will be no climate solution without climate education.

“Rich countries must pay loss and damage to the poor developing nations. Today’s climate crisis is caused by the rich nations and we’re just the victims of it”, she appeals to the pope.

She further told the Pope that “Your kind intervention to stop violence between the Kukis Community and the Indigenous “Meitei” people living in Manipur - a North Eastern State of India bordering Myanmar.

Both the communities suffer a lot. Over 80,000 people from both the communities lost their homes and hundreds of people died in the last 1 month. Children desperately hope for peace. We should live in peace and harmony together”

Licypriya presented the pope with the Manipuri traditional “Lengyan Phi”.

Later, Licypriya addressed to the People of Italy at the Green & Blue Festival in Rome that “Instead of spending billions of dollars in wars, if we spent it on ending poverty, giving education and fighting climate change, what a great place our earth would be! Just we need to change our behaviors to save our Planet.”

She told the Italian media that, “My visit to Rome will strengthen my climate movement. It gives me new strength and hope for our planet. I’m not just representing here, my voice is for all the children of the world, indigenous people and the voice of the poor countries affected by the global climate crisis. I want our leaders to fulfill their promises”.

“I will build a free residential school for the victim children of both Kukis and Meities at Khongjom, Thoubal in the ongoing Manipur Violence with the help of the global support. Our aim is to provide free boarding, free food, free dress and free books from Grade 1 to 12. This institution will be a symbol of Peace to the whole World. It will soon be realized”, she added.

She will be traveling to Paris, France from 19th – 24th June to attend a meeting convened by the French President Emmanuel Macron and will travel to Kigali, Rwanda next month to meet several African leaders, Nobel Laureates & top United Nations officials to help in restoring peace in Manipur.

Licypriya Kangujam meets Pope Francis in Vatican

Letter to the Pope

June 5, 2023

Dear Holy Father,

I am writing today this letter to you on behalf of all the children of the world, to request you some of the most pressing issues on Climate Change. We, the children, would like to thank you for your continuous efforts for raising the voice to fight the global climate crisis.

1) Make “Climate Education” mandatory in the school education curriculum in all Catholic Schools worldwide. This will help children to fight climate change from the grassroots. Without Climate Education, there will be no climate Solution.

2) Urge the rich nations to pay “lost and damage” to the poor developing nations especially of the Global South. We want climate justice now. Todays’ climate crisis is caused by the rich nations but we’re just the victims of it. And, we need to just transition away from coal, oil and gas – the top cause of the climate crisis today.

3) Your kind intervention to stop violence between the Kukis Community and the Indigenous “Meitei” people living in Manipur - a North Eastern State of India bordering Myanmar. Both the communities suffer a lot. Over 80,000 people from both the communities lost their homes and hundreds of people died in the last 1 month. Children desperately hope for peace. We should live in peace and harmony together.

I pray to the Almighty Sanamahi God to bless you with good health so that you may continue to serve us for many more years.

With every best wish, I remain,

Sincerely yours,
(Licypriya Kangujam)
11 Years Old Indian Climate &
Environmental Activists

HIS HOLINESS, POPE FRANCIS
Bishop of Rome and Vicar of Jesus Christ
Apostolic Palace
00120 Vatican City