Dec. 22: Two Bengalis - one a Nobel Peace laureate and the other a 16-year-old green activist - met at The Hague this month. Kehkashan Basu received the International Children's Peace Prize from Muhammad Yunus of Bangladesh.
A student of Deira International School in Dubai, Kehkashan won the award, an initiative of the Amsterdam-based advocacy body KidsRights Foundation, beating 120 nominees from 49 countries.
"The award was quite unexpected given the record number of nominations," said Kehkashan, who has been the youngest global coordinator of the United Nations Environment Programme's youth wing.
Kehkashan's youth group, Green Hope, champions the cause of gender equality and every child's right to education besides educating and empowering young people about alternative energy.
The young green activist dedicated her award to her parents who had accompanied her. "Had it been not for their support I would not have managed to balance my academics with my mission," she smiled.
The high point of Kehkashan's visit to The Hague was, of course, the interaction with Yunus. She spent an entire afternoon chatting with the Nobel Laureate about her work and goals and that too in Bengali.
"Yunus mentioned in his speech how proud he was of the fact that I was a Bengali. I was happy to be introduced in that manner. He also autographed his latest book, Super Happiness, for me. I shall always cherish that moment," said Kehkashan, aptly born on June 5, World Environment Day.
Bursting with renewed enthusiasm post her award, Kehkashan wants to continue her work with greater zeal. Green Hope already has branches in 10 countries and Kehkashan plans to open a Calcutta chapter on her visit to the city in summer. She is also eyeing a branch in Canada, where she wants to pursue higher studies.
"Last December, I conducted a workshop for the students of Loreto College. Before that, I also engaged with the students of Rainbow School," she said.
The group spreads awareness about mitigating climate change, promoting renewable energy and adopting sustainable consumption patterns. "We use music, dance, drama and poetry to spread awareness. This way we have fun too, sometimes much more than other teens," said Kehkashan.
Her dream: to collaborate with Leonardo Di Caprio on an environment campaign in future. "He is not just a Hollywood icon, but also a diehard environmentalist. I hope that one day I can meet him in person," she signed off.