In November 2025, I attended the Future Action Summit in Kuala Lumpur, a four-day international gathering focused on youth leadership, climate action, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This was my first international summit outside India, and it became a deeply meaningful learning and personal experience. This was mainly organised by Echochange.
Why I applied.
I came across the Future Action Summit through social media. At first, I did not have complete clarity about the event, but it caught my attention because it focused on role of youth in Sustainable Development Goals and Climate action. Around that time, I had recently moved to Japan, and I felt disconnected from the kind of community based and climate focused work I was involved in earlier in India, especially through Sustera Foundation and related initiatives. Climate change and sustainable development have always been areas I wanted to learn more about and stay actively engaged in.
The summit felt like a space where learning, dialogue, and action could come together. I decided to apply, and I was grateful to receive a partially funded opportunity through EchoChange, which made it possible for me to attend. I travelled from Fukuoka to Kuala Lumpur, with long layovers and nearly nine hours of travel. I arrived with a mix of excitement, curiosity, and nervousness, knowing this was my first experience of such a global space.
Day 1 – Arrival and settling in.
First day was a soft beginning. After the long journey, the focus was not on heavy sessions but on arriving and settling into the space. I shared a room with someone from another country, which immediately reminded me how international this experience was going to be. Registration, welcome kits, ice-breakers, and informal conversations filled the day.
I met participants from different parts of the world and also from various regions of India. Conversations were simple at first, but they slowly turned into exchanges about backgrounds, motivations, and shared interests. By the end of the day, travel fatigue caught up with me. Day 1 felt less about learning and more about gently stepping into a new environment.
Day 2 – Understanding the bigger picture.
The day helped me understand why this summit exists. The sessions focused on the Sustainable Development Goals, where the world currently stands, and what progress looks like as we move closer to 2030. One idea shared early in the day stayed with me:
the summit aims to leave participants with a new skill, a new network, and a new sense of self.
Panel discussions explored climate action, politics, and policy, highlighting not just achievements but also gaps and challenges that still remain. Youth voices were placed at the centre of these conversations. Later in the day, we participated in an open space activity. It was flexible and discussion-driven, allowing participants to move between groups, exchange ideas, and connect different perspectives. Day 2 felt grounding. It added clarity and context to everything that followed.
Day 3 – Learning by doing.
This was the most intensive and engaging day of the summit. The morning began with a keynote introducing the concept of the Social Solidarity Economy, an economic approach that prioritises people over profit, especially at the grassroots level. This was a new idea for me and offered a different way of thinking about development and sustainability.
We then moved into a policy simulation activity, where we were divided into groups and given limited time to discuss, debate, and design a short policy proposal. It required quick thinking, collaboration, and practical decision-making. Later in the day, we participated in the Climate Fresk workshop, a science-based, interactive activity that explains climate change through cause-and-effect relationships. Instead of lectures, learning happened through discussion, collaboration, and visual mapping.The workshop made complex climate science feel accessible, human, and easy to understand. It was my first time experiencing this format, and it left a strong impression on me.
Cultural night – A shared moment.
The cultural night on the third day felt very different from the rest of the summit. That evening, we did not come as delegates, speakers, or participants. We came as ourselves. People arrived wearing traditional clothes, carrying flags, and sharing stories from their cultures. Slowly, music brought everyone together. Someone took the first step, then another followed. Soon, people were dancing, learning new steps, and smiling at faces that no longer felt unfamiliar.
In a world that often feels divided by borders, power, and conflict, this moment felt simple and human. No one asked where you were from. We just shared the space.
Day 4 – Closing and reflections.
The final day had a lighter schedule, allowing space to reflect. The day began with a panel discussion featuring youth voices discussing where they hope the world will be in the coming years as 2030 approaches. Selected delegates also presented their initiatives and work, showing how ideas discussed during the summit are already turning into action.
We took part in a souvenir exchange activity, where participants shared small gifts from their countries. Simple objects, but meaningful reminders of shared experiences. The day ended with certificate distribution, group photos, selfies, conversations, and long goodbyes. Some participants were heading back home, while others stayed around, trying to hold on to the last moments. Day 4 did not feel like an ending. It felt like a pause before carrying these experiences forward.
What I’m taking forward.
The Future Action Summit reminded me that climate action is not only about targets, policies, or frameworks. It is also about people, collaboration, and shared responsibility. I am taking forward new perspectives, meaningful connections, and a renewed motivation to stay engaged in youth-led and climate-focused work, wherever I am based.
