Chan Aye
As an educator, Chan Aye understands the need for youth engagement at all levels to increase Burma’s resilience to the urgent, life-threatening challenges of climate change. He enrolled in the Urban Climate Leadership certificate program to build new technical knowledge, refine his teaching skills, and tap into a global network to help inspire the next generation of Burmese climate and environmental leaders.
As lead trainer at the Bright Institute, an independent school focused on youth development and climate education in Yangon, Burma’s largest city, Chan Aye is working to train the country’s next generation of climate leaders.
“Climate change constitutes a life-threatening issue across Burma every day, with detrimental impacts on national peace and development,” Aye said. “Holistic education at all levels is key to enhancing resilience and addressing those issues proactively.”
Aye is active in the Myanmar Climate Action Network and has spearheaded several programs to encourage youth participation in climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts at the local and national level. He holds master’s degrees in Teaching English as a Foreign Language from Yangon University of Education and in Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding from Durham University, where he received a Chevening Scholarship, a prestigious award funded by the British government to enable foreign students to study in the United Kingdom. As president of the Myanmar Chevening Alumni, the national alumni association, he continues to encourage Burmese youth to access international education, so they can return home and become leaders in the climate, environment, and development sectors.
Aye enrolled in the Urban Climate Leadership certificate program to further develop technical knowledge and skills he could use in his climate education work.
“I try my best to educate my fellow citizens on the destructive consequences of climate change on their daily lives and the urgency to address those issues proactively in concerted efforts. But to be able to do so, I needed to receive effective hands-on training with a chance to extend my professional networks at the global level,” Aye said.
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