To stop melting ice in the Arctic we need to start melting the ice between people and that is why we brought together over 40 climate advocates and climate champions from 17 countries and 3 continents at the British Council Partner Centre in Poznan during the 14th United Nations Climate Change Conference.

Country delegates presented their climate activities and projects being a part of British Council Climate Change campaign in a friendly and receptive atmosphere, sharing successes, local experiences, and country news.

'We learned what others do, exchanged contacts and talked about future cooperation' says Agata Nagrabska, Polish Climate Advocate from the Challenge Europe project.

Young leaders got first-hand evidence of what their peers from around the world were doing, what challenges they faced and what factors they had to consider when developing initiatives. Not only was their general knowledge of Climate Change extended, but also their understanding of British Council project work around the world.

Their participation in COP 14 gave all the participants a unique opportunity to understand the global importance of climate issues and how they are being resolved at a global level. Due to getting accreditation, all British Council participants were able to enter sessions of the United Nations, attend side-events, open working groups and enjoy accompanying attractions such as a cycle protest rally or a climate manifestation which were part of synchronised demonstrations held in nearly 100 countries around the globe. For most of them it was their first experience of a global policy framework which gave them an opportunity to talk to decision-makers informally in a conference restaurant or just in a foyer. Many participants felt that they had received new information, skills and gained more confidence in targeting influencers and opinion-formers.

'It was definitely worth being there. There’s no other place where we could get so much information giving us a very broad view on the subject. Media do not cover everything and we had a chance to get first – hand evidence from people who have witnessed and experienced the effects of climate change in different parts of the world' said Sabina Michalska, Polish Climate Advocate who was struck by presentations held during the Arctic & Small Island Developing States event, including a speech by Chief Bill Erasmus, Chair of the Arctic Athabaskan Council, who was moved to tears when expressing his disappointment with the lack of recognition of the plight of indigenous people in the UN negotiations on climate change.