CUK student among four from India attending COP27 in Egypt

The Hindu Bureau, Kasaragod

Elizabeth Eapen, a second-year student of Masters in Public Administration and Policy Studies at the Central University of Kerala (CUK), never imagined that a news article would take her to the biggest climate change summit, COP27, which opened at Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt on November 8.

She is among the four persons from India who have been selected for attending the event. The others are an alumna of CUK and those from Gujarat and Pune.

‘Life-changing experience’

“The event turned out to be a life-changing experience for me,“ she said over phone from Egypt.

Ms. Eapen said that it all started with a report on a daily about the selection procedure for students to attend the COP. As a student of CUK and St. Stephen’s College, she had attended several national events.

“It was natural to have a desire to attend such a mega international event [COP27] that discussed the progress of our future,” she said.

Ms. Eapen said the selection procedure involved writing about one’s experiences in environmental protection activities. “The shortlisted candidates were interviewed. To my surprise, I was selected and given an opportunity to attend the conference,” she added.

“The event has not just allowed us to see leaders from various countries but also to attend the conference, which has changed our perspective,” she said.

Ms. Eapen said she was able to present her work and share her experiences on the first day.