I am Generation Equality: Moana Tepano Contesse, Rapa Nui activist, committed to the preservation of the environment and her culture

Caring for the environment and creating opportunities for young people to learn, share, develop their talents and interests through the legacy of their ancestors, is what motivates Moana Tepano Contesse, an 18-year-old activist of Rapa Nui origin, to participate in advocacy initiatives.

Her activism has led her to present a self-sustainability project she designed in events such as COP 24, held in Poland, where she highlighted the use of ancestral knowledge and methods of cultivation of the PÛ 'OKA or stone gardens.

How do you imagine equality in the next 25 years?

In the next 25 years I imagine a world where there is mutual respect between all genders and where people's feelings are also respected - where everyone can aspire towards their own dreams without being judged.

What is your message for today's leaders?

The appeal I make to the world leaders today is that they fight for their dreams and that don't give up. Even if they feel things are not going in their way, or if they think they are going against the tide, there are many young people and leaders who are advocating for changes for a better world. Do not lose hope (...) and get the words "impossible" and "fear" out of your heads because we only have to use them to say "it is impossible that because of fear we are not able to create a better world".

What does it take to achieve equality and inclusion?

To achieve equality and inclusion you need the foundation for everything: education. Young children must be taught that, although we are very different and have different abilities, we are all equal. They need to be taught not to discriminate and that we all need to respect one another.

Learn more:

Latin American and Caribbean Feminist Youth Statement [Spanish].